Showcase | Other Norton 74
- Thread starter ashman
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ashman
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Brought new in June 1976 last of the 74 model Roadster was sitting at the back of the showroom behind all the 75 model Nortons/Triumphs paid $1999 on the road I was 17 years old, in 1979 I brought the Featherbed frame from my mate Don who got me into Nortons and Featherbed frames, in 1980 I started the conversion to the Featherbed (took 2 years to build), motor was built for the hard mount frame with crank balanced at 72%, stock cam built up to 2S grind, 40th oversized Hepilite pistons with under min final hone bore to cylinder clearance, head was ported but kept original valves, new Amal carbs jetted for the work done to the motor, header pipes were made and bent/tucked in for the Featherbed frame by a local exhaust shop with a mandle bender and short open mufflers with cut down baffles fitted, foot pegs sit high so no scraping at all, used the Commando frontend and rear wheel laced to19" Akront alloy rims, Koni shocks on the back, engine mounts made of 5mm steel plate with motor tilting forward as Commando, interstate seat with hump modified mounting brackets to fit the Featherbed frame, Lochead oil cooler.
Upgrades in 2011, round alloy oil tank, Joe Hunt magneto, Lansdown frontend internals and full Grimica 12" floating disc, caliper/MC, braded SS line and longer brake lever, great front brakes now.
Bike handles like its on rail, is super light and has a lot of torque from low down revs to full revs, revs very freely so got to watch out, spins up real quick and built for the tight twisties in the mountain ranges, this Norton is well set up and a very fun bike to ride and is still going as good as the day I built it 44 years ago, it's showing it's age but that's the way I like it, it's no show pony but it draws a crowd where ever I park up when out on it.
What's a head for it, a new CNW electric starter, rewiring and original Featherbed oil tank fitted so I can run a battery for the ES kit behind the oil tank on the left side, losing my lower right leg has forced these changes on my Norton so I can ride again, thanks to everyone here, was a every day rider most of its life but semi retired now just like me, has been a very reliable Norton in the 50+ years of owning it, it don't leak oil and always a one kick start with the Joe Hunt and has ran the best it ever has since fitting the JH, work so well with the Amals.
That's my hotrod 850 Norton.
Ashley
Upgrades in 2011, round alloy oil tank, Joe Hunt magneto, Lansdown frontend internals and full Grimica 12" floating disc, caliper/MC, braded SS line and longer brake lever, great front brakes now.
Bike handles like its on rail, is super light and has a lot of torque from low down revs to full revs, revs very freely so got to watch out, spins up real quick and built for the tight twisties in the mountain ranges, this Norton is well set up and a very fun bike to ride and is still going as good as the day I built it 44 years ago, it's showing it's age but that's the way I like it, it's no show pony but it draws a crowd where ever I park up when out on it.
What's a head for it, a new CNW electric starter, rewiring and original Featherbed oil tank fitted so I can run a battery for the ES kit behind the oil tank on the left side, losing my lower right leg has forced these changes on my Norton so I can ride again, thanks to everyone here, was a every day rider most of its life but semi retired now just like me, has been a very reliable Norton in the 50+ years of owning it, it don't leak oil and always a one kick start with the Joe Hunt and has ran the best it ever has since fitting the JH, work so well with the Amals.
That's my hotrod 850 Norton.
Ashley
