Finally have my 961 SF !
- Thread starter GoingCommando
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Thanks again for the help guys! I think I'll buy the round mirrors that look the most like the mirrors that came on the bike. The rectangular mirrors look great too, but those are almost identical to what's on my Thruxton so I just want to change it up and stay close to the stock style.
I have rizoma mirrors on my bike. Not cheap, but the best mirrors i ever owned on a motorcycle. I think i had 4 different sets of mirrors on my thruxton, all good quality. But every set had something i did not like. The Rizoma's are as perfect as a mirror can be for me.
Absolutely no vibration, non-glare glass (really works), convex, perfect finish and fitment. Actually the first set of mirrors i have that did not came loose in a few years.
It is just an opinion off coarse. Everybody expects different things of their mirrors.
Mine are an older type, they don't list them anymore (they are the class retro, but on a stem instead of bar end), but the newer mirrors look great too, even better than mine on a 961:
http://www.rizoma.com/universal/mirrors/one-250/en
Absolutely no vibration, non-glare glass (really works), convex, perfect finish and fitment. Actually the first set of mirrors i have that did not came loose in a few years.
It is just an opinion off coarse. Everybody expects different things of their mirrors.
Mine are an older type, they don't list them anymore (they are the class retro, but on a stem instead of bar end), but the newer mirrors look great too, even better than mine on a 961:
http://www.rizoma.com/universal/mirrors/one-250/en
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Update:
It's been two weeks since I picked up the bike and I've just hit 400 miles. Overall I'm loving it, but for full disclosure: After 4 or 5 days I noticed drops of oil on the garage floor accumulating under the engine and the dripping has seemed to increase over the last week. Investigating I quickly found that the oil is dripping from a little black rubber hose hanging down near the kickstand. Checking the oil (hopefully correctly) it appeared the oil was down to the minimum line so I added some oil yesterday, making sure to add the exact Silkolene 10w40 listed in the manual. Maybe it's a mental thing because I know it's been leaking oil, but the engine seems noisier now with a lot of klinking, and when I pulled into the gas station yesterday the gas attendant's first words to me were "Why is it clicking like that?". I told him it was because it was a brand new engine that was just getting broken in, but I'm not so sure that's all it is...
I've scheduled to take it in to the local Triumph/MotoGuzzi dealer on Tuesday to see if they can find the reason for the oil leak and give me some peace of mind regarding the engine. The bike still needs more miles before it's first official dealer service (my Norton dealer is 3 hours North of here) so I'm not ready to take it back to them quite yet.
Based on some of your other Norton stories it seems the loose clicking/rattling engine noises are normal at first, but combined with the oil leak I'm just afraid of any possible engine damage from low oil or something else.
In use the bike is performing great. Just loud and clanky, with a drop of oil dripping out of the bottom every few minutes....
It's been two weeks since I picked up the bike and I've just hit 400 miles. Overall I'm loving it, but for full disclosure: After 4 or 5 days I noticed drops of oil on the garage floor accumulating under the engine and the dripping has seemed to increase over the last week. Investigating I quickly found that the oil is dripping from a little black rubber hose hanging down near the kickstand. Checking the oil (hopefully correctly) it appeared the oil was down to the minimum line so I added some oil yesterday, making sure to add the exact Silkolene 10w40 listed in the manual. Maybe it's a mental thing because I know it's been leaking oil, but the engine seems noisier now with a lot of klinking, and when I pulled into the gas station yesterday the gas attendant's first words to me were "Why is it clicking like that?". I told him it was because it was a brand new engine that was just getting broken in, but I'm not so sure that's all it is...
I've scheduled to take it in to the local Triumph/MotoGuzzi dealer on Tuesday to see if they can find the reason for the oil leak and give me some peace of mind regarding the engine. The bike still needs more miles before it's first official dealer service (my Norton dealer is 3 hours North of here) so I'm not ready to take it back to them quite yet.
Based on some of your other Norton stories it seems the loose clicking/rattling engine noises are normal at first, but combined with the oil leak I'm just afraid of any possible engine damage from low oil or something else.
In use the bike is performing great. Just loud and clanky, with a drop of oil dripping out of the bottom every few minutes....
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dimitri said:
I think I'm going to buy this helmet. Thanks for posting Dimitri! I'll probably still need to have mirrors, but I have often wished I had eyes on the back of my head while riding.
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Going, The hoses you are referring to are the the crankcase vent tube and the overflow hose. It is normal for a few drops of oil or oil condensate to drip from there especially if you are overfilled or close to it. Check your oil within 30 seconds or so of shutting it off after a ride, you want to be in the middle of the 2 lines. If you check it without riding it first it shouldn't even be on the stick! Your bike is not leaking!!!!
BP is Correct....
I just added a bit of oil and guess what? Its blowing out the breather, lol...
It sounds like it may have been very slightly overfilled, as they are very sensitive to oil level and are obviously transported dry. The engine doesn't take much in any case, its a small amount from the low to high mark on the dipstick.
I just added a bit of oil and guess what? Its blowing out the breather, lol...
It sounds like it may have been very slightly overfilled, as they are very sensitive to oil level and are obviously transported dry. The engine doesn't take much in any case, its a small amount from the low to high mark on the dipstick.
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Thanks for the responses. It's possible the dealer overfilled the oil originally, but yesterday was the first time I added any oil, yet the oil had been coming out faster and faster over time and was making a pretty big puddle in my garage. The Triumph dealer said it could have something to do with the air pressure and said that happens with a lot of the Moto Guzzi and Triumphs too. He seemed to think it was something he could adjust to stop/slow the leaking. Guess we'll know Tuesday.
If you can't tell, I'm not great with mechanical issues. My Triumphs never had any issues whatsoever. About all I ever did was take them to the scheduled services and put air in the tires now and then. I bought my Thruxton brand new and it never had any similar noises during the break-in period. Overall I actually like how the Norton is a little rougher around the edges, noisier, and vibrates more. Makes it more fun to ride. I just obviously want the engine to work as it should, and I have no idea which noises are normal and which are not. Any of you do an audio recording of your engines during break-in and later on? I'm actually an audio recording engineer by trade and I could do a good recording of mine and post it here so you guys could tell me if it sounds like yours.
If you can't tell, I'm not great with mechanical issues. My Triumphs never had any issues whatsoever. About all I ever did was take them to the scheduled services and put air in the tires now and then. I bought my Thruxton brand new and it never had any similar noises during the break-in period. Overall I actually like how the Norton is a little rougher around the edges, noisier, and vibrates more. Makes it more fun to ride. I just obviously want the engine to work as it should, and I have no idea which noises are normal and which are not. Any of you do an audio recording of your engines during break-in and later on? I'm actually an audio recording engineer by trade and I could do a good recording of mine and post it here so you guys could tell me if it sounds like yours.
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Also, can someone tell me the risks of adding too much oil other than the resulting draining out from the tube? If I've now added a bit too much could it harm something? If I've overfilled should I do a complete oil change to refill at the correct level, or just let the hose gradually drain it to the right amount?
BritTwit
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GoingCommando said:
It won't cause a serious problem. It will just get pushed out of the valve cover breather into the airbox. Then the oil will drain out the airbow drain hose onto your pipes and down below the bike. Messy, but not a problem. I have a Mk3 too so i'm used to a little lube beneath the bike. I too added oil before reading the user manual section on checking the oil level. I haven't had any ill effects, performance-wise. I suppose if the paper element air filter becomes saturated with oil it would pose a problem. However, my 961 runs as well as ever.
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It seems you guys are all correct. When I put more oil in all it did was increase the amount coming out of the drain tube. So as far as I can tell everything is normal. I'll just put on another 100 miles and then take it to the Norton dealer for the first service.
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Update: Something magical happened after 415 miles on the bike. Sounds better, most clanking noises disappeared and the acceleration that was already punchier than my Thruxton has gotten even better. I'm addicted to the sound and feeling of accelerating on this bike (dangerous addiction I know), and looking forward to seeing what more miles and the first service will do. As far as I can tell my bike is going through all the normal Norton break-in stages.
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Dozer said:Sounds like you had an epiphany.... That happened to me on mine, then I realised Id put a different helmet on....!
Glad youre enjoying it.
lol. same helmet, but different day. After I overfilled it with oil and the excess leaked out from the drain tube again, the next day some of the big clanking noises were gone. The bike does have a kind of fast ticking sound though while riding that I don't think it had in the first 200 miles. Sort of like the sound if you put a playing card in the spokes of a bicycle but metallic like when a bicycle is changing gears. I actually can't tell while I'm riding if it's the engine, wheel, or chain because the sound is not there when the bike is idle. I'll ask about it at service, but everything is seemingly performing great.
BritTwit
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GoingCommando said:Dozer said:Sounds like you had an epiphany.... That happened to me on mine, then I realised Id put a different helmet on....!
Glad youre enjoying it.
lol. same helmet, but different day. After I overfilled it with oil and the excess leaked out from the drain tube again, the next day some of the big clanking noises were gone. The bike does have a kind of fast ticking sound though while riding that I don't think it had in the first 200 miles. Sort of like the sound if you put a playing card in the spokes of a bicycle but metallic like when a bicycle is changing gears. I actually can't tell while I'm riding if it's the engine, wheel, or chain because the sound is not there when the bike is idle. I'll ask about it at service, but everything is seemingly performing great.
The clicking is very clear on my CR as well. Its most noticeable at medium speeds 30-40MPH. It's probably the rockers acting on the values stems. Very similar to the sound my Mk3 makes when the tappets need adjustment. the 961 has hydraulic lifters and doesn't require value adjustments, but I suppose there is enough valve-to-rocker clearance to cause a bit of clicking.
At higher speeds, wind noise overpowers the sound. At idle, if you have an aftermarket exhaust, the exhaust noise masks the clicking.
It's just another special "feature" that separates the 961 from its contemporary competition.
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BritTwit said:
Thanks again! Good to know it's a "normal" sound. Yeah, the clicking is often drowned out by the louder engine so it's subtle and doesn't bother me if it's not hurting anything.
Went to a little Triumph biker meetup last night and the moment I pulled in a guy poked his head out of the bar and yelled "Is that the new Norton?" I felt a little guilty that the Norton ended up being the main conversation topic at the Triumph-sponsored meetup, but also I sorta didn't. On the way home I almost ran into a buck that ran out of the woods right in front of me. Probably the scariest near-death experience I've had on a bike so far. It was REALLY close to hitting me!
Put another 40 miles on the bike today. Up to about 465 now. Should be taking it in for the first service next weekend.
BritTwit
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GoingCommando said:
Good luck with that.
On my first service the mechanic put the oil filter cover on upside down. Yes it's possible. I didn't check when I picked the bike up because I was in a rush. Got home, and looked down at the engine, and sure enough, goofy looking timing cover. I couldn't believe a mechanic could do something so dumb. It caused no damage, or loss of oil pressure.
The is actually a youtube video by Norton Canada that warns service people about installing the cover improperly.
So before you drive off, check the filter cover is reinstalled correctly.
I heard from my dealer that he had to replace hydraulic lifters on various bikes. I have not heard the noise it makes on a commando, but it could be what you describe. A bit like valves with to much clearance.
Performance wise, a faulty lifter will have only a small effect. Probably not noticeable at all.
Performance wise, a faulty lifter will have only a small effect. Probably not noticeable at all.
