Testride report from my Seeley Commando in Motor Revue

yves norton seeley · Sep 20, 2017

Motor Revue is a Dutch magazine Below you will find the translation in english of the dutch text as you can
see in the artikel

Testride report from my Seeley Commando in Motor Revue

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The Seeley Norton of Yves Van Heers ...

Flying with a work of art

"Do not call this moto a caferacer, because he's never been there," said Yves van Heerswynghels ("say VanHeers") from Vilvoorde.
I was not already planning because we know that Colin Seeley actually built raceframes. This dazzling race-Norton 850 Mkll for the
street is not just a "smashed machine". This is Art, and its beautiful is that it's also a motorcycle.
The owner still drives about 10 000 kilometers a year. At the same time, he is "Work in progress" and also perfectly fine.
Because driving so often (ok, maybe even longer cleaned, because there was no dust on the machine when we went outside),
every imperfection is addressed immediately. This is another article in which we can completely solve, because in addition to the
feeling and the sound, the viewing plate is also perfect. The only "pain" was in two things: I'm not good at it because the
machine was compactly built and that annoying guy wanted him back after the photo shoot.
About that 'Work in progress': another week before the report, there were also all the beautiful drum brakes in this original drive-
braided Seeley. That was for a beautiful replica Yamaha TZ four leading shoe drum and behind a true TZ drum. But now it's the
Italian firm Fontana who takes the speed of lightweight Norton with gold-colored magnesium artwork. Not quite perfect ", we thought that the
braking of the drum brakes could make a nice contribution, he spoke with a grin on his head ... because before that's the process
of ... making speed! And you do that with a roaring 820 cc twin that was really spacious enough to tell us about the 6200 RPM
that we had limited. 7000 did he want to hear, but it was enough. You could also feel it and hear that the lighter rockers were
not bouncing on the valves and rods for a long time. That's fun about a Norton: He tells you while driving everything you want or
need to know; if you only listen and feel. You actually do not need counter clocks. During the hard work of the brake drum, I can
bark the two-in-one four times with a lil intermediate gas because 'we' have a close close ratio of five-bin behind the reinforced
carters. The 'circuit' was a good way between two roundabouts in an area where noise was not a problem. And: also driven long
enough to get him completely in the system. The cars and lorries sometimes on the road were also a blessing:
they gave the opportunity, as in a modern bike, to carefully sharpen between the tin and to put as much gas as possible before
the opposed to being 'back' again. Or to apply for the roundabout brake ... and the owner? It was too strange that it might be
hard. Now he was able to listen to his own engine.
Longer connecting rods, but also adapted pistons with special 'gapless' piston springs. The crankshaft is also one piece and so
much stiffer and lighter. This structure gives less lean pressure for the pistons, a better combustion and ... less vibration.
And that's no pretext, because the block is right, without isolastics, in the frame. If you do that without adjustments with a
Command block, the whole engine breaks down in ten minutes ... Thanks to Keihin gas factories, it's not only pretty stationary,
it's still quieter than a well-framed 850 Mk 3; and that is already a nice machine. In comparison, I can say that a
(otherwise beautiful) John Player Norton (such a white from 1974) is a little bit like the Seeley in terms of sporting touch.
But on that white note of that time I did not see where I was going because I was tearing myself apart. After all, you were almost
on the framed houses. That vibration is already on this machine when it comes to the 2000 rows. Then he gets almost "smooth".
That's why he is in that balanced building of the block. That's why it's a temptation to go a lot further than those 6200 rides ..
Yves also had a nice remarkable remark: "With 3000, 3500 RPM rides you can go around the world, with 4500 rides throughout Belgium and
7000 rides ... a whole house block.
I think it's great, because the Peter Williams raceballs did really well; at the F1 race Nortons it was the gearbox that gave it
the finish line just before or just after. This block with his Steve Maney carters may be even better. In terms of ability, this
Yves Vaneers / Seeley / Norton do not think much of a new 961, like that size for sale. When driving, the comparison came up with
me with an Aermacchi ala Verde. That's a very small 250 cc Italian motorcycle / artwork which means you can talk full of gas
because it's so incredibly light and sharp. This Seeley does not succeed because he has a real racing raid, that is, of an ocean
storm. Hearing a racer, but turning off shortly, there's no way to do this. You'll also notice that when moving with static
photography, Nick says, "Can he be turned three-quarters?". Bastard!. Did we already talk about what happens to your ears if you
give gas? Let me say so: you know immediately why a Norton two-cylinder is in the top of the engine lights at home. Not even
'pea shooters' and yet perfect! Thus, a standing twin, point. He hangs on the gas and does not vibrate. Do not vibrate, say again,
otherwise you will not believe or read it. Can not join a Norton? So yes. And yet, really Norton, this super bike! That thing is
perfect! And you may / can just drive with it ...
The paintwork is by Pierre van Gin, an artist who usually sprays helmets of cardrivers. He had never done a bike. Well, it did
indeed work ... English flag handpainted. On the line of this "somewhat-different-engine-than-a-Kawasaki": Big Spender. And yes,
that's why Yves' history with the Japanese brand and its connection with the man who made it, Henk Vink, was not so crazy: The
impressive (first single-punched, later with two quill-in) Vink dragster was called Big Spender. That's how much he spent. Both
in money, fuel economy technologies. He also had records, but just aside. This Seeley-Norton is also not a bargain of the week.
Look at the specifications. Nice, just because of the summary, but what's going on with testing and thinking ... But with 'gas'
he's going to be economical. And you can take perfect turns with this Norton. do you have to try on such a dragracer? And what
did you think: our Norton pilot dreams of ... a dragracer, but with two of those beautiful engines ... Hold that
guy ...

Normally placing a specification of a motor is not so exciting, as you can also search the web. But with this piece of art it is nice to do it once.
Yves has built the machine all time configurations, but it is built to suit your needs.

Base Engine: Norton Commando Mkll 850
Frame: Colin Seeley Model 1969, Builder Roger Titmarsch
Front fork with crown pieces: Ceriani GP Minnovation (UK)
Wheels: Fontana 250 mm / 210 mm (Menani Milano) in Akront rims.
Shock absorbers: Öhlins
Petrol tank: Streug Metaalshop, Belgium
Fairing: Norton production raiser, saddle: Seeley original
Engine and gearbox plates: Yves itself
Gearing: 23 to 38 teeth
Primary transmission: triplex chain
Gearbox: TTI 5 gears, made in ... Tasmania ...

Block:
Bore x stroke: 77 x 89 (820 cc)
Carters and Aluminum Cylinders: Steve Maney
Crankshaft: billet by Jim Schmidt (USA)
Rods: Carillo, 13.3 mm longer than standard. Jim Schmidt
Pistons: adapted to connecting rods and with gapless piston feathers by Jim Schmidt
Cylinder head: Fullauto, Australia (head gasket ... original Norton!)
Valves Black Diamond (USA) standard diameter, single valve springs by Jim Schmidt
Camshaft and followers: Jim Schmidt (Timing PW3)
Rockers (Yves himself)
Carburetors: Keihin FCR 35 mm Colorado Norton Works
Primary chain case: Colorado Norton Works
Ignition: Tri Spark (Australia)
Exhaust system: Steve Maney
Electric starter: Alton France, adapted and enhanced by Ives, which has been taken over by Alton
Spraying and painting: Pierre van Gin (polishing work: Yves)
Of great value in construction: John Dascombe and Frank Jordens

Text: Cok van den Heuvel

Photos: Nick Kuipers

cliffa · Sep 20, 2017

Yves, you must be very proud ( and rightly so) it's beautiful.

What did you change on the starter? (Electric starter: Alton France, adapted and enhanced by Ives, which has been taken over by Alton)

Cheers,

cliffa.

yves norton seeley · Sep 20, 2017

cliffa said:
Yves, you must be very proud ( and rightly so) it's beautiful.

What did you change on the starter? (Electric starter: Alton France, adapted and enhanced by Ives, which has been taken over by Alton)

Cheers,

cliffa.

Hi,
First, you must have a ignition that not kickback
Replace the 3 plots with 6 white nylon plots
Use a big Belevil washer under the crankshaft nut
Don't use the nut from alton on the crank but use the original Norton nut (must be shortened to the size from the Alton nut)
And most important: tighen the nut to the specification given by the Norton workshop manual
Yves

acotrel · Sep 20, 2017

I think that is about as good as it can get.

Brooking 850 · Sep 21, 2017

Yves, the TTI gearbox (TTI stands for Trans Tasman Industries) and is in New Zealand, not Tasmania, which is a state island in Australia.
Unless they have moved there in the recent past.
Thanks for the great review and specifications.
Regards Mike

yves norton seeley · Sep 21, 2017

Brooking 850 said:
Yves, the TTI gearbox (TTI stands for Trans Tasman Industries) and is in New Zealand, not Tasmania, which is a state island in Australia.
Unless they have moved there in the recent past.
Thanks for the great review and specifications.
Regards Mike

Sorry for the mistake, this is becouse the word Tasman
I buy my TTI gearbox new years ago in the UK and never have any problem, the box must have 50,000 kms now
BTW what means Tasman in the name TTI?
I know thatTasmania is on the sud from Australia en New Zealand on the North from Australia
Thanks
Yves

gortnipper · Sep 21, 2017

yves norton seeley said:
Brooking 850 said:

Yves, the TTI gearbox (TTI stands for Trans Tasman Industries) and is in New Zealand, not Tasmania, which is a state island in Australia.
Unless they have moved there in the recent past.
Thanks for the great review and specifications.
Regards Mike

Click to expand...

Sorry for the mistake, this is becouse the word Tasman
I buy my TTI gearbox new years ago in the UK and never have any problem, the box must have 50,000 kms now
BTW what means Tasman in the name TTI?
I know thatTasmania is on the sud from Australia en New Zealand on the North from Australia
Thanks
Yves

It refers to the Tasman Sea, which sits between AUS and NZ (hence, Trans-Tansman)

Brooking 850 · Sep 21, 2017

Gortnipper, beat me to it , are we still north of Oz????

Yes Yves , Tasman is the Sea between the two countries as in the chart above.
Regards Mike

gtsun · Sep 21, 2017

Yes that is truely a beautiful bike. A very well built beautiful bike. I love the big drum brakes and I'm sure they are quite capable in your hands. Glenn T. S.

yves norton seeley · Sep 21, 2017

Brooking 850 said:
Gortnipper, beat me to it , are we still north of Oz????

Yes Yves , Tasman is the Sea between the two countries as in the chart above.
Regards Mike

Thanks for the informations.
I remember a rider from NZ, Ginger Molloy, finishing second on the World Championship on a Kawa H1R, is he still alive?
Yves

Testride report from my Seeley Commando in Motor Revue

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