What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Starvingphotog

Starvingphotog

VIP MEMBER
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
387
Country flag
Well, I took my wife out for a ride, for the first time, on Monday. First year for me riding a motorcycle. First year for me owning and riding a vintage Commando. First time for me riding with a passenger. If it weren't for her holding on to my torso so strongly I would not have known she was back there. She's only 100 pounds. Bike handled wonderfully riding around the neighborhood in second. She had a thrill. Mission accomplished! This ifs' her first week back at school. She's a teacher. So, she needed it!

Cheers,
Rob
 
I fixed a minor fuel leak (bad thread in the LH float bowl) then went for a 130 mile ride, hitting a local bike night in a town nearby. Bike ran flawlessly :cool:
 
Walked by and petted them raining like hell we are on the edge of hurricane! Maybe ride tomorrow
 
Fitted a 2nd hand Interstate tank and seat to my Roadster. Was hoping it would be easy to swap between the two set ups, one for touring, one for local. But, complicated by using a late 750 Interstate set up on a mk3 850. Once I have the correct rear tank bracket, it should be straightforward.
 

Attachments

  • What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
    20210901_191330.webp
    236.6 KB · Views: 416
Walked in my shop, coffee in hand, and wished all my motorcycles a good morning. Next I went to the surgical section and told my two customer patients that they would be whole, fully ambulatory and going home before snow falls. I thanked my maker for giving me such a wonderful place where solitude is in abundance; almost the same grade (of solitude) you get when donning a helmet and letting the clutch engage...

Best.
 
Over a year at least since I rode all four of my bikes on the same day.
...Norton is easily the smoothest at speed. But to be fair I enjoyed each one
of them and I made it back every time on the bike I left on!
A notable day!
 
Mart UK said:
Fitted a 2nd hand Interstate tank and seat to my Roadster. Was hoping it would be easy to swap between the two set ups, one for touring, one for local. But, complicated by using a late 750 Interstate set up on a mk3 850. Once I have the correct rear tank bracket, it should be straightforward.
Click to expand...
I have a 750 Interstate tank on my 74. No dramas. Just made sure I used new tank pads. Didn't run the rear bracket for 20 years.
 
gortnipper said:
I have a 750 Interstate tank on my 74. No dramas. Just made sure I used new tank pads. Didn't run the rear bracket for 20 years.
Click to expand...
No bracket at all? My only issue is the Roadster tank seat pad is glued to the frame. It's much thicker than the Interstate version. The photo shows it sitting up over an inch at the rear. The interstate pad is glued to the underside of the tank, so I will try to carefully remove the Roadster pad from the frame and do the same, attaching it to the roadster tank. Then a swap is only 6 nuts. Front and rear brackets and fuel lines.

My Interstate seat is also a 750 version, without the mk3 hinge. So, another 2 nuts to take the hinge on/off the frame and good to go. Brilliant! Missing roll pin to be inserted into left seat knob, in case...

I have the rear tank bracket on order now from AN, didn't think it would be OK to run without.

From a distance, I prefer the stripped down look of the Roadster. On the bike, I prefer the look and knee gripping position of the Interstate tank. I will definitely be sat further back though. So, will be interesting to see if the reach to the bars and new footpeg relationship is comfortable. Will ride today.
 
I have just gotten an old "kei-car" battery from a co-worker (660cc japanese car). That I'm going to use jumpers with to begin to get my Mklll running again. Brake calipers have been removed and stripped. New stainless pistons were purchased from Fred & Ella just as they were closing Oldbritts.
 
RoadScholar said:
Walked in my shop, coffee in hand, and wished all my motorcycles a good morning. Next I went to the surgical section and told my two customer patients that they would be whole, fully ambulatory and going home before snow falls. I thanked my maker for giving me such a wonderful place where solitude is in abundance; almost the same grade (of solitude) you get when donning a helmet and letting the clutch engage...

Best.
Click to expand...
Now this is absolutely brilliant! What a way to start the day! And what a way to be grateful for the most simplest of life! Thanks for sharing your morning with us RS!
 
I did what i do every dry morning of our British summertime. Wheeled the 750 roadster down the lane to a quiet corner of our sleepy village, fired up, gloves on, and enjoyed an immersive 15 mile run along the Fife coast into work. When I finish at 5 It'll be back along the road to lay the beast up for the night in its wee shed and get my tea. We have come to an understanding lately - it cost me the price of a brand new set of carbs but we have both (mostly) been happy this year.
 
Wheeled her out of the garage, checked the oil, wiped off a bit of road grime, and road her 112 miles, in the company of much newer machines ridden by some friends from high school, with a dinner break in the middle :)
 
Mart UK said:
.... Will ride today.
Click to expand...

Roadster to Interstate impression: Very interesting ride. 50 miles on back lanes. Probably a more comfortable seat, leaning further forward is slightly sportier, but still very comfortable, without adjusting the bars. Strangely, the footpegs felt a little higher, the gear lever may need raising a touch. Didn't notice the extra weight of the tank when I filled up, until I got off and manoeuvred it into the garage! Felt like a different bike, so 2 bikes in one, win/win!

For now, I think I'll stick with the interstate set up, the look is growing on me. Ride out with mates tomorrow, 150 to 200 miles and a good test that it is comfortable. The rear bracket will be delivered tomorrow, to go on this Saturday.
 
Mart UK said:
Roadster to Interstate impression: Very interesting ride. 50 miles on back lanes. Probably a more comfortable seat, leaning further forward is slightly sportier, but still very comfortable, without adjusting the bars. Strangely, the footpegs felt a little higher, the gear lever may need raising a touch. Didn't notice the extra weight of the tank when I filled up, until I got off and manoeuvred it into the garage! Felt like a different bike, so 2 bikes in one, win/win!

For now, I think I'll stick with the interstate set up, the look is growing on me. Ride out with mates tomorrow, 150 to 200 miles and a good test that it is comfortable. The rear bracket will be delivered tomorrow, to go on this Saturday.
Click to expand...
That's the beauty of the Commando. Roaster, Interstate, JPN (or if you're of a mind Hi-Rider) achievable reasonably easily on the same rolling chassis.
 
Well, my swanky clutch compression tool arrived today, so now I just need to figure out how to use it properly to remove, inspect and clean the plates. It currently sticks and doesn't disengage when I pull the clutch lever. I'm hoping it's just gummed up plates in the clutch. This is on the Combat, which has not been ridden much by the previous owner. I haven't ridden it yet ever since getting it back in January. Any pointers on how to use the tool properly to remove the components and then reinstall the components would be much welcome:)
 

Similar threads

Schwany
What did you do with your P11 today. he he
2 3
Replies
45
Views
1,349
Schwany
Schwany
Shelby-Right
What did you do with your Triumph today .
Replies
10
Views
621
Matt Spencer
M
CanukNortonNut
  • Locked
Ok what are you getting for mileage with your commando.
2 3 4 5
Replies
93
Views
8,734
CanukNortonNut
CanukNortonNut
V
What did you do to your Norton today?
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
5,521
Richard Tool
Richard Tool
Back
Top