What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Flatspot · May 1, 2023

Alan L said:
Now that’s a great collection.
What is your bike of choice?

Without a doubt it has to be the Commando. Stick it in top gear and torque myself everywhere effortlessly. The Trident is too frantic to simply go out for a pootle around on.

Jwvert · May 1, 2023

Bonzo said:
Are those the MZ Gold shoes that most people seem to rate?

Did they fit without too much hassle (apart from the springs)?

Yes they are the Gold shoes. They fit much better after I re-read the specifications and did not need the slippers. They look a heck of a lot better than what I had on as far as brake material.

concours · May 1, 2023

New rectifier, no more battery drain, charges great, at speed & idle.
Little road test to the hardware store.

Just a little oil leak

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

and then a new rear tire

gjr · May 5, 2023

The weather finally is decent and I rode to work. Dropped it off at the bike shop for new tires on the way home.

Stevo · May 5, 2023

Had a very enjoyable 125ml jaunt yesterday that was only supposed to be 70mls, thanks google maps. Great roads and the bike was faultless, so many double takes from bystanders. The sounds and grunt were intoxicating, confirmed my reasons for wanting her.

Bonzo · May 6, 2023

Played with the carbs...

Then went for a ride...

Wonderful 'glad to be alive and riding a Commando' weather today

Richard Tool · May 6, 2023

Finally fixed something that has bugged me fo a couple years.
Because of my fixation on low and narrow bars the space available for handle bar mounted accessories gets kind of crowded.
The choke ( air slides ) lever needs to be placed near the bend in the bars in order to clear the switch group .
Consequently , it always loosens up and rocks because the casting doesn’t fit the bars well . I reshaped the casting with half round diamond file to get through the chrome and replaced the slotted cheesehead screws with socket head cap screws .
Ahh … so much better. What took you so long lazy boy ?

Torontonian · May 6, 2023

Fit battery and went for first ride of the season to the gas station .
Rebuilt transmission with Old Brits lay shaft shimming instructions as it was popping out of first gear before winter .
Nervous about first attempt but all shifted well up and down .
Longer ride tomorrow , trout season on .

YING · May 7, 2023

Bonzo said:
Played with the carbs...

https://postimg.cc/kV2NRBsg

Then went for a ride...

https://postimg.cc/G47Jpkkf

Wonderful 'glad to be alive and riding a Commando' weather today

Bonzo,
2 questions;
Where did you take that picture? I have never been to England but that looks beautiful!
How do you like your CarbTune device? I have had good results from mine after using it a couple of times
Thanks,
Mike

Bonzo · May 7, 2023

YING said:
Bonzo,
2 questions;
Where did you take that picture? I have never been to England but that looks beautiful!
How do you like your CarbTune device? I have had good results from mine after using it a couple of times
Thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike,

That's Port Erin, down the south end of the Isle of Man - maybe one for your bucket list?

As for the Morgan Carbtune? Hmm, I'm on the fence as to how much it helped me if I'm honest, but I'm also contemplating having a go at fitting the Maddass one cable gantry this weekend, only trouble is, I've got so many other housy/domestic things to do that I'm reluctant to get stuck in.

First world problems I know

Richard Tool · May 7, 2023

Bonzo said:
I've got so many other housy/domestic things to do that I'm reluctant to get stuck in.

And it seems it never ends …. sigh

Bonzo · May 7, 2023

Well, the housy/domestic things got curbed in favour of tatting with the bike - just as it should be

So, I installed the Madass single throttle cable carb gantry...

Those middle two manifold bolts are made even more frustrating with the gantry base taking valuable leverage space

Also, the balance hose is a tight fit.

I had to dash out and so didn't get time to set anything up, but it's installed.

What sort of base setting have you guys used for this? I mean, how have you settled on your lift cables?

I imagine adjustment with the engine running and tank on will require dexterity.

Jdub · May 7, 2023

I made an inexpensive but effective piston stop and checked degree wheel TDC against the internal chain case scale using the great advice on this site. The scale reads 30.5 where it should read 28. I tried to manipulate the scale but it is pretty fragile so I will leave it alone. Instead, I marked this information on the inside of the chain case, took some pics (below), and will note this whenever I time the bike.

Not seen is the tubular spacer that takes up the space/slop between the inner body of the plug and the machine screw. Once the spacer was tapped into the plug, a quick drilling with the correct bit and the screw is a nice interference fit as well plus the head falls nicely into the plug's inner taper. I dropped on a thin washer, a nyloc nut with loctite and screwed it together tightly. I was so careful moving the wheel but it went without any surprises, the wheel in 4th gear stopping nicely and giving reassuring results. Thanks to all who contributed this information this site is great. Anyone reading this can do what I did, great peace of mind.

gortnipper · May 7, 2023

Bonzo said:
Well, the housy/domestic things got curbed in favour of tatting with the bike - just as it should be

So, I installed the Madass single throttle cable carb gantry...

https://postimg.cc/hQP7JGgP

Those middle two manifold bolts are made even more frustrating with the gantry base taking valuable leverage space

Also, the balance hose is a tight fit.

https://postimg.cc/F7C0L0Yt

I had to dash out and so didn't get time to set anything up, but it's installed.

What sort of base setting have you guys used for this? I mean, how have you settle on your lift cables?

I imagine adjustment with the engine running and tank on will require dexterity.

Base setting should be same as previous. I used some drill bits (mix of metric/imperial) to get size before I installed gantry, and used same ones after. Then it was just a twiddle to get the idle set right.

YING · May 8, 2023

Bonzo said:
Hi Mike,

That's Port Erin, down the south end of the Isle of Man - maybe one for your bucket list?

As for the Morgan Carbtune? Hmm, I'm on the fence as to how much it helped me if I'm honest, but I'm also contemplating having a go at fitting the Maddass one cable gantry this weekend, only trouble is, I've got so many other housy/domestic things to do that I'm reluctant to get stuck in.

First world problems I know

Bonzo,
I use the Madass gantry and after getting used to the CarbTune I am very pleased with the results.My carbs were in perfect sync using the drill bit method but after hooking up the CarbTune and adjusting the vacuum,the idle was improved nicely and throttle response is good.In my case it was just about getting used to the product.
Mike

baz · May 8, 2023

Bonzo said:
Well, the housy/domestic things got curbed in favour of tatting with the bike - just as it should be

So, I installed the Madass single throttle cable carb gantry...

https://postimg.cc/hQP7JGgP

Those middle two manifold bolts are made even more frustrating with the gantry base taking valuable leverage space

Also, the balance hose is a tight fit.

https://postimg.cc/F7C0L0Yt

I had to dash out and so didn't get time to set anything up, but it's installed.

What sort of base setting have you guys used for this? I mean, how have you settled on your lift cables?

I imagine adjustment with the engine running and tank on will require dexterity.

With the madass kit do you still rely upon the idle adjusting screws or is idle adjusted on the cable/gantry as a triumph trident?

Bonzo · May 8, 2023

baz said:
With the madass kit do you still rely upon the idle adjusting screws or is idle adjusted on the cable/gantry as a triumph trident?

Baz, the idle adj screws are backed off and so redundant.

Bonzo · May 8, 2023

One thing I've noticed with this, having removed the float bowls etc. to check the needles are moving in unison, is that with the locking nuts backed right off in the trunions, one of the needles is fractionally further out than the other - I guess one of the lift cables could be slightly longer? (both needle clips are on the same groove)

freefly103 · May 8, 2023

Decided that the cut off rear fender I installed a few years ago, didn't really suit the bike and made it look half finished. The cut off fender was hard to mount and made the rear tail light look like an after thought.

Decided to go with a new seat, full sized fender and a triumph style rear tail light.

The flat handle bars made it too much of a stretch for comfort with the proddy racer tank, so installed higher handlebars with more rise and pull back.

Can actually enjoy riding it now without developing a sore back. Yes, I'm getting old.

baz · May 8, 2023

Bonzo said:
Baz, the idle adj screws are backed off and so redundant.

That's good
It saves micro adjusting the throttle cable adjusters as the slides lift off of the throttle stop screws
I feel this is where the main advantage of the gantry is

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Flatspot

Jwvert

concours

gjr

Stevo

TN

Bonzo

Richard Tool

Torontonian

YING

Pittsboro,NC

Bonzo

Richard Tool

Bonzo

Jdub

gortnipper

YING

Pittsboro,NC

baz

Bonzo

Bonzo

freefly103

Attachments

baz

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