What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Fast Eddie said:
That’s a long story…

Tried several bars I didn’t like.

Found one that I liked, but the ergonomics weren’t good with the rearsets.

Tried the Vincent’s and couldn’t route cables and hoses nicely.

Tried risers, that cured the routing issues, but after all that, I didn’t like the wrist angle.

Ended up with raised and wider clip ons… Seem good… For now…
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Like I said, the Vincent flats are too narrow.

Flanders bars, B23

B23: 7/8" Flanders Drag Handlebar Wide Center: Measurements
Degree of Bend: 18 degrees
Pullback: 4"
Center: 9"
Width: 31"
Diameter: 7/8"

Also available from CNW.

If you have longer cables/brake line than one for UK bars, then you may have some routing issues. Or if you were sold the wrong cables.

gortnipper said:
I figured out why I was having such a bitch of a time with routing my clutch cable with my flat bars. I have a Venhill, which is listed on their site as:

NORTON COMMANDO F/L CLUTCH CABLE
N01-3-101
1969-73 750 MODELS 'UK' - BARS; 1973-77 850 MODELS 'UK'- BARS (51" OUTER FOR ALLOY LEVERS) Clearance wire is 95mm (3 ¾)

So, of course I ordered that when I was thinking I would still use UK bars. Wrong.

On AN on the '74 page I find:

7
CLUTCH CABLE 51", US, Featherlight (06.2492, 06.6477)
part-no: 06.2813

Hmm...

In the Mk2a parts book it lists 06.4963, and one can only find that via a p/n search on AN - not on the 74 page (which appears to have a mish mash of cables/years - except this one??!!)

06.4963
CLUTCH CABLE 48" (EUROPE Pre MK3) Featherlight
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gortnipper said:
Like I said, the Vincent flats are too narrow.

Flanders bars, B23

B23: 7/8" Flanders Drag Handlebar Wide Center: Measurements
Degree of Bend: 18 degrees
Pullback: 4"
Center: 9"
Width: 31"
Diameter: 7/8"

Also available from CNW.

If you have longer cables/brake line than one for UK bars, then you may have some routing issues. Or if you were sold the wrong cables.
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The ones I got are 28” in alloy, nice bars actually. But I’ve got none standard everything, inc levers and clocks. The Clutch cable was the worst. But at that width I didn’t like the wrist angle, and at 31” it would have been worse.

It’s funny how we change over time. I Vincent bars on a T160 for years. I had some bars from my old Vincent lying around and tried those. I had shortened those cos I liked short ‘tucked in’ bars in those days, but they felt horrid now (and nothing would fit on them)!
 
gortnipper said:
Are you going to put the hydraulic clutch back on?
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No. Just no need with the Triumph lifter in the TTI.

Magura lever + Featherlite cable + Triumph lifter + Barnett clutch pack (dry) = light lever and grippy clutch.
 
Removed & cleaned the rear brake drum, put new cush rubbers in, blanked off the chain oil drip, cleaned 7kg* of crap out of the chainguard, half removed the rear chain before the Chain-man IWIS goes on (thanks for the recommendation ;)) and I'll put that on when I've removed the shocks to check for swing arm play, and all being well fit a new pair of Norman's NJB shocks next week.

* probably.
 
Bonzo said:
Removed & cleaned the rear brake drum, put new cush rubbers in, blanked off the chain oil drip, cleaned 7kg* of crap out of the chainguard, half removed the rear chain before the Chain-man IWIS goes on (thanks for the recommendation ;)) and I'll put that on when I've removed the shocks to check for swing arm play, and all being well fit a new pair of Norman's NJB shocks next week.

* probably.
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You will love the Iwis Chain. Good work.
 
What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
 
Ok, not 100% happy with those raised clip ons.

Did some more juggling with the risers and routing and am gonna give the Vincent flats a go.

Certainly look a lot neater than those raised clip ons:

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
 
These are low clubman bars from Flanders - I tried the ones ( also Flanders ) from Matt at CNW but they had too much pull back for my likes . If anyone goes this low clubman route be aware that the master cylinder barely fits and you will be limited to having the bars in one position in order to get the M/C to fit . A different M/C with a top or bottom location for the brake hose may give more options.
1659877069766.jpeg
 
I pinched the d--n tube installing my K81s on a pair of new Buchanan's Sun rims. Argghhhh - super slow leak and its not the valve core. I have replaced so many tubes in my time (bicycle shop) that I got careless and did not do a good job with the "tuck" tube part of the mounting.

The rims are nice though...
 
Jdub said:
I pinched the d--n tube installing my K81s on a pair of new Buchanan's Sun rims. Argghhhh - super slow leak and its not the valve core. I have replaced so many tubes in my time (bicycle shop) that I got careless and did not do a good job with the "tuck" tube part of the mounting.

The rims are nice though...
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I’ve done that so often I don’t even try anymore !
 
Richard Tool said:
These are low clubman bars from Flanders - I tried the ones ( also Flanders ) from Matt at CNW but they had too much pull back for my likes . If anyone goes this low clubman route be aware that the master cylinder barely fits and you will be limited to having the bars in one position in order to get the M/C to fit . A different M/C with a top or bottom location for the brake hose may give more options.
View attachment 97264
Click to expand...

That's a gorgeous looking restore there Richard! Even if one has no intention of riding such a bike, they are so incredibly beautiful to work on and look at, even during the restoration process. Some day I need to get me one of those lifts like you have, and really get under the bike to do some cleaning and maintenance properly.
 
Starvingphotog said:
That's a gorgeous looking restore there Richard! Even if one has no intention of riding such a bike, they are so incredibly beautiful to work on and look at, even during the restoration process. Some day I need to get me one of those lifts like you have, and really get under the bike to do some cleaning and maintenance properly.
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You NEED a lift.

It really does turn maintenance from a chore into a pleasure.

Just put mine on the lift for some checking and fettling post track use, and the missus wonders why I spend so much time (happily) in the shed!

An antidote to modern living IMHO and good for mental health…
 
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