- Joined
- Jan 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,607
I took Ed (wife's name for the bike) out for a good, long group ride on Sunday, about 180 miles overall. The bike did not let me down, but four issues popped up:
1) back in town, after 60 miles of 4500 - 5000 RPM on the interstate, the clutch started acting up - not wanting to fully release (dragging) and slipping a little bit on acceleration.
Main seal was loose, allowing almost a pint of 50W to drain from the engine into the primary drive case.
2) The shocks are shot. A previous owner had gotten a replacement pair, but I guess 20+ years of laying around didn't do them any good. When I got to our destination, the Aprilia rider behind me said "You need shocks!"
3) swingarm bushes are shot. The guy I bought the bike from had gotten a 'new' cradle and swingarm, so I installed them without taking the swingarm off and checking things out. Seemed OK when I assembled the bike, but now I can visibly move the swingarm side-to-side about 1/4" at the axle. It was fine on acceleration up to 90+, but squirrelly on trailing throttle anything over 75
4) Cracked another exhaust pipe. Again, the bike came with 850 pipes in good shape, so I installed them against the advice of my local Norton guy. He said there is a good chance the 850 flange nuts will strip out of the head (as these had done previously), and the 'Y' of each pipe has a tendency to crack, especially with the quality of some of the aftermarket pipes. Left one cracked at about 500 miles - so I put on a used one ($40). Guy said, "You'll be back for the 750 setup"
Bottom line:
New oil seal 'permatexed' in (much tighter fit, too). Clutch washed clean of oil and re-assembled. ATF back in the case.
New 750-style pipes, exhaust crush gaskets and flange nuts
New bushes, o-rings and spindle
New Emgo shocks
$460
Hopefully, this will cure the issues.
Ride. Wrench. Repeat.
I should have it ready for another ride Thursday night (big bike night down south of Miami, about 110 miles round trip).
1) back in town, after 60 miles of 4500 - 5000 RPM on the interstate, the clutch started acting up - not wanting to fully release (dragging) and slipping a little bit on acceleration.
Main seal was loose, allowing almost a pint of 50W to drain from the engine into the primary drive case.
2) The shocks are shot. A previous owner had gotten a replacement pair, but I guess 20+ years of laying around didn't do them any good. When I got to our destination, the Aprilia rider behind me said "You need shocks!"
3) swingarm bushes are shot. The guy I bought the bike from had gotten a 'new' cradle and swingarm, so I installed them without taking the swingarm off and checking things out. Seemed OK when I assembled the bike, but now I can visibly move the swingarm side-to-side about 1/4" at the axle. It was fine on acceleration up to 90+, but squirrelly on trailing throttle anything over 75
4) Cracked another exhaust pipe. Again, the bike came with 850 pipes in good shape, so I installed them against the advice of my local Norton guy. He said there is a good chance the 850 flange nuts will strip out of the head (as these had done previously), and the 'Y' of each pipe has a tendency to crack, especially with the quality of some of the aftermarket pipes. Left one cracked at about 500 miles - so I put on a used one ($40). Guy said, "You'll be back for the 750 setup"
Bottom line:
New oil seal 'permatexed' in (much tighter fit, too). Clutch washed clean of oil and re-assembled. ATF back in the case.
New 750-style pipes, exhaust crush gaskets and flange nuts
New bushes, o-rings and spindle
New Emgo shocks
$460
Hopefully, this will cure the issues.
Ride. Wrench. Repeat.
I should have it ready for another ride Thursday night (big bike night down south of Miami, about 110 miles round trip).