What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Mark Savage said:
Thank you, that's very kind of you to say so...But a lot of people travelled a lot further than I did. One chap came from Italy (on a Guzzi though) and another rode from Bordeaux to Sweden on a Commando engined Dommie. Some Brits came from Northern Scotland.
And that Czech guy rode all the way on an old ES2!
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I rode around 150 miles to the UK lake district and back. Gradually increasing my ride distance as confidence in my 1970 Commando grows. Used to ride it all over Europe in the 70s and 80s, but it got parked in the corner of the garage when the kids came along, now they are gone I've renovated the bike and started to put some miles on it. Good to read your post Mark, it gives me confidence that my 'J reg' bike should be able to do those distance again. My record was 1,000 miles in 24 hours, from Southern Italy to Blackpool, but I was in my 20s then.
 
Uh, I put on 110 miles yesterday. Always like to get up to Dartmoor, open country very American compared to
my local roads in Cornwall. I can relate to the increasing confidence=increasing distance but keep in mind the
speed limit up on the moor is blistering 40mph! I followed a massive 1920s touring car for a while and it did
quite well! If he can do it, WE can do it!
 
Very humble work - shaved a pair of washers 014999 to work with Service Bulletin N3/51, Cylinder Head Steady - Recommended Assembly Sequence which advises shifting the head steady to its maximum forward position. This solution basically reverts the concept of any slotted section in favor of a static hole since the washer locks the feet of the head steady into place by allowing no movement, just a single non-slotted hole by way of the washer.

Interested if anyone has done this and has any opinion on the worth of this?

HeadSteady_Assembly_ServiceBulletin.jpg
 
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Bought some of the fluted baffle peashooters and still waiting for my new roadster tank panels to come back from the painter ☹️
Update
24/08/23
Fitted them today and it sounds bloody Lovely. will have to get a run out to test them properly
 
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Onder said:
...especially when you stall at a light...
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In 47+ years I have never stalled my Norton at any lights, in fact I have never stalled any of my bikes at lights, can't work out why anyone would have that problem, but seems like a lot do.
 
ashman said:
In 47+ years I have never stalled my Norton at any lights, in fact I have never stalled any of my bikes at lights, can't work out why anyone would have that problem, but seems like a lot do.
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If they don't idle well and you have to hold it up a bit I guess , mine was a bit unstable for a while but a good clean in the pilots and syncing helps alot and getting the idle screws just right makes the idle rock steady .
 
When my original Amal carbs were so worn out in the slides and wouldn't idle too good I just held the throttle open slightly and still didn't have any problems with stalling, was just aware of it and worked around it but that was 42 years ago and the replacement Amals are back on the Norton after 12 years break with PWK carbs, with the Joe Hunt mag and well-tuned Amals I have a very good stable idle.
Have only suffered the dreaded block pilot jet once in 47+ years.

Ashley
 
I'm glad you all have flawless rides it must surely be a source of great comfort. It only has to happen once in the wrong place. at the wrong time. for you to have it in the back of your mind forever. You hit the button and you are
gone. Not so with the kicker . I'm just a slip of a lad and now an old one and a quick dab on the lever is a thing of the past. And my bike ticks over without issue.
As the line goes "just sayin'".
 
Shelby-Right said:
If they don't idle well and you have to hold it up a bit I guess , mine was a bit unstable for a while but a good clean in the pilots and syncing helps alot and getting the idle screws just right makes the idle rock steady .
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I agree, a Pazon Altair EI with idle stabilization helps too when temperate or altitude changes.
 
A ES is good if you have the funds to spend on one, me the kick leg will do, been doing it for 47+ years now I think I got the knack of kicking it to life, + I be in a dying group of kicking a bike to life.
I am lucky only takes one kick to make it go and it keeps me fit lol, a big fat spark, well tuned Amals and a good kicking leg.
 
I was lucky I brought all my upgrades about 12+ years ago when the Aussie $$$ was even with the US $$$ these days our Aussie $$$ is only 65c to the US $$$ and justifying spending over $4k or more for just one upgrade (ES) is beyond my means, + my hotrod Norton is a light weight putting extra weight on it is a big no no for me and running a heavy battery as well is just not on my cards.
 
Oh I plan to keep the kick start lever on there, and kick it over from time to time. I'll mostly use the electric start in busy public areas where I know I will not have the luxury of time or patience, and need to get going quickly and without much drama...:)
 
Starvingphotog said:
Oh I plan to keep the kick start lever on there, and kick it over from time to time. I'll mostly use the electric start in busy public areas where I know I will not have the luxury of time or patience, and need to get going quickly and without much drama...:)
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When you get used to that lil’ button… the kick starter becomes very redundant !

Took mine off and plugged the hole.
 
Sounds like a good idea. Matt does excellent work.

Can't put a kit ES on mine, and I'm not about to try and design one, so I'm stuck kicking it over forever. Kicking it over does not keep me in shape at all. Riding a stationary trainer does though. 72 and still got the leg power on my right side. Might even be able to start it with a half kick. lol
 


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