Shakedown, no breakdown... yet

So I have been dreading going to the DMV...

Even though I have a clean signed title I thought for sure something would prevent be from getting a title. Did I need a Bill of Sale? What else could they get me on? I was just going to ride the bike to the DMV (only a couple miles) with no registration or plate, but I decided the less I did to antagonize them the better so I loaded it in the pickup and off I went. But not before more consternation, as I looked at the title I had and it said first titled in 1973! Which meant that I might require turnsignals... which I hadn't installed yet. :shock:

I decided to go down anyways.

Went in and it was almost empty (that corner of the hood doesn't get up early...) and I only had to wait a few minutes. I nice gentleman from Nigeria helped me. He barely glanced at the title as he fill out the forms on the computer. Almost $200 later (title, plate, registration) he asked if the bike was here. He took the plate and temp registration and we went out to the truck. He asked were the numbers were and I pointed to the engine and plate. He looked just long enough to confirm the numbers. Then he handed me the temp registration and plate. I said is there anything else? He said no, title should come in the mail in about 4 weeks.

Of course I had expected at least a half-hearted inspection for lights and horn and God-forbid, turnsignals, but nothing. Needless to say I didn't stick around asking dumb questions.

I have been riding around since. It's a beautiful 80º today. It hasn't stopped except once when someone, unnamed, may have forgotten to turn on the tap...

I did check the belt and now that it's nice and hot the belt is tight. Cold it was loose. I may need to loosen it more.

And frankly I wore out before the bike did. I am not looking forward to clip-ons. :mrgreen: Probably has more due to the fact I played basketball on Weds (after not playing in 10 yrs) and made me a wee bit sore.

Norton club meeting tomorrow. First time it'll be out "for real". :mrgreen: Then Sunday a ride up to the in-laws.

Wife has some pics and video from this morning. I'll post it later as I want to get another ride in before it gets too dark (no turnsignals, remember?).

Very exciting, Dave. Ain't it great when reality is so much less dramatic than our imaginations.
Anyhow, it doesn't take much to loosen the belt, and a little too much, it will skip on the crank hub when loading.

I am really happy for you, Dave. i've followed your saga from the start and to continue........
Take care of my gearbox.
Peter

There's nothing like a quiet solo Sunday afternoon ride in the country. (For god sakes, don't forget the cell phone)

There are more dependable bikes...
There are faster bikes...
There bikes that handle better...
There are cheaper bikes...

But riding a Norton is special, it sounds right, it feels right, it makes the right noises and a well set-up Commando with the throttles cables pulled tight is just... magic!

Watching folks walk right past a pile of $27,000.00 Billet Barges to gawk at your Commando is PRICELESS! ("my brothers buddy had one of those").

Remember, Shiny side up.

Vince

Good one Dave, now enjoy.

Hey, that's great news.

You may need to flip the bars (if they're the adjustables) for a generally higher stance...

Great Dave, glad it all went well. Now get some riding done!

Dave
69S

Congrats on the bike build, we all know how much thought and work it took. And, with the DMV you followed the advice of the master, Grandpaul:

Keep your mouth shut and answer direct questions.

When they ask you for the money, hand it over.

Go ride.

It's all go from the sound of it. Congratulations Swoosh.
Hope there's not too many teething problems.
AC.

Its not un-realistic to be pensive as hell on red tap to break in shake downs, but its a proven design and a form driven Gov't so all is well to be the center of attention where ever you go, be kind, but perfectly appropriate to say softly but confidently, just before your one start kick with all eyes watching, "Thumb Commensors are known to lower one's IQ" > kaaRoommm, ...

I did check the belt and now that it's nice and hot the belt is tight. Cold it was loose. I may need to loosen it more.
And frankly I wore out before the bike did. I am not looking forward to clip-ons. :mrgreen: Probably has more due to the fact I played basketball on Weds (after not playing in 10 yrs) and made me a wee bit sore.

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I did check the belt and now that it's nice and hot the belt is tight. Cold it was loose. I may need to loosen it more./quote]

Wisdom soaking its way in. Definitely check belt tension when fully hot and tweak it right, which just just able to twist it 90' and can stil get belt on-off by hand when cold, then note cold twist slack and set gear box in place forever more.

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Took another ride before dinner. Got up to about 55mph, how do I know this? The speedo actually works! Well, probably as good as they do. Haven't ridden pass one of those speed trap signs to see how far off it is. I probably could have check to see how many miles I put on today. Probably 25 or more.

There is still about 3/4in or so of play in the belt when hot, should I try for more? If you recall the video from earlier watching the belt flop when cold.

I really hate the way I did the fuel lines. The Tygon isn't as stiff as other fuel line and was drooping towards the barrel. I zip tied it out of the way for now. I need to find the later banjos. I have some of the Triumph ones but they seemed too long and would hit in the middle.

Oh, and by the way, riding in traffic is NOT fun. Unfortunately I haven't ventured far enough out to get away from most of them.

If you try to kick it over and it seem like the kickstarter is slipping and missing the ratchet in the gearbox, its probably the belt jumping a tooth or 2 on the crankshaft hub. If not jumping then it's good to go. Sound to me like you got it perfect.
Just cause your road worthy does not mean nor ever will it mean your all done.

Traffic is your audience. Don't deny them. Rehearsals are over, the stage is set....the show must go on.

Luckily ya'll are already acclimated to my yellow, ahem, fetish. :mrgreen:

One of my first stops was at Cycle Gear to pick up a real jacket. I got the leather/mesh one. And I really enjoyed the cooling. The jacket would be awful in the rain or when it was cold but really, in Oregon if it's cold it's probably raining, and rain and this bike could not be a good combination.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NfeITwFjQU[/video]
Hope you enjoy the video. I did come back but not because the bike broke down or I got ran over, rather I plain got worn out. :mrgreen:

Hehehe Letting that clutch out in tight quarters does help define committed motion.

Worn out on a Commando??, Must not have old man bars and seat and pegs on. When fitted right for function not just fashion, a Commando should leave you refreshed every time and distance.

hobot said:

Hehehe Letting that clutch out in tight quarters does help define committed motion.

Worn out on a Commando??, Must not have old man bars and seat and pegs on. When fitted right for function not just fashion, a Commando should leave you refreshed every time and distance.

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Actually I'm mostly sore from playing basketball on Wednesday. And riding the Norton uses different muscle groups than I'm use to. Remember that I sit on my ass most of the time. :mrgreen:

I'll get in riding shape soon enough.

Yeah, I've been finding out about different muscle groups too. I still have a cramp in my calf from that last ride and it was only 15m. But then I've got years on you. I'll have it out again tomorrow. Wifey is gone, so no vids. I have to admit though, it makes me sit up with my OM handle bars, keep my back straight and hold on for dear life, I actually think it makes my back and neck feel better. My trouble is I get a buzz at 3K that puts my hands to sleep, left one doesn't matter too much because it's already asleep from C6-7 fracture, but right one feels it. Time for those Hemmings adjusters.

Dave
69S

I may stumble with wiring but not on nerve signs and symptoms and those "new muscle" use symptoms are not muscle but central nervous system magnifying about nothing d/t the sag posture on its canal choking it fluid flow in a common bottle neck to rest of the body. I rode factory 750 couple days ago and can tell its bars are a bit too low for very far, I felt mine as dull muscle in mid back, mild but lordy I know that just the hint of what mean twisted up pain it can become.

I used to take Trixie out of state 100 miles and back at night and want to again but not squirm-ache-tingle just be refreshed, so might have to offend others with taller bars, especially as I must retain the factory foot position. I've no plans of endurance runs on her, that's Ms Peel's forte and her bars may verge on ape hang long horns.

swooshdave said:

Oh, and by the way, riding in traffic is NOT fun. Unfortunately I haven't ventured far enough out to get away from most of them.

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I don't know if you've been doing much street riding lately. It's been said that riding in the dirt is to riding on the street is as what boxing is to bar fighting. and riding in metro areas is like getting into 'one of those bar-fights'. As Phillipe said, think about uninsured-underinsured motorist coverage. It's cheap. Riding with just one other person seems to more than double your visibility. Although, in you case I think you've got the visibility thing covered.

rpatton said:

swooshdave said:

Oh, and by the way, riding in traffic is NOT fun. Unfortunately I haven't ventured far enough out to get away from most of them.

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I don't know if you've been doing much street riding lately. It's been said that riding in the dirt is to riding on the street is as what boxing is to bar fighting. and riding in metro areas is like getting into 'one of those bar-fights'. As Phillipe said, think about uninsured-underinsured motorist coverage. It's cheap. Riding with just one other person seems to more than double your visibility. Although, in you case I think you've got the visibility thing covered.

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I've been doing NO street riding in the last 20 years.

What I mean by "not fun" is the constant avoidance that you have to take, at the same time I'm trying to get use to the feel of the bike under me. And in the back of my head I wondering if something will break. A lot going on. It will get better the more I trust the bike and the more I get use to the people around me who are trying to kill me.

Uninsured is covered.

I find that my driving skills improve during the Summer, from riding the Norton in the street. You gotta be alert, look ahead, and take nothing for granted. Ride as if you're invisible (you are).

That said..

Get out on the open road, snick into 2nd gear, grab a handful of throttle and tach that bannana to 6K. You'll be smiling for a week.

Congrats on getting this far.

Congratulations on your success at the DMV, Dave. That's a milestone worth celebrating for sure! You just never know what they'll throw at you. I've had them reject VIN inspections because the inspector wrote the date in as two digits instead of four! Or because the name was improperly abbreviated ("R-E" instead of "Roy" for Royal Enfield, for one example). And if the seller didn't sign the title EXACTLY as his name appears on the front (very common in my experience), then that's another form to have him sign (called Statement Of One In The Same). I could go on and on.

Congrats on the build too. It's been a long hard road. But now you get to ride it and enjoy the results of all that work. :mrgreen:

Have fun and watch out for those car drivers. Best to think of them as blind and homicidal.

Debby