Undertaking a 1975 MkIII Project

Sorry about the delayed response. Out of ogffice for a while.

I use a Norman White headsteady

http://www.normanwhite.co.uk/prod03.htm

This is GBP 145 plus postage from the UK. Call it $275 fitted. I think Wolfie on this forum has a few on e-bay of the same design. I think its brilliant personally and worth every penny.

L

First off, as always, thanks for the replies. I'll be getting a few photos of the Tiger here in the coming weeks and I'll post them here. I'm moving to a place that has a heated two-car garage which should fit my daily driver, the Tiger and my bikes. Once I'm settled I may be inspired to complete the work on the Tiger. We shall see.

Second, I have a major update - the bike is running. I called a friend who helped to get my Triumph road worthy after a five-year hibernation. He picked up the bike and called a few hours later to tell me it was running. Basically, he cleaned the ignition and kill switches, and it started with the electric start. He installed the orignal seat I found as well as some more (ahem) traditional bars. He also said that with minor cleaning of the carbs it runs like a top. He's got a few Nortons and is considered the local expert, and he was really impressed with the originality of the bike as well how nicely it ran. The only thing it needs to be a rider is new tires (the rubber is probably original and I'll get new tires in the spring) and a light skimming of the brake rotors in order to remove the patchy chrome and get a better braking surface.

I was going to go with some kind of mag rims, as I hate polishing spoked rims, but now I'm going to keep it original as a boulevard rider/occasional weekend trip bike. What options do I have for refinishing the wheels and having them respoked with stainless spokes?

You wrote: "I drained the fluids and they looked excellent. It's possible the previous owner replaced them after getting the bike home about 3-4 years ago. It did have transmission fluid instead of 20w50."

I just thought I would mention that the Tranny is to have 85-90 gear oil and not 20w50 engine oil! A very nice 75 Roadster find and by the looks it might not need much and might run pretty good to boot! I had once found a 75 High Rider sitting in a turkey barn for years I bought it cleaned it at a car wash on the way home changed all the oils, cleaned the carbs, flushed out the gas tank and put in a new battery and it ran perfect! So good luck with it.

Nortarly said:

You wrote: "I drained the fluids and they looked excellent. It's possible the previous owner replaced them after getting the bike home about 3-4 years ago. It did have transmission fluid instead of 20w50."

I just thought I would mention that the Tranny is to have 85-90 gear oil and not 20w50 engine oil!

Click to expand...

I think perhaps Adventurer96 meant there was "transmission fluid" (ATF) in the primary case instead of 20w/50?

Here it is:


It runs amazingly well. It starts intermittently with the electric start, or first kick with electric assist.

So, it looks like in the spring I'll get new tires, resurface the rotors, and maybe adjust the clutch. After that, away we go. I now intend to keep it completely original.

L.A.B. said:

Nortarly said:

You wrote: "I drained the fluids and they looked excellent. It's possible the previous owner replaced them after getting the bike home about 3-4 years ago. It did have transmission fluid instead of 20w50."

I just thought I would mention that the Tranny is to have 85-90 gear oil and not 20w50 engine oil!

Click to expand...

I think perhaps Adventurer96 meant there was "transmission fluid" (ATF) in the primary case instead of 20w/50?

Click to expand...

Correct. I don't know when they changed their specs but if I remember my Commando history ATF was a later introduction. But, don't quote me on that.

Veery Good .

I think you need to get the lady friend/wife some Auto Polish :lol: No Norton owner worth his salt as dull cases!

Adventurer96 said:

I don't know when they changed their specs but if I remember my Commando history ATF was a later introduction. But, don't quote me on that.

Click to expand...

They (the factory?) didn't change the primary chaincase oil specification as far as I'm aware?
Many British bike owners prefer to use ATF in the primary chaincase nowadays, but ATF does not seem to be compatible with the hydraulic primary chain tensioner of the 850 Mk3-however opinions are divided about this. Personally I consider 20w/50 is more suitable than ATF for the Mk3 primary.

Adverturer96

Your "before" picture looks a bit rougher than mine, shown below, as posted on Craigslist by the previous owner in the spring of 2007, when I bought it from him.



However, yours runs like a top, which was not the case with mine. It blew a lot of smoke on the left cylinder (bad valve guide seal), and had no brakes. Calipers were seized and both master cylinders were toast. And it leaked all fluids everywhere, including fuel.

The bike had been sitting for 15 years, and had supposedly been ridden a few miles a couple of times a year. Amazingly, though, the electric starter worked fine!

A few thousand dollars later (brakes, carb, tires, seat, rear sets, alternator, electronic regulator/rectifier, fork seals, mirrors, mufflers, valve job, CNW oil tank upgrade, braided oil lines, tank repair and paint, etc., etc., etc. it runs like a top and looks great too.

As a matter of fact, the sun is shining, my wife is away for the afternoon, the dog is sleeping - time to ride!!



Good luck with yours!!

That's a good looking bike. Thanks for the inspiration. I may save some coin for a Corbin but this winter I'll be spending some time cleaning and detailing the bike.

L.A.B. said:

Adventurer96 said:

I don't know when they changed their specs but if I remember my Commando history ATF was a later introduction. But, don't quote me on that.

Click to expand...

They (the factory?) didn't change the primary chaincase oil specification as far as I'm aware?
Many British bike owners prefer to use ATF in the primary chaincase nowadays, but ATF does not seem to be compatible with the hydraulic primary chain tensioner of the 850 Mk3-however opinions are divided about this. Personally I consider 20w/50 is more suitable than ATF for the Mk3 primary.

Click to expand...

This is why I was leery of posting anything as I didn't have the document in front of me where I read it. Thanks for putting it in the thread. When the springtime fluid change comes around, I'm going to do some more research on the topic, as well as what kind of oil I need to use. But, that's a whole other topic...

john robert bould said:

I think you need to get the lady friend/wife some Auto Polish :lol: No Norton owner worth his salt as dull cases!

Click to expand...

This will be a wintertime project in my heated garage. I dont' ice fish so I have to think of something to do in the winter up here.

A new battery and a couple of hours on the bike. I have since moved to Texas so it's a bit easier to ride in December.

Adventurer96 said:

I seem to recall it was after an episode of Hill Street Blues where a Norton showed up, I think it was Ep. 139 "Norman Conquest" but I haven't been able to find it online to see what kind of motorcycle Officer Renko had stolen from him.

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First two seasons were released on DVD and due to poor sales no more were made according to wikipedia.

Too bad.

Tomorrow it is oil change day. Maybe I will start an oil thread for opinions...