At last, a proper breakdown!

iwilson

iwilson

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I'm pleased to announce I had my first proper breakdown yesterday! Went out for a run with the local Norton Owners Club. Half a dozen or so of us set out to do a coast to coast run - the coasts are quite close together in my neck of the woods! I was the only representative of the 'modern' era - so was feeling the pressure to perform!

At last, a proper breakdown!


First coast (Port Waikato), was duly ticked off with all of us enjoying the good weather and no problems to report.

Same for the other Coast (Kaiaua), where, it being that time of the day a quiet pint was enjoyed.

At last, a proper breakdown!


At this point we all headed of in our own directions - all except one.... :(

At last, a proper breakdown!


Yes, at last a proper breakdown - back tyre was flat. Despite having a bag loaded down with all manner of engine tinkering tools, I didn't have the means to repair it. The consensus was the nail in the tyre you can see in this picture.

At last, a proper breakdown!


So the same tow truck operator who has rescued me three times in the past once again recovered me home.

At last, a proper breakdown!


The interesting twist in the story was that the leak wasn't due to the nail...

At last, a proper breakdown!


Back in my garage I re-inflated the tyre and was surprised to hear air escaping from the seal between the the valve stem and the rim - so maybe Norton related after all!
 
My friend Van was on that ride with you on his Interstate. He said that bike had given you a few issues in the past.
 
iwilson said:
I'm pleased to announce I had my first proper breakdown yesterday! Went out for a run with the local Norton Owners Club. Half a dozen or so of us set out to do a coast to coast run - the coasts are quite close together in my neck of the woods! I was the only representative of the 'modern' era - so was feeling the pressure to perform!

At last, a proper breakdown!


First coast (Port Waikato), was duly ticked off with all of us enjoying the good weather and no problems to report.

Same for the other Coast (Kaiaua), where, it being that time of the day a quiet pint was enjoyed.

At last, a proper breakdown!


At this point we all headed of in our own directions - all except one.... :(

At last, a proper breakdown!


Yes, at last a proper breakdown - back tyre was flat. Despite having a bag loaded down with all manner of engine tinkering tools, I didn't have the means to repair it. The consensus was the nail in the tyre you can see in this picture.

At last, a proper breakdown!


So the same tow truck operator who has rescued me three times in the past once again recovered me home.

At last, a proper breakdown!


The interesting twist in the story was that the leak wasn't due to the nail...

At last, a proper breakdown!


Back in my garage I re-inflated the tyre and was surprised to hear air escaping from the seal between the the valve stem and the rim - so maybe Norton related after all!
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Hello iwilson , A Good and funny story ! The nail may be the culprit after all ! Don't the spoked rims use tubes on our bikes ? If so , the air escaping from the valve stem and rim may be the the holed tube after all... When the air from the tube can't get out of the tire nail hole it finds another route. So maybe back to a non-Norton issue hey ? Let's hope so . Great pictures and lovely weather , I am envious .
 
TonyA said:
Hello iwilson , A Good and funny story ! The nail may be the culprit after all ! Don't the spoked rims use tubes on our bikes ? If so , the air escaping from the valve stem and rim may be the the holed tube after all... When the air from the tube can't get out of the tire nail hole it finds another route. So maybe back to a non-Norton issue hey ? Let's hope so . Great pictures and lovely weather , I am envious .
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Thanks Tony, that makes perfect sense! Enjoying Spring”s warm embrace! Other than the flat tyre the bike ran faultlessly!
 
iwilson you big tease...

With a title like that we were all expecting shrapnel, oil, blood and guts !

Please try harder...
 
I guess if you are going to have a failure to proceed there are worse places than the Kaiaua pub carpark.
 
Fast Eddie said:
Oops!

Is that a Honda engine in the Elise? I thought Lotus used Toyota engines?

What was the failure?
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I put a Honda K20A iVTEC engine in it to replace the stock Rover engine. Idea being to increase power and... reliability. :) Spun a bearing due to oil starvation. Mine was one of the first and the baffled sump design just wasn’t up to it. Put another one in and it’s still going 15 years later.
 
iwilson said:
I put a Honda K20A iVTEC engine in it to replace the stock Rover engine. Idea being to increase power and... reliability. :) Spun a bearing due to oil starvation. Mine was one of the first and the baffled sump design just wasn’t up to it. Put another one in and it’s still going 15 years later.
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Cool.

I had an S2000 some years ago. 240bhp from a bog standard normally aspirated 2 litre production car engine. Fabulous!
 
At last, a proper breakdown!
iwilson said:
For once I’m happy to disappoint! But if you need a fix here’s me blowing up the engine in my Lotus Elise. :)

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LOTUS ( Loads of trouble usually serious) as they say , & they do say for a very good reason , here’s my europa s2 I had back in 1981 , worst car ever, too many things to list of problems & didn’t even have the twin cam engine,‘‘twas a Renault “
 
In all fairness, with all the problems I've had, The only time I've been stranded is because a relay backed out and I didnt have a 5mm hex with me. Ran out if gas (debatable if that's mechanical failure...fuel light doesn't work) and a nail in the rear tire.
 
BLIGHTYBRIT/SF said:
View attachment 12750
LOTUS ( Loads of trouble usually serious) as they say , & they do say for a very good reason , here’s my europa s2 I had back in 1981 , worst car ever, too many things to list of problems & didn’t even have the twin cam engine,‘‘twas a Renault “
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Which is why I bought the two wheeled equivalent of a Lotus! Just a sucker for punishment I guess. But I have to say if you're prepared to persist the reward is worth it. I wouldn't part with either!
 
Just a bit, I’m guessing the current crop aren’t to bad given they’ve not introduced anything new for years. Let’s hope the missing 650 is not akin to the missing Esprit or the new Evija. Mind you Geely own them now and only need to throw a few hundred million there way... Same for Norton I guess.
 


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