New member with a new project with a question

Hehe cj, I'm an Icabod Krane, so if not for a wallet and pocket knife, ugh, I wouldn't have one : (

Interesting mood - philosophy and depth of pockets swinging here. Bottom line to everything is amount of time left to steal doing the funnest stuff I can. There are plenty of factory and CNW like fully modernized beauties so I encourage the braver and most money wasting extreemists to please them selves and blow us away with 'how could you's" and OMG that's so fucking clever!" Questions to ask one's self,

its it just to look and feel cool which is a worthy state I seek too, cafe is the only theme, but may stifle comfort and health for much use of a Cdo before ya go. I had no problems with hot rod on 120 tire but is feels like water sogged boots on a normal Combat power 48-ish hp. I much prefer the stock ballarina tires ease of handling and throttle response and ease to aim, but must put up with about 4000 miles before bald center.

Are you entering a more mature legal conforming phase of life or injury decay, so tootling around with some sane zooms up now and then but look forward some long distance travel traces to various rallys, like I'me additted too, then nothing is as easy to operate and merge with than a rear set Cdo with big tank to rest on and tallest bars. My Ms Peel special is like this but with also foot forward pegs to boot. Can lean back like a king queen seat or sit up like gent at his desk or tuck down hands by ears or stand bolt up right in the wind as if the bow of the Titanic.

Are ya reflexes and testosterone and will to live still up to dare risking making use of severe power and planting harshly like ya can't believe? Then ping me private on how to spend 30 grand to make balloon tire wonders seem like mere angry looking plastic insects and dangerous corner cripples whose only means of escape is pure bee lines yet still limited G's by wheelie proneness so can be snapped right up in any leaning conditions and past before they can break into sound barrier... This kind of power plant costs rather well over 10 grand basic engine then spend more for power adders and protective features to handle it heat. An un-tamed isolastic chassis is not up to handling this level so some mods needed besides the forks.

A late steel Hi Rider tanks a dead ringer for the ' S S ' tank .

IF its a S S , the rarity is somewhat the mostest for a Commando .
Fitting a Mk III swing arm might be the go , as its the upratedist .

The front end isnt to bad , was the best available before the Italian stuff ( Ceranni )
which was dimensionally greater . thus Stiffer . Took the Japs till the GSX to wake up to the fact that a motorcycle chassis that was stiff might not weave ,

Standard with a few updates internally , & breather would get a No 1 show bike .

Get a Rat low miles field find rusted up Mk III for a Coustom Project , and butcher the heck out of that . Traditionally the virtue of the Commando is in its
ROADHOLDING . Not much would get near it in 1970 . was coined " The Worlds First Superbike " . Scrawney 3.00 front gets the handling good on the dirt ,
loose surfaces . 20 in Front Rim ? ? ? .

A real high output suckers best built from the later more developed bottom end & Trans . The rests optional .

Youres is near a cousin to the Old B50 , in intent . fire Trailing and ' T T type raceing . Should land straight of the bumps at the Ton . Or theres something wrong with it .

Stolen Images .

Looks glass here . 850 on ebay at the moment .

Steel ones about . A few Hi Rider wrecks have gone on ebay lately . Dunno if theyve been ' broken for parts ' .Wouldntve been entirely economical to restore ,
But as a basis for a coustom , alloy rims , new carbs , make half the fitings etc , wouldve been the bassis of a cheap ( INEXPENSIVE , Thank you ) Motorcycle .

And for Comparison . . .



http://www.bikeexif.com/david-edwards-p11

[/quote]Interesting mood - philosophy and depth of pockets swinging here. Bottom line to everything is amount of time left to steal doing the funnest stuff I can. There are plenty of factory and CNW like fully modernized beauties so I encourage the braver and most money wasting extreemists to please them selves and blow us away with 'how could you's" and OMG that's so fucking clever!"

Are you entering a more mature legal conforming phase of life or injury decay, so tootling around with some sane zooms up now and then but look forward some long distance travel traces to various rallys, like I'me additted too, then nothing is as easy to operate and merge with than a rear set Cdo with big tank to rest on and tallest bars. Are ya reflexes and testosterone and will to live still up to dare risking making use of severe power and planting harshly like ya can't believe? Then ping me private on how to spend 30 grand to make balloon tire wonders seem like mere angry looking plastic insects and dangerous corner cripples whose only means of escape is pure bee lines yet still limited G's by wheelie proneness so can be snapped right up in any leaning conditions and past before they can break into sound barrier... This kind of power plant costs rather well over 10 grand basic e for power adders and protective features to handle it heat. An un-tamed isolastic chassis is not up to handling this level so some mods needed besides the forks.[/quote]

While most members respond with very helpful advice and even take pictures to post to help, Some others think Im an unskilled punk with empty pockets, and an unrealistic dreamer blowing smoke. Boy, you don't know me at all. I have built several ground up full custom choppers and prostreets. Ive built bikes 10 feet long, no suspension and rear tires up to 330mm. And I ride them long distances. I know how to figure rake and trail and frame geometry. Im 52 years young, tattood, long hair and fit as a fiddle. I carry so much pain inside, I feel no outward discomforts that others whine about.
A few years back, I was out joy riding custom bikes with my beloved, identical twin brother. A Woman in a car ran a stop sign and hit my brother. He had massave head injuries and I held him as he died. He left 3 kids without a father..I took his place. Im not looking for sympathy, but you ask if I have a will to live? Not as much as you. I would never take my own life, Im not a quitter (still smoking!) but when I do leave this world, it would be an honor to go out on a bike like he did. Sorry to ramble, but now you know alittle more about where I come from.

Dear sir, read my quote again slowly, many of our souls are torn trying to find meaning in what is left of our existence w/o those we made so much of it with. I RAGE against life's fates we all face. Rusty my cub scout best friend started the cycle death list at age 14. A crowd of souls whispers in my head on each ride. I know form my own deadly events each ride may be the last no fault of my own. All life styles are fatal. Skull icons and cycles are ancient connection. Brit Iron listee's told me of an Irish saying, during acute grief of a 62 yr old T-boned friend 3 yr ago, its now my most used motto, out loud to many. "We are not here for a long time, just a good time."

I turned back today one mile out on 2nd ride because brain/gut spatter images didn't go away by then. Enough close calls on first ride.

I'm building up my last dream machine Ms Peel and taking my sweet time, one because its meant to wipe the sneers off the bestest balloon tire bikes in the harshest conditions, the other is it may be my death machine. But I'm better than I was as a teenager health wise and dam sight smarter. Btw I'll have my asses put in a old fiberglass Commando tank and maybe a screen to watch.

So await your level of creation and intensity to astound us and please yourself no end...

THATS not a Commando .



THIS is a Commando . :shock: :? :lol:

G'day kempoyner & welcome to the Norton family. Once you're in there's no getting out, got it?
Only because you won't want to.
My bike is a 70 model also like yours and DogT's. There don't seem to be a real lot of them about. Mine was a Roadster (same tank and side covers as yours and Dave's,with the central oil tank), but I had a spare Fastback tank which I prefer for its looks and larger capacity, so I fitted it. That necessitated different side covers and seat, which I made myself.
So it's a bitsa/mongrel/metisse. Who cares? All Commando model variants are just cosmetic variations on a mechanical theme.
I certainly don't have the wherewithall to build a custom bike like the one in your pic. You could turn out a really nice Commando if you decide to.
A bloke here in oz somewhere fitted Ceriani forks to his Commando and they look great and evidently work great too.
Some suggestions:
The stands, both centre and side, weren't real good on early models and were improved on later models.
The later centre stand is stronger and pivots on the gearbox cradle instead of the frame.
The later side stand is longer and is therefore mounted farther forward on the frame. It needs an extra cross member at this point.
The Commando's constuction is unique in that the engine/gearbox/swingarm form one sub-assembly while the frame and front suspension form another. The two parts are joined by the rubberised isolastic mounting system. This system obviously has to be maintained in good condition and adjustment to keep everything aligned for the sake of good handling.
On a bike that old the rubbers are sure to be perished - mine were. The later versions, which can be fitted to the early models, are easier to adjust than the shimmed type.

Other than that, it's the obvious bearings, seals etc as others have mentioned. The gearbox layshaft bearing is one to really look out for; you may have already seen threads on this one.

Good luck
Martin