Widow Maker Frame

Interesting to note that the original heavy sheet metal bracket was not removed before the strut was welded in.

Stephen Hill said:

Interesting to note that the original heavy sheet metal bracket was not removed before the strut was welded in.

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Yep I was thinking that
But I've never had a close look at an original widomaker and it could be stronger doing it this way?

Stephen Hill said:

And really they should have been testing the frames by pushing the motorcycles off the back of a lorry onto the ground while still crated up....... Or so the story goes.

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and that the front wheel was secured, so the rest of the bike forced itself onto that point as it hit the ground.

Stephen Hill said:

Interesting to note that the original heavy sheet metal bracket was not removed before the strut was welded in.

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Removing that risks cutting into the headstock and the main tube which will then need welding to build back up, even if it comes off neatly there will be time consuming weld remains dressing to do. No harm other than the extra lb or so by leaving it on.

I was at the 1980 USNOA rally in Legget California. A rider came into registration and just then the frame broke. Brian Slark was there and looked at the frame and said, "I thought we had replaced all of these". Obviously not as I have seen at least one other.

My 1968 still has the widow maker frame. It broke right behind the upper part of the reinforcing bracket and was repaired badly. The main tube now has a distinct dip in it. Reminds me of a Concorde with the nose down.
Did some long road trips on it. One day I will install the stock (factory reinforced) 1969 frame I have for it.

Hi,I bought my 1968 Commando 10 years ago knowing it had the original frame.
I didn't modify it thinking "I'm not going to thrash this thing,it will be fine".
On a spirited ride from Port Waikato to Kaiaua , a distance of about 60 miles, I came to a halt at an intersection and as I pulled away something didn't feel right so I stopped and the front nearly fell off!
A piece of the top tube a thumbnails width was all that was holding it together and the forks were leaning back against the tank. The "forward progress" through the last twisties must have kept things together and when I stopped and relaxed the frame it just folded.
I had thought to myself just minutes earlier that I should check the frame before an upcoming long ride to the Norton rally.
There was no corrosion, the insides of the tubes looked like new. The breaks looked like they had been done with a tube cutter.
I repaired the frame with inserts and Andover's extra tube and all is well.
So its not if but when, fix it now.
Cheers, Mike

kommando said:

Removing that risks cutting into the headstock and the main tube which will then need welding to build back up, even if it comes off neatly there will be time consuming weld remains dressing to do. No harm other than the extra lb or so by leaving it on.

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We didn’t even consider removing that bracket at that time. And there were no parts available for this fix as there is now so I purchased another frame just to cut out that part.

black cat said:

We didn’t even consider removing that bracket at that time. And there were no parts available for this fix as there is now so I purchased another frame just to cut out that part.

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That’s exactly what I have done. I’m installing the support tube from a hacked up frame.

Nice. Wish I could weld. Your cable tidy looks a bit Royal Enfield though...

I'd love an old 1930s thumper, but no welding, lathe or milling skills, puts me off.

These frames still on machines escaped recall. It happens. It does not make them collectible other than to a museum.

ILLF8ED said:

These frames still on machines escaped recall. It happens. It does not make them collectible other than to a museum.

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Like the fine unrestored example at the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village , Kingsville , Southwest Ontario .