What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

The weather here in central Illinios, USA has been really cold, windy, rainy and even snowy. In short, shit weather. Anyway, I went to visit the Commando and I discovered a leak from my kickstart seal. Checked through my box of spares and found a new one. I’ve read that the seal can be removed with the outer cover installed. I couldn’t do it that way however and had to remove the outer cover to replace the seal. No problem there. The real fight comes in the refitting of the outer cover itself. Maneuvering that ratchet plate assembly into that knuckle pin roller is a real bitch. Buttoned it all up and filled with gear oil. Ready to rock!
 
Ha! You have an eye for German cameras! Yes, world's smallest film camera I think is the claim for that wee gem. I still use it for TriX and slides. I use a light meter for slides and pretty surprised with the results. I've got an old M3, M9, M-P that I take out from time to time. I'm generally a Nikon shooter for stuff that needs to be fast. Been at it for a little while. Get this. My most recent acquisition, the Nikon D6 body, I purchased used from a Chicago-based wedding photog earlier this year that was used it to shoot the Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani wedding. Fun fact for sure. He's moving to the Z-mount system and dumping his old F-mount system. Lucky me the shutter only had one wedding season on it, about 40,000 actuations. Love using the D6 body.
Anyway, back to Nortons!
 
Ordered a Madass one cable carb kit on Tuesday. Arrived on the Isle of Man this morning. Pretty speedy service from the Phillippines with DHL 👍

With the current exchange rate, worked out at £129 delivered.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Cliffa making me spend more money again 🤣
 
Bonzo said:
Ordered a Madass one cable carb kit on Tuesday. Arrived on the Isle of Man this morning. Pretty speedy service from the Phillippines with DHL 👍

With the current exchange rate, worked out at £129 delivered.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Cliffa making me spend more money again 🤣
Click to expand...
Sorry, but you won't be 👍
 
Bonzo said:
Ordered a Madass one cable carb kit on Tuesday. Arrived on the Isle of Man this morning. Pretty speedy service from the Phillippines with DHL 👍

With the current exchange rate, worked out at £129 delivered.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Cliffa making me spend more money again 🤣
Click to expand...
Bonzo,
I think you will be pleased with that kit. I have used one for a couple of years now and like the way it works
Mike
 
I started and rode the 920 today. It has been parked for 5 months.
Had the bike on the lift and was about to drain the sump, which should be completely full, then decided to have a look in the oil tank.
To my surprise there was still some oil in there. I dipped it and it was only about 2" below full.
Fired the bike up, no smoke and off we go.
It is a MK3 engine with, I think, quite low miles. It was for sale in bits at a Breaker on Ebay. I got the cases, crank and oil pump but did not get the timing cover.
That is a new old stock Raber item as are all of the parts that attach to the timing cover.
I was gleefully messing about with the dipping and measuring then somehow forgot to tighten the oil tank cap before the ride. So same mess as posted above.



Glen
 
Got stranded up the mountain today :(

...right on a bend with no sign of a layby 🤬

it wouldn't kick over and I didn't have any tools with me (I know :rolleyes:).

A biker stopped, put his hazards on behind me while I pushed it (seemed like 30 miles) and banged the back of my shin every other step on the gigantic left foot rest 🤣.

I tried a few things, but as the hero biker was heading into my neck of the woods, he kindly gave me a lift home so I could grab a pile of tools and head back up there in the van.

Happily I found a loose wire under the tank that I must've snagged when I installed the head steady spring which had clearly vibrated out. A re-wire is on the list.

The van is now stranded up there until my lad gives me a lift tomorrow, but as long as the bike is home all is well with the world.

On the plus side, it couldn't have happened on a nicer day :)

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
 
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Dang what a story Bonzo! Beautiful day and shot you got of your bike though. I'm glad that all worked out in the end for you, and that you got some help up there when your bike decided to misbehave.
 
Rode it in the warm sunshine yesterday with a new riding partner on his Bonneville to a bike show in Lebanon TN, about a 175 mile round trip, the longest I’ve taken on the bike. Great roads to ride, bike performed faultlessly, not so my old knees that complained at the bend angle I subjected them to! Oh and recorded around 47mpg, pretty impressed with that.
Show was ok, met some good people, thoroughly enjoyed the day, looking forward to next ride with partner.
On the downside, discovered fork seals are leaking more than I had thought.
Would appreciate any recommendations from you guys on a source of good seals you have used and any installation tips.
TIA, Steve
 
Steve,
There are a variety of seal kits out there. I went with the Cosentino kit from NYC Norton and have no problems.CNW and JS motosports also have some options for you to look at.
Mike
 
Bonzo said:
Got stranded up the mountain today :(

...right on a bend with no sign of a layby 🤬

it wouldn't kick over and I didn't have any tools with me (I know :rolleyes:).

A biker stopped, put his hazards on behind me while I pushed it (seemed like 30 miles) and banged the back of my shin every other step on the gigantic left foot rest 🤣.

I tried a few things, but as the hero biker was heading into my neck of the woods, he kindly gave me a lift home so I could grab a pile of tools and head back up there in the van.

Happily I found a loose wire under the tank that I must've snagged when I installed the head steady spring which had clearly vibrated out. A re-wire is on the list.

The van is now stranded up there until my lad gives me a lift tomorrow, but as long as the bike is home all is well with the world.

On the plus side, it couldn't have happened on a nicer day :)

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
Click to expand...
That banging the shins happens even when I roll bikes around in the shop.
It doesn't happen with the Vincent as the footpegs fold out of the way.
I know some here have fitted folding footrests to the Commando. I think it was Kate who did this awhile ago. Will do a search.

Glen
 
I just brought two sets of Crank journals up to Ideal Supply in Listowel for the first regrind of -0.010 off each set of cranks. One 850 and one P11. This is the same place that Herb Becker gets his custom Cranks for his race engines done. I also have my 850 Pistons and Barrels out to get rebored +0.020 and both should be ready for p/u in about a week. Heads are already done with new valves and springs. Both bikes will be treated with J.S. Motorsport lightweight pistons and Corrillo Rods. My 74 Interstate and P11 will get these for vibration control. The P11 because of its rigid engine to frame mounting and the Interstate because I want to get the Compression up for a Combat cam that I had N.O.S. It's a bit of an investment but why not.
 
Put in a new battery and wired it all up backwards. And no, was not drinking last night, or today.
When I ordered the new batt. I did not make note that the Pos. and Neg. terminals were opposite of the original configuration. All the model and ID numbers were matching but I missed the L and R designation when ordering.
I just flat out spaced on the difference when installing it. It took me a bit to "see" the issue while trying to figure out why the fuses/brakers blew.
Lucky me, when I originally wired things up I made sure all the circuitry that could cook was protected...saved myself a lot of grief by putting those safety mechanisms in.
 
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Stevo said:
Rode it in the warm sunshine yesterday with a new riding partner on his Bonneville to a bike show in Lebanon TN, about a 175 mile round trip, the longest I’ve taken on the bike. Great roads to ride, bike performed faultlessly, not so my old knees that complained at the bend angle I subjected them to! Oh and recorded around 47mpg, pretty impressed with that.
Show was ok, met some good people, thoroughly enjoyed the day, looking forward to next ride with partner.
On the downside, discovered fork seals are leaking more than I had thought.
Would appreciate any recommendations from you guys on a source of good seals you have used and any installation tips.
TIA, Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks for those suggestions Ying, I started looking then got sidetracked, see below!
So now, just so I don’t get complacent, apparently I need new headers coz the lh one has a crack at the weld with the balance pipe which has started to run across the pipe itself.
I’ve started looking at a few suppliers of Mk ll 850 balanced headers but wondered if your good selves might chime in with any of your own experiences. Thanks
Steve
 
Went on a 91:42 mi. ride today according to my GPS app. it was 66 F and sunny but windy (21mph gusts). Still it was a nice ride considering the shit weather we’ve been having recently. The bike ran great, I couldn’t be happier with it’s performance. Looking forward to a beautiful summer of riding. Ride safe!
 
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