Hit by red light runner

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Fast Eddie said:
It’s an over simplification to say the track is safer than the road.

Yes, everything Al says is true, I agree with the logic. But the counter argument is that when you’re on the track, you and everyone around you is riding to their absolute limit, and one split second mistake can lead to an off, the margin for error is massively reduced, the chances of an off (ie crashes per mile) are massively increased.
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Good to hear you are OK.

I went through the road versus track thing. Both are fun but the track can also bite hard. I started racing in my late 40s when the roads just got too crowded and scary. But my competitiveness outdid my skill and eventually I broke my pelvis with a high side and I promise you that hurts !!

So I try to ride my 850 on dry sunny days and recently bought a DR650 to do some adventure touring in the back roads of the Southern Alps. The South Island of New Zealand is quieter than the north much of the time. Apart from tourists on the wrong side of the roads !!!!!!!!!!!
 
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johnm said:
Good to hear you are OK.

I went through the road versus track thing. Both are fun but the track can also bite hard. I started racing in my late 40s when the roads just got too crowded and scary. But my competitiveness outdid my skill and eventually I broke my pelvis with a high side and I promise you that hurts !!

So I try to ride my 850 on dry sunny days and recently bought a DR650 to do some adventure touring in the back roads of the Southern Alps. The South Island of New Zealand is quieter than the north much of the time. Apart from tourists on the wrong side of the roads !!!!!!!!!!!
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I would like to go there some day.
 
jamesp said:
Wow, sounds like big settlement, but I can imagine you went through a lot of pain and misery that you didn't really want. Things like that cannot really be justified through reasoning, IMHO. I was very lucky. Thanks for your reply. What part of Texas? I am originally from Dallas.
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I'm in Granbury, sw of FW.
Going in for knee surgery next month so not to much riding right now. Hope to be able to make it to Dolores Colorado for the annual Western Slope Norton Riders get together.
John in Texas
 
N0rt0nelectr@ said:
I'm in Granbury, sw of FW.
Going in for knee surgery next month so not to much riding right now. Hope to be able to make it to Dolores Colorado for the annual Western Slope Norton Riders get together.
John in Texas
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Good luck on your surgery. I hope you will be well soon.
 
Thank yo to everyone who gave me advice or wished me well. I appreciate it. Its great being in this fraternity.
 
jamesp said:
Thank you to everyone who gave me advice or wished me well. I appreciate it. Its great being in this fraternity.
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I recently tried to have my frame straightened by someone in NorCal who guaranteed good work. To make a long story short, I got ripped off, so asking if anyone can recommend an honest competent shop to straighten a Commando frame that is bent along the upper back bone and has one partially crumpled down tube.

I am also considering new Andover frame and wondering if anyone has bought one recently and what the results were. Thank you.
 
MiTy's youtube channel has a recent video on his Manxman project where he had the frame corrected by a place in WA:

 
MichaelB said:
https://www.drjohnsmfs.com/

California is a big state, these guys are legandary in SoCal.
I have never used them, I just know of them.
Everything I've heard is good.
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I talked to him several times. Problem I had with his method was he wanted motor and cradle ass. bolted in frame so he could lay it on a table to assess the damage and do the straightening. I couldn’t see how this would guarantee every part of frame was straight as he would be bending against the rubber isolastics. I have since pulled the motor and sent frame north to San Jose area where I got ripped off.
 
jamesp said:
Hi, I was hit by a red light runner the other day. Only a last minute swerve by the runner allowed me to be here, else I'd be gone. I will be needing to repair my previously un-restored 1974 Commando Mark IIa.

I would appreciate any advice on good parts sources. I will be needing a new front end, fork tubes, triple trees, front fender center support, headlight, headlight ears, handlebars, and a good metal fuel tank.

Will probably need more including someone who can check the frame alignment and possible straightening. I think the frame is ok, but need to check it. The steering stop was sheared off the frame yoke and will need to be repaired. I may also want to have the motor gone through while it is apart.

I still need to settle with runner's insurance company, but looking down the road to resurrection. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
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Glad you're OK, or at least think you are. Don't sign anything until you are sure you are OK and until you are happy with the replacement of your bike.

BTW, you have frame damage and you can point to it - it's not your job to help the insurance company. They will total the bike and try to hand you the book value. They will have no need for the bike. Mention that you would like top keep it as a reminder. They probably will probably be happy to do that so they don't have to mess with it.

Scroll down this page: https://www.hagerty.com/apps/valuationtools/1974-Norton-Commando_850-Roadster You don't get much better than a specially insurance company telling you what they are work.

If they pay you off and you want to rebuild the bike PM me, I have a lot of what you'll need.
 
Might check the current Mecum Las Vegas auction results. I haven't looked at them yet so don't know if they are good or bad news but worth a peek.
 
marshg246 said:
Glad you're OK, or at least think you are. Don't sign anything until you are sure you are OK and until you are happy with the replacement of your bike.

BTW, you have frame damage and you can point to it - it's not your job to help the insurance company. They will total the bike and try to hand you the book value. They will have no need for the bike. Mention that you would like top keep it as a reminder. They probably will probably be happy to do that so they don't have to mess with it.

Scroll down this page: https://www.hagerty.com/apps/valuationtools/1974-Norton-Commando_850-Roadster You don't get much better than a specially insurance company telling you what they are work.

If they pay you off and you want to rebuild the bike PM me, I have a lot of what you'll need.
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Thanks, Hagerty link was informative.
 
jamesp said:
I recently tried to have my frame straightened by someone in NorCal who guaranteed good work. To make a long story short, I got ripped off, so asking if anyone can recommend an honest competent shop to straighten a Commando frame that is bent along the upper back bone and has one partially crumpled down tube.

I am also considering new Andover frame and wondering if anyone has bought one recently and what the results were. Thank you.
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James, the cash loss is one thing, but worse is that you’ve lost a year (or soon will have) and that’s something you can never get back.

I’ve never had a new AN frame but others on this forum have and have reported positively.

Personally I would buy one if my frame was seriously damaged. These frames are now very old anyway. When one subtracts the cost of repairs, a new one isn’t even very expensive, and you prevent all that loss of time and causes of stress.

And not only do you know you have a straight frame, but you also know you’ve got one WITHOUT any hidden internal rust, 50+ years of fatigue, unknown quality repair work, etc, etc.
 
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If you can come to SoCal, I have a 850 frame and ANG 850 yokes I'd sell. Professionally painted in correct black/silver.
It takes up a lot of space in my garage and I don't want to hang onto it anymore.
 
Fast Eddie said:
James, the cash loss is one thing, but worse is that you’ve lost a year (or soon will have) and that’s something you can never get back.

I’ve never had a new AN frame but others on this forum have and have reported positively.

Personally I would buy one if my frame was seriously damaged. These frames are now very old anyway. When one subtracts the cost of repairs, a new one isn’t even very expensive, and you prevent all that loss of time and causes of stress.

And not only do you know you have a straight frame, but you also know you’ve got one WITHOUT any hidden internal rust, 50+ years of fatigue, unknown quality repair work, etc, etc.
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I'm changing the frame on a MKIII right now with a new one from AN since I couldn't find a good replacement. There have been couple of tiny hiccups and the frame is powder coated so a little fiddling with opening holes. Shipping to the US was expensive but I bought a bunch of parts with it so not as bad. The frame ended up costing about $1500 with all the shipping cost attributed to it.

I've changed frames on pre-MKIII before. When you consider my time to find a frame, sand blast it, and cost of the frame and painting or powder coating - I think a new frame from AN is less expensive!
 
marshg246 said:
The frame ended up costing about $1500 with all the shipping cost attributed to it.

I've changed frames on pre-MKIII before. When you consider my time to find a frame, sand blast it, and cost of the frame and painting or powder coating - I think a new frame from AN is less expensive!
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I'd sell my original 850 frame for less than that, and all this work has been done. Blasted, primed and painted with auto paint.
I had bought it to build a Commando racebike but that will not happen.
 
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