Commando awakened today

[Onder]

Today I awakened the Commando and put 50 miles on it. First kick and it spit back and elevated me. Don't wear trainers and don't be half hearted about it!
Pazon Altair. I have a new Pazon analogue on the shelf and had considered
putting it on. At the petrol station it refused to start. It never likes to start on
the side stand but putting on the centre stand risks having fall over in public.
But no choice. Fortunately got it up and third kick burst into life. I must apply the SureFire though.
Ride went well, bike runs like a top and I avoided death, hospitalization and arrest. They really are a nice bike. So the season has begun!

 

[Fast Eddie]

Today I awakened the Commando and put 50 miles on it. First kick and it spit back and elevated me. Don't wear trainers and don't be half hearted about it!
Pazon Altair. I have a new Pazon analogue on the shelf and had considered
putting it on. At the petrol station it refused to start. It never likes to start on
the side stand but putting on the centre stand risks having fall over in public.
But no choice. Fortunately got it up and third kick burst into life. I must apply the SureFire though.
Ride went well, bike runs like a top and I avoided death, hospitalization and arrest. They really are a nice bike. So the season has begun!

Tri Sparks anti kick back function is reason enough to buy one IMO !

 

[concours]

Today I awakened the Commando and put 50 miles on it. First kick and it spit back and elevated me. Don't wear trainers and don't be half hearted about it!
Pazon Altair. I have a new Pazon analogue on the shelf and had considered
putting it on. At the petrol station it refused to start. It never likes to start on
the side stand but putting on the centre stand risks having fall over in public.
But no choice. Fortunately got it up and third kick burst into life. I must apply the SureFire though.
Ride went well, bike runs like a top and I avoided death, hospitalization and arrest. They really are a nice bike. So the season has begun!

I'll be interested to see the results, changing from Altair to Sure-Fire.

 

[batrider]

The Pazon Altair will kick you back if you give it a wimpy kick. The Pazon Surefire does not. I went Tri-spark for the Norton and Surefire on the 350 ~M~.

 

[Torontonian]

Today I awakened the Commando and put 50 miles on it. First kick and it spit back and elevated me. Don't wear trainers and don't be half hearted about it!
Pazon Altair. I have a new Pazon analogue on the shelf and had considered
putting it on. At the petrol station it refused to start. It never likes to start on
the side stand but putting on the centre stand risks having fall over in public.
But no choice. Fortunately got it up and third kick burst into life. I must apply the SureFire though.
Ride went well, bike runs like a top and I avoided death, hospitalization and arrest. They really are a nice bike. So the season has begun!

Love it .

 

[Onder]

Today I shall have at it. Read on here that the Altair has issues and the guru from Andover says he binned the sample they had at their shop. My experience has been the Commando will go first kick
with the Altair or it will be another 10 and a wait. Wish I could put on the longer T160 type kicker but it won't clear the TTI gearbox. Had one on the RE Interceptor and never really had any problem. But kicking over the Inter is easier than the Commando and suspect that is part of it for Mr. Eight and a half stone. Older TriSpark on the Trident and almost always a first kicker. Compression is not an issue with the little cylinders.
Stayed tuned...

 

[trident sam]

I've had Surefire on 3 Commandos and never a fault with any.

 

[Madnorton]

Not sure why the bike is not more stable on the centre stand than the side stand? You can do a lot damage starting the bike on the side stand.

 

[ashman]

I stick to my Joe Hunt magneto, first kick every time, well till I lost my kicking leg sadly.

Sorry couldn't help myself and should never use a side stand or a centre stand for that matter to kick start a Norton.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Not sure why the bike is not more stable on the centre stand than the side stand?

I think Onder is referring to the physical act of putting it on the centre stand… rather than the stability once on the stand…

@Onder… get yourself an OIF Triumph, they have to be the easiest 750cc motorbike to get onto the centre stand EVER !

 

[SteveBorland]

I think Onder is referring to the physical act of putting it on the centre stand… rather than the stability once on the stand…

@Onder… get yourself an OIF Triumph, they have to be the easiest 750cc motorbike to get onto the centre stand EVER !

Hmm - I can put both the 850 Commando and my Ducati 750 bevel on the center stand while sitting in the saddle. Actually, that's only really true if I have the PR seat on the 850, the dual seat is too high to do that.

 

[Onder]

You manly men with sufficient body mass do not understand that although fit and willing the bike
has a lot more inertia than I do. With and Interstate tank topped off, good luck.
...and I had a R90s which is a rather awkward bike with narrow bars but the putting up on the stand
was not bad at all. Take a look at the BMW stand: it was designed by someone who at least used it once.

 

[seattle##gs]

I stick to my Joe Hunt magneto, first kick every time, well till I lost my kicking leg sadly.

Sorry couldn't help myself and should never use a side stand or a centre stand for that matter to kick start a Norton.

I would love to have a Joe Hunt mag but at $1000 I'll have to settle for a Tri Spark

 

[Onder]

You would love it until the first time the bike fell over on the RH side.....

 

[ashman]

You would love it until the first time the bike fell over on the RH side.....

I have been down on the right side 2 times now and the Joe Hunt has survived both times, first time a car turned in front of me and I laid it down to avoid hitting her, second time the front stock brakes locked and chucked me over the handle bars from a emergence braking, just a crack in the front cover of the Joe Hunt but I had a fractured left arm and a broken thumb from that one.
But if you go hard down on the road your bike will get more damaged than the Joe Hunt will they are built tough.
But of course people who never had one will always say that.

I would love to have a Joe Hunt mag but at $1000 I'll have to settle for a Tri Spark

Might cost a bit more than any other ignition system, but no battery needed, big huge spark, starts first kick every time, simple to maintain, well in over 15 years I haven't touched mine with over 45k miles on it, my first Joe Hunt on my old Triumph did 250k kms without any problems at all, so proven to be reliable.
From new my Norton had ignition problems with stock ignition system, 2 failed EI one that stopped working 100 miles from home and a few failed batteries as well that stopped the EI from firing up, so I know what works best for me, my Norton runs so well with the JH, in fact its run the best it ever has in 50 years of ownership, I say no more lol.

Ashley

 

[MichaelD]

I would love to have a Joe Hunt mag but at $1000 I'll have to settle for a Tri Spark

But then, part of the pleasure of having a Commando is looking back at it when you walk away. With a Joe Hunt magneto stuck on the side you'd have to stop looking back. Or always walk away to the left

 

[ntst8]

You manly men with sufficient body mass do not understand that although fit and willing the bike
has a lot more inertia than I do. With and Interstate tank topped off, good luck.
...and I had a R90s which is a rather awkward bike with narrow bars but the putting up on the stand
was not bad at all. Take a look at the BMW stand: it was designed by someone who at least used it once.

Mine too is not easy to put on the centrestand - 6'2"/90kg and i can only just do it when the bike has full luggage on. Others seem much easier, have always wondered what the variation is.

 

[MichaelB]

You manly men with sufficient body mass do not understand that although fit and willing the bike
has a lot more inertia than I do. With and Interstate tank topped off, good luck.
...and I had a R90s which is a rather awkward bike with narrow bars but the putting up on the stand
was not bad at all. Take a look at the BMW stand: it was designed by someone who at least used it once.

Yes, it’s about balance and leverage.
BMW’s are good but Commando’s aren’t bad.
Standing on the left side, left hand on handle bar, right hand on frame under seat, step down on centerstand while lifting with right hand and rock into position. Left hand just balances the bike.

 

[ashman]

But then, part of the pleasure of having a Commando is looking back at it when you walk away. With a Joe Hunt magneto stuck on the side you'd have to stop looking back. Or always walk away to the left

I like the look of the JH on the right side, a lovely bit of kit, why hide it behind the motor and let it get hot from the heat of the motor, out in the cool air does play a part and I also forgot also get very long life out of plugs, the hot spark keeps your plugs nice and clean.
Besides my Norton is built for riding not for looking at lol.

 

[seattle##gs]

But then, part of the pleasure of having a Commando is looking back at it when you walk away. With a Joe Hunt magneto stuck on the side you'd have to stop looking back. Or always walk away to the left

True, the mag mounted on the timing cover is an eyesore. If you are lucky it can still be mounted behind the cylinders.