Quick Hello from a Norton Newbie

Hello All,

I am maybe starting down the road of Norton ownership and restoration and figured that background research is always a good start to a new project like this. This certainly looks like a very active forum and I've already found some interesting thread while trolling around. So, thanks in advance for any and all advice that I might find, or ask for when I get stuck and want to pound my head against a wall.

I guess as a bit of a background, my Uncle passed a few months back, and left behind an unbelievable number of unfinished projects in his garage. We were pretty close as is it goes, and now that the estate is being organized and sold away, I was contacted by my cousins and offered his old and much loved 1971 Norton Commando 750. (unsure about which model specifically) Now, I do know he was the original owner, and I am fairly sure he purchased the bike in Europe and has it shipped across when he came back to Canada. I will clearly need to investigate further and see what I can find. So, while it's not a happy way to come across a project bike, it's nice that it stays in the family. My intention is to eventually do a fairly full restoration to the condition that my Uncle hoped to get the bike into. As a bit of a background, I have no professional training whatsoever in mechanics or suchlike, but a fairly long experience working on my own vehicles and bikes. I've ownder and worked on principally Japanese inline 4's and am in the middle of a frame up restoration of my 1978 Kawasaki KZ 650.

British engineering and electrical is pretty new to me, and while I know the basic reversed colors for ground and positive leads, that's about where my education ends. I am principally hoping that the Norton crowd here might have some advice on where to start reading, or moreover WHAT to start with. Are factory issued owners manuals any good? Are aftermarket or modern manuals better? Anything available online as a pdf..... etc?

I fully expect that this project will take a couple of years at the very least to do a decent job, and so realize I won't be riding this thing next summer. I figure the people around here would rather see another Norton back on the road than broken down and sold for parts.

Thanks very much in advance,

Jon

My name is also Jon and it sounds like you have about the same experience that I had when I started working on my 20 year hibernation bike. The Factory manual is very good and there is a link to it somewhere around here. I also have a Clymers and Haynes manual. I like to have at least two for reference but use the factory the most. The others have better pictures. I like pictures.

Regarding electrical get one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-Commando ... 9a&vxp=mtr

My advice is to get it safe and reliable, then make it pretty. Evaluate each of the systems: Brakes, Drive train, engine, wheels etc. Then decide the best course of action for each.

You will see threads here about Isolastics and rims sizes and options. Braking upgrades and replacements. Read lots. Take the bike down and address each system.

Some examples:
I replaced my points with a Pazon for reliability. Left the original coils.
I replaced the layshaft bearing for safety.
I upgraded my headlight for safety.
Inspected and repaired a lot of electrical connectors.
Replace exhaust out of necessity.
Still have original seat, rims, wire loom, braking systems on the bike.

You have to decide how close to original you want to 'restore' the bike.

By the way, mine took about a year.

Good Luck. You will get a lot of help here.

Start here:

technical-information-how-post-photos-t2357.html

If you can turn a wrench you can work on a Norton.

Jon,

Good luck with the rebuild and it is good to see another Commando being put back on the road.

I use the workshop manual as it explains in fairly easy terms how the bike comes apart and goes back together and I am not a mechanic of any sort.

Frank

Good luck with the restoration John, nice to know it will be back on the road and kept in the family,

Dave.

swooshdave said:

Start here:

technical-information-how-post-photos-t2357.html

If you can turn a wrench you can work on a Norton.

Click to expand...

It helps to be slightly anal too. Read everything you can. Capt. Norton's notes is good , other place is the NOC notes. It's overwhelming, but worth going through. It will give you an idea of what is possible and what you may want to improve.

I left mine visibly stock, but made plenty improvements to make it reliable, which it always was anyhow. There's just some modern stuff that's better sometimes, like EI.

Welcome

Dave
69S

Thanks all,

Those are great places to start, and I will get through all of them in time. I don't have the bike yet, but should in the next couple of months. Seems there is a real wealth of knowledge here and plenty of resources. Probably not surprising given the internet and people's dedication to bringing old things back to life. I never would have gotten so far and dared to completely tear down my current project without the encouragement and knowledge from the boys over at KZRider, my resident vintage Kawasaki forum, among other places.

As to the bike itself, I am hopeful, but never did a particularly thorough go over when I last saw it. I had at the time hoped to take a couple of long weekends away and help my Uncle when he got to some of the heavy lifting parts of the rebuild. Guess it's all on me now. I do know that on the return of a round trip from Ontario Canada, to Tijuana New Mexico, my Uncle burned a valve somewhere due to conditions at high altitude and improperly jetted carbs (he'd replaced the stock pipes with high flow a 2-1). Tho he was able to nurse it home on rich mix, that was the last trip the bike ever took. 1978. Been sitting idle since, and some of that time in less than ideal conditions. Now, I don't want to paint the wrong picture, he was an electrical engineer, and very meticulous but circumstances get out of peoples control some times. All that is to say, I suspect it will be a case of everything being taken apart, cleaned, checked against tolerances and replaced. I am sure I will be leaning heavily of people here for advice when it comes to that. I am hoping that the inside bits are in better shape than the outside. :wink:

Anyway, I hope it doesn't offend the purists, but I think some of the less visible modernization on these old bikes are a good idea. My Kawi got an HEI ignition, 4-1 header, SS brake lines etc... None of which scream modern, but do make it a more reliable and safer ride. I think I'd go the same route with the Norton. I'm not one for chopped/bobbed/cafe'd bikes. At least not when a bike can be brought back to a stockish condition.

I will stay on this, and post plenty of photos when I go pick it up.

Cheers!
Jon

KzJonny said:

Anyway, I hope it doesn't offend the purists, but I think some of the less visible modernization on these old bikes are a good idea.

Click to expand...

Hi Jon,

I am from the same school. I want the bike to look good, be reliable and safe.

You might want to look here for ideas. Don't be surprised at the cafe racer on the home page. Look around at the photo galleries and parts. Matt does some pretty nice upgrades.

http://coloradonortonworks.com/

I am doing a number of upgrades to my MKIII. New forks with Landsdowne adjustable dampers, billet yokes, Brembo brakes front and rear, electronic ignition, single flat slide Mikuni carb, high output alternator, 4 brush starter, Corbin Gunfighter seat...etc.

You can do alot to bring the Norton into the 21st Century and still retain the overall look and feel of the original.

Dennis

Youll need dual carbs if you want to blow of Honda CBR 600s , though .

Matt Spencer said:

Youll need dual carbs if you want to blow of Honda CBR 600s , though .

Click to expand...

Welcome Jon.

Thanks all for the welcome and start on the advice.

I don't know if it is considered bad form bumping threads on this forum, or if perhaps I should start a new one, however, I have a quick question to ask of you all.
It seems that it is official now, and I am being given the old girl. I drive up to pick up the bike in a couple of days.

Now, I have a fairly large car, a Subaru Outback station wagon, and my plan was to do a partial dissasembly in my Uncles garage, and stuff the frame and parts in my car and bring it back like that. By rough measurement , it should at least FIT, tho it might be a bit of a bear getting the frame/engine in and out. I won't be the only person there, so that should be okay. (Unless someone here reckons it really won't be!)

What I was most curious about was will I need any tools beyond the basics? I had planned on bringing a large wrench set (which alone is interesting since I have never actually used any of my Imperial tools, they mainly just collect dust.) a socket set, and a couple of set of large pliers. Camera to record any bit which I might get backwards on re-assembly, ziploc bag and sharpie for small bits and some cardboard boxes for bigger bits. Can anyone think of snap rings, difficult to remove nuts etc.... Should I bring my large cheater bar? I only intend the remove the bodywork, fork and maybe swingarm to get it in my car, so I can't imagine that will be a huge task.

I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts tho!

Thanks
Jon

Matt Spencer said:

Youll need dual carbs if you want to blow of Honda CBR 600s , though .

Click to expand...

I take your meaning Matt. I don't know what the bike has on it, presumably a single carb? I will find out soon as I said.

On the other hand, I have a much better solution for laying waste to Hondas. I ride a Kawasaki!

You should have some penetrating oil,wd-40,rags ,soft mallet, a drift ,maybe an adjustable wrench and Lots of p
Patience,Good Luck and lucky you !
Craig

Are you going to remove the motor from the frame? If so study up on the primary transmission. You will need a clutch tool and a puller to remove the sprocket off the crank.

The swingarm can be a bitch. I would leave it and remove the rear wheel from it.

The front forks can be dropped without removing the steering yokes from the frame. It needs a large adjustable wrench or 1 5/16 US wrench or socket. And a large allen/hex wrench to release the pinch bolts in the lower yoke. I would have to check on that size as well. It is about 5/16 inch. I can measure one in the shop here.

The last item that might be good to remove would be the rear fender if you needed to shorten things up more. You will find a lot of the bolts are US standard sizes and most often 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16. Some 3/4 to such as isolastic bolts. If you master the primary transmission the motor comes out fairly easily with the frame on its side.

You would need allen/hex if you want to remove the handle bars. Again I would have to check the size. If I had never worked on a Commando I would be tempted to rent or borrow a trailer or a ute and pick the thing up in one piece so you could study it at your leisure before and while tearing it down. They are not hard to work on, but I sure like having a second one here to compare things too!

If you remove the rear wheel and fender, and the front forks, the bike is pretty much as short as it will get. Everything else is for weight. If I had to load one in the back of a car in that fashion I would be rigging up a motorcycle "stretcher" and finding some friends to help me slide it in. It will probably still be three hundred pounds at that point.

Russ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3Xn4bQvxa4 :shock: :x




:lol: :lol:

I think Id be might borrowing a TRAILER .

IF you tryn fit it in , wheels only & hang it out the back . Take a few planks , and a cross one for under the rear . Tied Forward . SECURELY . ( see first link ).

Take a can of C.R.C. / WD-40 etc . and IMPERIAL SPANNERS . Remember the Axle CLAMP BOLT . And a Drift & Mallet . and plenty of rope and rags for under rope .

or borrow a flat deck .
Or trade in the suberroo on a good ole late 50s ute .

or 60s .

8) :wink:

or 70s .

Thanks guys,

All good advice, and I will use pretty much all of it. The most obvious one is to get the trailer/borrow a pickup, basically NOT use my car. I wish it were that easy, but i don't have a trailer hitch, and nobody to borrow a truck from. I also checked, and none of the rental agencies in the area have small trucks either. If it comes to it, I will try taking back what I can now, and leaving anything until I can get back up there to pick it up, but that may not be an option. Without going into all the details, it isnt as easy as just popping by and grabbing it. The bike is in the garage of an unoccupied house which is a ~3 hour drive from me. I really hadn't expected to be going to get it in the middle of the Canadian winter. (The garage isn't heated, and the house barely so, as nobody is living there!) So it is very much making the best of a difficult situation.

On the other hand, I should have most of a day to fiddle, and be careful about the process. Maybe even some of a second day for the bits that are stubborn, or don't want to come loose immediately. So, hopefully that will be enough. I think is is likely I may have to make some kind of 'bike stretcher' as suggested to get the thing in the trunk, so we shall see. There may have to be some very inventive, on the spot creation of ways to get it all done. The plus side to getting it all into my car however, is that is also gives is a place to be out of the weather and elements for the next little while. As I have no garage/shed or really any kind of outdoor shelter at my house, and everything is covered in 2 feet of snow. Bringing it back in a truck would be nice, but then it would end up sitting in the middle of a snow covered driveway for months. As it stands, I leave for New Zealand for a job in a little less than a month, so in my absence, the old girl will at least have a dry place to stay until a more permanent arrangement can be made!

In any case, I leave tomorrow to go and see what there is to be seen. I will do my level best not break/chip/scrape/scratch etc.... anything. :wink: I will take some photos as well, if only to document the 'before' condition of the bike.

Cheers all,

Jon

If you are into a DOHC 650 four, you'll have no trouble with the Commando. A half-handful of special tools, a few home-made tools, a basic set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets, and you'll be good to go.

You might put a new topic up that says something like "Ontario area Norton Enthusiasts Needed For Help!"

If I were nearby I would be glad to load it in my truck for the prices of gas and the pleasure of knowing it was going to be restored.

Hey John...

I am just up the road in Barrie. PM me or call if you need to bounce some questions off someone over the phone.
for any specialty work you may not want to take on your self, you are fortunate enough to have Rick Harrett of Highway Cycle, just up the road in stoney creek. ( he knows his brit iron )

cheer........... 8)