As I have said before we modified/build our bikes for ourselves, not for others, I don't care what others think about what I have done to my near new 850 Commando (Brought new back in 76 and converting it to the Featherbed Wideline frame in 1980), but the good thing I built it for me only, no one else and the best part there in no other Norton like mine, yes over the 44+ years in the Featherbed frame I have come across a few Commando/Featherbed Nortons but none were built like mine, all of them had the motor upright like the Domies, not leaning forward like the Commando (they go faster leaning forward lol) and everyone had custom alloy tanks, I liked the shape of the original 57 Featherbed tank, 3/4 of my build is Commando and 1/4 Featherbed or near enough.
After 45 years built in the Featherbed it now is showing its age but that's because its ridden, it never was a show pony and I like it just the way it is with a few good upgrades in the last 15+ years, it still goes as good as the day I first built it all them years ago and been very reliable, and were ever I park up at bike do's, bike shops and biker stops when on rides, it always gets people checking it out, I get a lot of older ex bikers sayin "I use to own a Domie" I just agree with them and have a good chat with them, I don't tell them it's not a Domie and when they ask about the Joe Hunt hanging off the side, I just tell them it's an anti-thief device, what, yes if I catch anyone fu cking around with my Norton I connect the leads to their balls and give it a few kicks, haha and watch their eye balls pop out lol, or I give then some other BS story, all in fun lol.
But I have never had a bad word about the way my old Norton is set up, have never had anyone nit-pick it or say I stuffed up a good Commando and all the old school bikers can see all the good bits on it and how everything fits so well in the Featherbed frame, all built by my own hands, for me and me only.
Ashley
