Retiring the Norton...and a question

Status
Not open for further replies.
comnoz said:
Back in the 70's when I was a line mechanic at a Cadillac dealer I rode my Norton to work every day -rain, snow or shine.
I rode it right into the shop and parked it next to my toolbox. Never heard a complaint.
Click to expand...

I did the same. My manager had a Gold Wing at the time and we'd both bring our bikes into the shop when it rained. First snow of the year however is when the Norton got put away for the winter.
 
If there's one thing that keeps me off my '73 750, it's the seat. An actual PITA. If it's going to be a 150+ mile day, I'm on the CBR or now the Bandit. Maybe I'm dumb for never popping for a Corbin, assuming that they are actually better.
 
xbacksideslider said:
If there's one thing that keeps me off my '73 750, it's the seat. An actual PITA. If it's going to be a 150+ mile day, I'm on the CBR or now the Bandit. Maybe I'm dumb for never popping for a Corbin, assuming that they are actually better.
Click to expand...

I bought new foam for my seat a few years back at a Brit bike meet. No idea who made it but it was a tremendous improvement over stock.
 
I like Corbin seats , maybe a bit of butt break in then great for all day , have Corbin on Norton and the Griso , Duc has a Ducati Performance Comfort seat and it is .... by 1984 I was running rubber tire back-ho and rode a Honda XL500 daily year round to work , always pulled “ho” out and bike went in shop every day .... winter here is a honest 5 months .... mostly got good humour from the Crew .... nobody else put their trucks in for day though ....
 
maylar said:
I bought new foam for my seat a few years back at a Brit bike meet. No idea who made it but it was a tremendous improvement over stock.
Click to expand...
I brought a wideline seat off the net which the owner/ seller described as " original " Hu! original my ass, the form was rather hard expanded polyester!!! IMO the best seat is that mixed foam, with a softer foam on the top of about 1 inch thick. It's very kind to my prospieror!!!
 
xbacksideslider said:
If there's one thing that keeps me off my '73 750, it's the seat. An actual PITA. If it's going to be a 150+ mile day, I'm on the CBR or now the Bandit. Maybe I'm dumb for never popping for a Corbin, assuming that they are actually better.
Click to expand...

I think it's more of a shape rather than a material issue.

I sent my stock Speed Triple saddle to a guy in Florida who modifies motorcycle seats, he asked for my weight, inseam length and footpeg to seat height. What I got back simply transformed the bike. The racing hump I put on the commando came with an obnoxiously thick foam rubber pad that I quickly ditched for a thin pad I made myself. I little shaping here and there and the saddle is surprisingly comfortable, even with clip ons and rearsets.

My point is, have a go at shaping the seat foam yourself... there's a reason tractor seats, though metal, are still comfy
 
I find the OEM fastback seat to be reasonably comfortable the OEM roadster seat not so much. I have had Corbin seats on two Ducati Sportbikes and found them to be less comfortable than the stock seats that were on both bikes...go figure.

I'm most comfortable on seats that I can move around a bit on. Any seat that locks me into a riding position is uncomfortable after a relatively short time. Admittedly, I've never owned, or even ridden, a dedicated touring-type bike like a big Harley or a Goldwing, etc so I don't really know what a "comfortable" motorcycle seat is supposed to feel like! :)
 
My roadster seat sucks after say 40-50 miles if I make it that far as memory serves me, but the only comfortable seat I've ever had on a scooter is the big ugly touring one on my old wing. I've sat on that for 16 hours straight with only fuel and piss stops before without discomfort..... 30 years ago though.
 
acadian said:
I think it's more of a shape rather than a material issue.

I sent my stock Speed Triple saddle to a guy in Florida who modifies motorcycle seats, he asked for my weight, inseam length and footpeg to seat height. What I got back simply transformed the bike. The racing hump I put on the commando came with an obnoxiously thick foam rubber pad that I quickly ditched for a thin pad I made myself. I little shaping here and there and the saddle is surprisingly comfortable, even with clip ons and rearsets.

My point is, have a go at shaping the seat foam yourself... there's a reason tractor seats, though metal, are still comfy
Click to expand...
Tractor seats are comfortable because they are big and fill your whole prospieror, it still doesn't stop the farmers putting a cushion on it nicked from the household! Oh! And they mount on a flexible / bouncing strip of metal like the better quality penny farthing were.
 
Bernhard said:
Tractor seats are comfortable because they are big and fill your whole prospieror, it still doesn't stop the farmers putting a cushion on it nicked from the household! Oh! And they mount on a flexible / bouncing strip of metal like the better quality penny farthing were.
Click to expand...

that’s exactly why the Russel Day Long works. Distributing weight over a larger area. https://day-long.com/
 
Craig said:
The Russel seats do look comfortable and kinda funny !
Click to expand...
So does a King & Queen seat, they are comfy but when you want to "Hang off -style" to get round corners you have gone too fast for, they are a pain in the B*M!
 
Last edited:
I have 2 Commando's. The 750 [ garage queen ] I have owned for 47 years. The 850 for maybe 12. I believe modern bikes are better but my main ride is the 850, which doesn't get ridden much in the summer because of the heat and because of time. I am in a way I'm like Jim C. I have a problem with my right hand as well, so I need to save the 3 "L's".

So I guess I am stuck with the Norton as well. No Regrets.:D

As for the seat. I had Leightons make me a new squab some years ago. Sure, after 8 hours riding I do suffer from bsa, but then I am usually heading to a Norton Rally, and that is acceptable. I could put a tractor [ harley ] seat on but that would look terrible and to me looks count. Its the best. To me, its in the same class as an E Type, which Enzo said was the most beautiful car he had ever seen. It handle ok too. Nothing better than screaming past Tane Mahuta in second gear, wife on the back beating the hell out of my thighs and the ferns hitting us on the head as we propel around those left hander's. Didnt feel anthing but the thrill.
 
Last edited:
acadian said:
I think it's more of a shape rather than a material issue.

I sent my stock Speed Triple saddle to a guy in Florida who modifies motorcycle seats, he asked for my weight, inseam length and footpeg to seat height. What I got back simply transformed the bike. The racing hump I put on the commando came with an obnoxiously thick foam rubber pad that I quickly ditched for a thin pad I made myself. I little shaping here and there and the saddle is surprisingly comfortable, even with clip ons and rearsets.

My point is, have a go at shaping the seat foam yourself... there's a reason tractor seats, though metal, are still comfy
Click to expand...


The metal pan type tractor seats are highly over rated.
We go with this type now. Can't quite figure out how to mount and power it on the Norton.
 
worntorn said:
The metal pan type tractor seats are highly over rated.
We go with this type now. Can't quite figure out how to mount and power it on the Norton.
Click to expand...

One piece olde world tractor were cheap to make which was reflected in the purchase price of the tractor. This new air cushion/ shock absorbering seat is £**** more expensive- no wonder the farmers needed an EU farming subsidy to buy one of the modern tractors! - Yes I do know GB are coming out of the EU. Not quite sure who wants one on a bike, but coming up to my old age, I like your thinking!
 
I bet Russel could make a good seat for a Commando.

When I wanted something more comfortable for my bike I tried the Corbin but found out it did not fit me.
So I took some 16 guage sheet metal and made up a pan similar to the stock pan. Then I took a thick piece of the hardest, black, closed cell packing foam I could get and glued it to the base. Then I started riding it with no cover and noted where there were pressure points. I worked to relieve them with a 6 inch Scotchbrite pad on a grinder. Eventually I got to a shape that looks good and fit me well. Then I took it to an upholstery shop and had them glue 1/2 inch of memory foam over the whole thing and sew and stretch a cover to fit. Twelve hours in the saddle now is a piece of cake. Jim
 
I've found myself at this same point recently. I have 4 roadworthy bikes , an 07 Bandit, a 61 BSA A10, a 2017 T100 Triumph and my 71 Commando.. I rode the Commando very little last year and was (am?) thinking of selling it simply because it kind of falls into the same category as the Triumph performance wise. The Bandit is an absolute road burner, great for long trips and back road fun. The A10 is a solid 55 to 60 mph back road plodder that I restored from a box of parts 25 years ago and will get passed on to somebody that appreciates it for what it is when I can't ride anymore. I guess I'll have to wait and see how the Tribsa project goes before deciding if I really need to send something on to a new owner.
 
Was trying to respond to the recent thread about the age of norton riders but my connection was not working so I'll add it here, as it also applies to this thread.

I'm 37 and have been using my 73 850 as a daily rider since i bought it in 2014. I love the bike so much that i bought a 74 850 that looks nearly identical. The thought was that if im gonna ride them this much, inevitably one of them will be on the bench at times and here in Detroit we have a short riding season so I'd rather not miss the nice days.

Friends would joke i bought an identical bike so my wife wouldn't notice i got a 2nd bike (she wouldn't care, and now rides a cb350 herself). The real reason is there's just nothing else I'd rather ride.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top