New Owner in Houston, Texas

Best way to get to know your Norton is do as much work on it yourself, comes in handy knowing a bit about your bike helps if something goes wrong while out and about, I brought my Norton new when i was 17 and no experience at all but building it to the Featherbed frame in the 80s was a great learning experience and after 46 years I am still learning lol.
The experience and learning to fix it when something breaks as I can't afford anyone else to work on it, we didn't have forums to go to in the day, you learn by your mistakes, electric starts are good but I can't afford one but learning how to kick a Norton to life is a dying art form but if things are right and you learn the knack of kicking they are easy to kick over, you just got to learn the knack lol.
My Norton was a everyday ride most of its life and my younger days was my only transport no matter what the weather was like, it's no semi retired but still get ridden regularly, no use letting them sit, I have a modern Triumph that has take over everyday use but being retired now and cost of living going up both bikes aren't used everyday like when I was working, my 850 is built to Combat specs has a lot of compression but knowing how to kick then is so important, I am old school with my Norton and it will always be a kick start bike, as I say it's a dying art of kicking a bike to life, but mine is a one kick everytime but I have a Joe Hunt Maggie that produces one he'll of a spark for easy starting.
Ashley

HouTexNorton said:

Yeah, it's really a crapshoot with some of these organized groups. The meeting spot for the BMOA here is at a restaurant that's not too far from me, so I'll probably give it a try before I join.

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I know there are people just like me with bikes in the garage and wrenches in red boxes but I have only found one guy via Facebook. We met on a nice Sunday afternoon for coffee and it was one of the best couple of hours I have spent in a long time. There is something nice about having mates and just talking bikes.

Big_Jim59 said:

I know there are people just like me with bikes in the garage and wrenches in red boxes but I have only found one guy via Facebook. We met on a nice Sunday afternoon for coffee and it was one of the best couple of hours I have spent in a long time. There is something nice about having mates and just talking bikes.

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Most of my riding over the years has either been by myself or with 1 or 2 riding buddies, including a lot of long distance tours. When I retired a few years ago and my main riding partner also retired and moved to Kerrville, I found and joined a local sport touring riding group that I've really enjoyed. Our rides are usually with 6 to 10 riders (not always the same ones since the group has about 50 regular riders), mostly on BMW's (I also have a Yamaha FJR1300), and about 300 miles over mostly 2 lane back roads--I try to go with them once or twice a week, weather permitting. We always stop for an extended lunch, socialize, and kick tires. I hope to find a similar group with the shared love of a Norton.

Big_Jim59 said:

It doesn't really matter. I live in Sherman, TX on the northern outskirts of the Dallas area. I have been a member of the NTNOA (North Texas Norton Owners Association) in the past but riding my Norton down to Dallas through the insanity that passes for Dallas traffic kind of kept me from attending meetings. They might as well have been in Houston. I would join but figure that I would be wasting money on dues.

When I was visiting the Norton Corner, at Barber Vintage Days last October, I thought joined the INOA. I printed my contact info, signed the sheet and gave them my money. They said I would get a newsletter and so far I got nothing. I guess I really suck at joining groups.

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Jim,
You will get their newsletter.Sometimes it’s takes a while.
Mike

Big_Jim59 said:

It doesn't really matter. I live in Sherman, TX on the northern outskirts of the Dallas area. I have been a member of the NTNOA (North Texas Norton Owners Association) in the past but riding my Norton down to Dallas through the insanity that passes for Dallas traffic kind of kept me from attending meetings. They might as well have been in Houston. I would join but figure that I would be wasting money on dues.

When I was visiting the Norton Corner, at Barber Vintage Days last October, I thought joined the INOA. I printed my contact info, signed the sheet and gave them my money. They said I would get a newsletter and so far I got nothing. I guess I really suck at joining groups.

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Regarding Dallas traffic, (worked there many times) I was visiting family in McKinney in December, slipped out with my wife to visit: https://www.haasmotomuseum.com/ in Dallas. Great museum.
On the way back, we were entertained by a Ducati rider wheelying 5 miles of so before exiting the freeway.

O.P., welcome to the forum.

I used to ride with a BMW group that had their meet up at a breakfast place close to my house. I used to ride with them back when I had my VFR. Then when I was working for a Honda dealership I used to help out with the group rides. There were all on modern bikes but I did used to ride my Norton 750 with that group. Once again, it was very fun having riding buddies.

HouTexNorton said:

I just purchased a fully restored '72 Combat (that was built by an old friend of mine in Maine that does beautiful work) and am looking to connect with any Houston area owners and also get some recommendations for any local service shops. I'm interested in installing a cNw electric starter and, although I'm a tinkerer and moderately handy with tools, I'm not at a level of doing any major work like this yet (but interested in learning eventually). Any help would be appreciated.

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I am in a similar position. I just bought not 1, but 3 Commandos on Ebay and Bring a Trailer - a 1971 750, a 1973 850 and a 1975 850. (What can I say - I got carried away).

I see that Sealy Cycle Service does works on and restores Nortons (and other Brit bikes), but Sealy is a bit far from Sugar Land. Someone closer would be nice.

Right now, they all run and the 73 and 75 are e-start. (The 73 was restored by AMA Hall of Fame member Brian Slark , but is still in transit). I want to install a Venhill Featherlite clutch cable on the 1975 to see if that makes the clutch easier for my arthritic hand to work.

Lee

Lee, sent you a private message.

leekellerking said:

I am in a similar position. I just bought not 1, but 3 Commandos on Ebay and Bring a Trailer - a 1971 750, a 1973 850 and a 1975 850. (What can I say - I got carried away).

I see that Sealy Cycle Service does works on and restores Nortons (and other Brit bikes), but Sealy is a bit far from Sugar Land. Someone closer would be nice.

Right now, they all run and the 73 and 75 are e-start. (The 73 was restored by AMA Hall of Fame member Brian Slark , but is still in transit). I want to install a Venhill Featherlite clutch cable on the 1975 to see if that makes the clutch easier for my arthritic hand to work.

Lee

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I'm still waiting on delivery of my '72 Combat--problem with the hauler, but I should get it in about 2-3 weeks. I'm pretty sure that Sealy Cycle Service is out of business, along with Ace Motorworks in south Houston. I've found a place in Splendora that works on Nortons, but that's 45 miles from my house--PM me if you want details. Slim pickings on Norton mechanics in the Houston area.

HouTexNorton said:

I'm still waiting on delivery of my '72 Combat--problem with the hauler, but I should get it in about 2-3 weeks. I'm pretty sure that Sealy Cycle Service is out of business, along with Ace Motorworks in south Houston. I've found a place in Splendora that works on Nortons, but that's 45 miles from my house--PM me if you want details. Slim pickings on Norton mechanics in the Houston area.

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Why not do the wrenching yourself ? Lot of folks here happy to help and you can’t beat their hourly rate …

leekellerking said:

I am in a similar position. I just bought not 1, but 3 Commandos on Ebay and Bring a Trailer - a 1971 750, a 1973 850 and a 1975 850. (What can I say - I got carried away).

I see that Sealy Cycle Service does works on and restores Nortons (and other Brit bikes), but Sealy is a bit far from Sugar Land. Someone closer would be nice.

Right now, they all run and the 73 and 75 are e-start. (The 73 was restored by AMA Hall of Fame member Brian Slark , but is still in transit). I want to install a Venhill Featherlite clutch cable on the 1975 to see if that makes the clutch easier for my arthritic hand to work.

Lee

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If your new cable dosent make your clutch light enough then it's almost certain to be incorrect clutch plate stack height
If it's still too hard you can go to a hydraulic conversion
And if that doesn't work you can checkout Norlucks auto clutch on here ,he had one briefly on his mercury
Not exactly plug n play but could be made to work no doubt

baz said:

If your new cable dosent make your clutch light enough then it's almost certain to be incorrect clutch plate stack height
If it's still too hard you can go to a hydraulic conversion
And if that doesn't work you can checkout Norlucks auto clutch on here ,he had one briefly on his mercury
Not exactly plug n play but could be made to work no doubt

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There are other potential causes (for a problem that might not exist):
1. Incorrect handlebar lever giving wrong leverage.
2. Wrong cable/cam inside the outer gearbox cover - I believe our @dynodave covered this some time ago?
3. there must be something else??

Cheers

robs ss said:

There are other potential causes (for a problem that might not exist):
1. Incorrect handlebar lever giving wrong leverage.
2. Wrong cable/cam inside the outer gearbox cover - I believe our @dynodave covered this some time ago?
3. there must be something else??

Cheers

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Yes the lever could be incorrect IE the pivot point
I was going on the assumption that the levers were correct original
I know the Norton atlas type clutch actuator has a different profile
I can't remember if that makes it lighter or heavier ?