Steering pulls left - revisited

In Aug 08 I suggested that a single disc brake mounted on the right side would create a steering turning moment to the right, hence steering the bike left. My own Mk1 certainly did pull left.
I have just swopped my forks side to side and fitted the brake disc & caliper to the left fork, instead if it's original right. Guess what? It now steers straight.
The bike handles better since it is now evenly biased and rolls into left or right corners with equal ease.
Clearly it is likely that, after 36 years, my frame is probaly not straight. But a slight left pull does seem common with early Commandos and it seems possible that Norton knew this and used a left disc brake as a fix. I don't think it looks as neat mounted on the left but, Hey! It steers straight!

scim77 said:

But a slight left pull does seem common with early Commandos and it seems possible that Norton knew this and used a left disc brake as a fix. I don't think it looks as neat mounted on the left but, Hey! It steers straight!

Click to expand...

If you intend to leave it that way, then find some way to secure the bearing retaining lockring if you have not already done so, because the wheel is now reversed, it is rotating "backwards" so there's a chance the bearing lockring can loosen off.
There's a severe warning about that in the NOC Service notes section that deals with the brake/fork change over.

According to the NOC notes, a special lockring (part 066612) was available which could be fitted in place of the original when reversing the wheel. I don't think that part is available now, as it's not available in the Andover Norton part finder.

The 850 MkIII front wheel is safe to use either way around, as the bearing is retained by a circlip instead of a threaded lockring.

Thanks L.A.B. I will look into that.