Stock Head Steady

Gents,

The last couple weekends I have been switching my '74 850 back to stock handlebars / footpegs and doing the general spring cleaning and check over. Having the tank off, I noticed that the stock head steady doesn't look good. The bike was on the center stand when I noticed this (didn't think to look at it off the centerstand), but the headsteady ears that the rubber mounts bolt too are pushed upwards, as in the engine is shifted upwards in the frame. Now, if I understand correctly, this is the result of storing the bike on the centerstand. I intend to put an aftermarket head steady on in the near future, but my question is: what is the effect to the other two iso mounts? Are they being damaged from being on the centerstand for a long period of time (over winter)? When I rebuilt, I put the vernier adjustable iso mounts in, if that makes any difference. 2 years since rebuild.
As a side note, I've had it out for a couple short (cold) runs and everything is great. The stock bars and pegs are proving to be much more comfortable than the clipons and rearsets. Can't wait for warmer weather!

Thanks,
Ben

+1 on touring not raceresque ergos. As for the headsteady, kinda like an oil thread.
Even with fresh iso's, my engine sits high, all slotted adjustments (on the headsteady) near the end.

With the cycle supported on the frame for extended storage, just the motor and related items are weighing on the iso rubbers. If supported at the centerstand for extended storage the entire bike is supported on the iso rubbers, or something like that. This is of course dependant on the later models, 71 or 72 on I believe, that have the center stand mounted on the cradle.

These rubbers are subject to this pressure and as they age their resilience will lose out to gravity. If they are fresh, they should be ok for a season or two under this load but considerations for future extended storage should be made.

Gosh this must be the most simply complex m/c ever conceived, short of Stragthropes never put in production. I store mine on center stand and most with center stands tend to do. Iso rubbers sag over time but usually not more than !/8" or so out of round. The main appeal of my Commandos it their comfort level over other cycles I've tried, mainly d/t lack of buzz as other cycels can get bars and seats and peg etc to match your being. Unless you first go through the iso's, I'd try to open slots, bend and lever and bash the blocky head steady and shims to get it as neutral non load strained at rest as practical, then waist the cushions for better dissapearing act. I've had too tight iso's and small stone stuck between frame and engine d/t the skid shield, for horrific vibes, but only thing my binding strained sagged headsteady cushions transmitted before correcting was a sense of buzz not and then in cycles of road wind or leaning loads shifting. Its educational to run a short ways w/o the heady steady to feel both is vibe effect and wild handling upsets, so watch out for paint lines crossing at speed.

'With the cycle supported on the frame for extended storage, just the motor and related items are weighing on the iso rubbers. If supported at the centerstand for extended storage the entire bike is supported on the iso rubbers, or something like that.'

Another good design from Bastards Incorprated

acotrel said:

'With the cycle supported on the frame for extended storage, just the motor and related items are weighing on the iso rubbers. If supported at the centerstand for extended storage the entire bike is supported on the iso rubbers, or something like that.'

Another good design from Bastards Incorprated

Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment. So helpful. :|

When I removed the front iso to install the Hemmings adjuster after a year with new iso parts, the donuts had already taken a set towards the bottom about 1/8". Not unlike the 40 year old ones I removed from it. So when I put it back together, I flipped it. I've got the center stand on the frame, not the cradle and most of the time it's on the stand. I've thought about when I put it up for the winter to support it on the engine/cradle somehow.

Dave
69S

So close, in fact, a mis-routed cable was mangled in the gap.