Tab-tanked Domi!

Stu Bodycote said:

Cheers, appreciated! Yeah sure, I'll measure it up and also compare it to a Norton's plastic and aluminium tank actual capacity.

Its the later spec TTX for a big bang R1 (all Domi's ran a big bang R1 TTX), with the additional remote preload adjuster. An absolute ebay bargain at £700...I was mega pleased with that find! I had to replace the TTX decal as being upside down also bugged me.
Wheels were an absolute pig. Well, the front wasn't tbh...just some spacers. But the rear caused me a lot of headaches due to hub width. So it's now a direct drive with no cushdrive (must ensure the chains correctly tensioned and then Im not too brutal on the down shift) after I had to draw up and have machined a sprocket adaptor. I had to do it all old school on paper, as I'm not into CAD etc. But I think it turned out well...kept it looking quite factory by mimicking the standard sprocket carrier bit that you see external to the sprocket, if that makes sense? Its only half heartedly lockwired as Ive got a new sprocket to go on, so I'll do it properly after Ive done that job. Lots of Titanium fixings went into this too....I stopped keeping track of the costs with those as it was becoming off putting lol.

Thank you, appreciated as its been a real bitch to build....buying scrap as and where I can. Prices have recently gone mental on 961 parts, I couldnt do it again. Was also lucky in that a mate placed an order with Norton just before they closed the parts department doors...so odds and sods, such as brackets or the carbon rear hugger etc were all bought direct.
I'd like to think if Skinner saw it, he'd appreciate the direction that I've taken his original design...its a custom but its not blindingly far from his original and its still has the old school Norton feel to it...in my mind at least.
Yokes are billet, either by Ritchie Engineering or Swift. I stripped the anodising off with caustic soda, and then polished them up. Well, I polished the top yoke....I wasn't skilled enough to do the bottom yoke seeing as I left it in the caustic soda solution slightly too long and gave it an almost cast finish oops. In the end that was refinished locally for me, with a two tone effect of polished and soda blasted surfaces that I think looks really good.
I was lucky with the Domiracer clock mount as I bought that years ago when at Norton to go on a TRX850 cafe racer project that never happened. The rev counter / speedo is a Motogadget unit. With a trimmed down 961 bowl.
I reckon the best modification, bang for buck wise, was the front brakes. RSV4 discs, and 5mm caliper spacers take the brakes up to 330mm which for just 10mm extra makes a big visual difference.

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Stu Bodycote said:

A mega rough mock-up on my phone, but this will be the painted finish I'll be going for. Keeping the polished line down the centre to tie in with the front fender.
There's a slight out of balance with the polished aluminium parts on the bike....so I'm thinking maybe having another hugger made but in aluminium, and then a carbon chain guard.

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Stephen_Spencer said:

Sounds like a real labour of love Stu, nothing worth having ever comes easily as they say. Only problem is that you will never be able to get away from any bikers haunt for all of the questions - you’ll need to prepare a plausible emergency story to effect escape!!

I like the added bling factor of the polished yokes. I’m giving consideration to having the upper and side surfaces of the top/bottom yokes and dial mounting plate polished by a local firm - there are several in the area. Don’t have your skill on the tools unfortunately.

Paint scheme looks good but I think I would opt for the painted area being confined to the side of the tank less knee scallops, like the black tank 961, or here on the Breitling. You would see more of that beutiful polished tank also. The silver tank decal always looked like a bit of an optical illusion to me, making that imposing big tank look more diminutive - if that makes any sense. My thoughts only.

Beautiful bike - look forward to seeing the painted finished bike.

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Vernon240 said:

Kept that one under the radar, Stu! Looks awesome...so will it be out this summer? Still wish I could get some of those off road bars made up for mine...need to investigate again...

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speirmoor said:

Did you replace the stem nut also? Mine doesn't have a hole in it

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Stu Bodycote said:

I want the sides painted mainly because its less maintenance than keeping on top of a polished finished. A brushed finish is even harder work that a polished finish to keep right. We'll see what the painter says, she may have a different idea.

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Stephen_Spencer said:

Hey Speirmoor,

My CR is 2015 and has a standard steering stem nut, allowing access to the steering stem. Some later bikes I have seen, including Stu’s mega machine above, have a domed nut (wrong terminology) fitted. Don’t know whether the domed nut is standard but all steering stems will be hollow, so if you wanted to use the mount it would simply be a matter of changing the steering stem nut.

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Stephen_Spencer said:

Sounds like a real labour of love Stu, nothing worth having ever comes easily as they say. Only problem is that you will never be able to get away from any bikers haunt for all of the questions - you’ll need to prepare a plausible emergency story to effect escape!!

I like the added bling factor of the polished yokes. I’m giving consideration to having the upper and side surfaces of the top/bottom yokes and dial mounting plate polished by a local firm - there are several in the area. Don’t have your skill on the tools unfortunately.

Paint scheme looks good but I think I would opt for the painted area being confined to the side of the tank less knee scallops, like the black tank 961, or here on the Breitling. You would see more of that beutiful polished tank also. The silver tank decal always looked like a bit of an optical illusion to me, making that imposing big tank look more diminutive - if that makes any sense. My thoughts only.

Beautiful bike - look forward to seeing the painted finished bike.

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Stu Bodycote said:

You're a bugger, I've been mulling this over ever since haha
Comparing to the original manx Nortons, I think you're right though. Keep it to just the front of the tank

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Stu Bodycote said:

Like here

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Stephen_Spencer said:

Having sorta convinced you (and me) of the front of tank painting option, I now find myself drawn to something like this which is closer to what you had planned Stu.

The more I look the more I’m likin’! The thicker black pinstripe provides a bolder profile to the tank and ties it in with the black bike, whilst making the gold pinstripe stand out when it would normally not do so on its own.

I’m feeling decidedly indecisive!

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joinerjohn said:

Forgive me, may I suggest a gold pinstripe on the Norton logo?

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Evolution of the Norton logo | Norton Motorcycles

109 years ago, the famous Norton logo first appeared on the tank of Norton Motorcycles

www.nortonmotorcycles.com

Stephen_Spencer said:

Hey JJ, funny you should mention that as it did cross my mind believe it or not. The above design though has some historical accuracy. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the Norton Logo with a pinstripe.

The Norton logo is pretty sacrosanct. A pinstripe or gold drop shadow on the logo may get me banned from all Norton affiliated sites and doubtless immediate expulsion from the NOC - I can see the hate mail now demanding my excommunication! I’d be lucky to get away without a stoning!!

Evolution of the Norton logo | Norton Motorcycles

109 years ago, the famous Norton logo first appeared on the tank of Norton Motorcycles

www.nortonmotorcycles.com

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