Commando engine in Featherbed

grandpaul · Aug 18, 2019

Matchless said:
Ludwig,
That is a lovely looking bike, but one thing intrigues me; how did you get the Norton script on the timing cover level with the Commando engine upright?

My guess is, it's a modifed Atlas cover.

Madnorton · Aug 18, 2019

There must be a dozen engines plus that would be a better contender for the featherbed frame. Someone in the US I believe put a Kawasaki twin engine in a featherbed and it worked a treat. There is somewhere on the web a picture of a magazine article that that shows across two pages what has been fitted.

A common query I get is ''I can't get this Manx engine in a featherbed frame I bought without modification to the frame'' usually from special builders that have never spun spanners on a Norton. Their usual reply is ''Ohh'' when they are told why.

grandpaul · Aug 18, 2019

Madnorton said:
There must be a dozen engines plus that would be a better contender for the featherbed frame...

I agree... Smooth as silk

ashman · Aug 18, 2019

worntorn said:
A good idea. My 650ss has very little vibration coming thru the bars, mirrors are clear at 70 but the footrest do buzz annoyingly at this speed.
Going to have a look at doing a mini isolastic there.

Glen

Glen I used my Commando foot pegs on my Featherbed frame as well the cut down Z plates which are bolted to the frame with spacers in between the gazzets at the back of the frame where the frame number is and on the other side, I get no vibrations there at all in my foot pegs with this set up and its been like this from day one back in 82, my foot pegs sit a bit higher as well but I like it like that as I have never scraped them from pushing it hard in the corners, in fact my whole Featherbed is set up for scrape free leaning into the corners.
I used as much Commando gear on my Featherbed as I could as when building it first up money was very tight, but everything I used worked so well, its a true Commando/Featherbed set up.

Ashley

ashman · Aug 18, 2019

Madnorton said:
There must be a dozen engines plus that would be a better contender for the featherbed frame. Someone in the US I believe put a Kawasaki twin engine in a featherbed and it worked a treat. There is somewhere on the web a picture of a magazine article that that shows across two pages what has been fitted.

A common query I get is ''I can't get this Manx engine in a featherbed frame I bought without modification to the frame'' usually from special builders that have never spun spanners on a Norton. Their usual reply is ''Ohh'' when they are told why.

Any motor could be used in a Featherbed but a lot of motors need the frame to be modified to fit, with using a Commando motor at lease its still all Norton and that's one of the main reasons I stuck with the 850 motor that has worked well for me, I am a true Norton man, my mate who got me into Norton's and Featherbeds went the Triumph way with his Featherbeds, we are still great mates after all this time but every time he sees my Norton he can't believe in how well its worked out for me and still reliable as its been.
And now after the last rebuild I have it set up the way I wanted it, with the mods I have done to it, I have no need to change anything now, its my perfect hotrod, its showing its age but it attracts attention where ever I go on it and always a crowd when I kick it to life, the JH Maggie always fires up on the first kick and its loud when I stick it into it, just the way I like it.

Ashley

Matt Spencer · Aug 18, 2019

Someone in the US I believe put a Kawasaki twin engine in a featherbed and it worked a treat.

Apart from the fuel consumption .

acotrel · Aug 18, 2019

A lot depends on your intended use for the bike. For road use an 850 engine in a featherbed could be good. But for racing a Seeley is much better. With a featherbed for racing getting the motor in the correct position is critical, also wheel size and frame rake are extremely important. Most after-market featherbeds probably use 26 degree rake and 18 inch wheels these days. Where the original use 24.5 degree rake and 19 inch wheels. They handle differently from each other, but with 18 inch wheels, you probably have more tyre choice.
Fitting a unit Triumph motor into as featherbed is stupid, they are never right. A JAWA speedway motor with a 5 speed Triumph box, is much better.

https://ibb.co/4Sgv2bY

Matt Spencer · Aug 18, 2019

" Folklore is that if you fit the best motor into the best frame, you get the best bike. If you fit anything other than a Manx motor into a featherbed frame, you do not get the best bike. "

Knactually , Saab 2 strokes , Rover / Leyland V - 8s , apparently ? Munch Mamoth NSU aircooled straight fours are to tall ? ,
and par tick u larly Hillman Imp , preferably series II too , as there a Hansen - Mundey , as per Coventry Climax , which'd likely
fit too , see the odd F P E in the Agricultural machineray adds , and who knows what elsell go in .
Tho Non Unit is the original contrivance . D A 10 BSAs look pretty good too .
plus theres a variety off Jet Ski injuns . 4 stroke & 2 . Apparently a HR / KR Kwickersaki job ,
plus a N.A. / Canadian Twin Cam four valve two cylinder job .
Doubt if anyones tried a air cooled Norton rotary ?
Maybe other light aviation / microlite motors'd do it too . . . .

74ok · Aug 18, 2019

Matt Spencer said:
Kawasaki twin engine in a featherbed

maybe this
https://thekneeslider.com/norton-kawasaki-cafe-racer/

Matt Spencer · Aug 18, 2019

BSA A10 san ,drool brawl brearing

===================================================================

SO , the NSU do fit ,
https://thevintagent.com/2011/02/13/building-a-norton-four/

apparently a tooned Munch did 174 or whatever mph at Daytona ,
Tyre'd last a lap or two , back then .Not an Hour for the record .
So could be worth playing with , if you could find one .
Might be easier to reverse crank rotation , if you could find one .

worntorn · Aug 19, 2019

A 650ss is a good motor in the Featherbed. When they came out in 62 Bruce Mainsmith took one to MIRA and got 10 mph more out of it than the 650 Bonnie's best, official timing gear.
An A10 or Kawasaki copy would be an even greater step down in power.
I believe Doug Hele said the 650ss powerplant is considerably lighter than a magnesium Manx engine.
It definitely makes more useable road power than a Manx.
The 650ss might be the best roadgoing engine for that frame.

Glen

ashman · Aug 19, 2019

worntorn said:
A 650ss is a good motor in the Featherbed. When they came out in 62 Bruce Mainsmith took one to MIRA and got 10 mph more out of it than the 650 Bonnie's best, official timing gear.
An A10 or Kawasaki copy would be an even greater step down in power.
I believe Doug Hele said the 650ss powerplant is considerably lighter than a Magnesium Manx engine.
It definitely makes more useable road power than a Manx.
The 650ss might be the best roadgoing engine for that frame.

Glen

The 650SS was a smother motor than the 750 Atlas motor in the Slimline frames and 4 Atlas's were made to one 650SS and I bet the 650s were quicker than the 750s, hopefully will be starting back on my Manxman project bike, its been sitting in the corner for way to long.

Ashley

Matchless · Aug 19, 2019

Any unit construction engine, be it Triumph Kawasaki or what ever, looks lost in a Featherbed which was designed for pre unit set ups. The centres between gearbox & swingarm look too great which is a compromise as far as chain tension is concerned.

grandpaul · Aug 19, 2019

Matchless said:
Any unit construction engine, be it Triumph Kawasaki or what ever, looks lost in a Featherbed which was designed for pre unit set ups. The centres between gearbox & swingarm look too great which is a compromise as far as chain tension is concerned.

I disagree. Scroll back up and look at my red Triton. No wasted space at all.
Chain has a slight droop but nothing as excessive as typical loose chains you see on MANY bikes.

baz · Aug 19, 2019

grandpaul said:
I disagree. Scroll back up and look at my red Triton. No wasted space at all.
Chain has a slight droop but nothing as excessive as typical loose chains you see on MANY bikes.

Sorry I can't agree on that one,a unit triumph engine is just too short for a feather bed, just my opinion no offense meant

Fast Eddie · Aug 19, 2019

No THATS attention to detail !

baz · Aug 19, 2019

Sorry to the original poster of this topic as I take it even further off topic
But recently I was riding my t160 and I moved my feet from the footrests to the pillion footrests and my god they were vibrating!!
My t160 is a late model with rubber mounted rider footrests and although the vibrations are obviously different in a 3 cylinder engine I was surprised how well they worked
I really hadn't noticed how much the bike vibrates
Ludwig's design looks about as good as it can get
Cheers

Hortons Norton · Aug 19, 2019

Thanks for the photos.

Hortons Norton · Aug 19, 2019

Could I ask what the coils on the hard part of the oil lines are for?

jseng1 · Aug 19, 2019

The ultralight pistons in my Atlas weigh 170 grams bare. That's down from about 250 grams stock. I don't notice any vibration at the pegs. There's always room for improvement and I'm interested in the handlebar dampers for long distance cruising. I haven't installed the ultralight rods yet - that will happen my next rebuild.

See the 177 gram billet pistons I just got at:
https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/lightweight-billet-pistons.28509/#post-434113

Commando engine in Featherbed

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