New Pistons are here.

It's really not necesary on a sanely driven road bike. Back in my wild @$$&d youth I did one too many burn out / wheelie and pulled the main shaft right out of the case. Since then I have been a little sensitive to the fragility (is that a word) of the Norton drive train.

I plan on building up a Combat in the next year that will be driven very hard. However this may be a case of solving one problem and creating another. For instance, bearing gets warm during useage, then cools and sits, used again, cools and sits weeks maybe a couple of months. How does one check this bearing? How do you know when it's going to go?
I have no knowledge or experience with sealed bearings in a RPM installation like this. Can anyone shed some light?

You check bearings by the heat they give off. Boiling spit is not a good sign but they will get warm. Everybody who builds spindles or high quality electric motors has tempeture gages and break-in procedures. Just use good common sence. If there's a way to feed it oil it will work much better. norbsa

new pistons are here

Regarding the Maney site, one of the things I am most interested in is his exh. system, which he does not have listed, or any information on. Does anyone have expierence with this product?

KatesCottage:

Kenny Cummings runs a Maney exhaust on his race bike and loves it. I believe Ken Canaga of Left Coast Racing does as well.

Kenny has a little testimonial to the exhaust's prowess on his website. Its toward the bottom of the page, here: http://www.shelbynyc.com/nycnorton/Racer.htm

I've got one on order ($1200 USD), but given the horrible US dollar to Pound Sterling exchange rate... it might be cheaper to have a custom set made in the States. I'd bet that if you sent a picture of the Maney system to Burns ( http://www.burnsstainless.com/ ) and filled out their *very* comprehensive custom order form, you'd wind up with a great system. Probably cost half as much and be just as nice.

new pistons are here

David, thanks for your response. I have been using a "S" system on my Combat for 15 years with great " seat of the pants" results. The only change has been a merge into a 2/1 17.5" megaphone. I ran this system for years with 36mm Dell'Ortos. This was an attempt to keep up with the local Ducatis, bevel and belt, of which, I also owned and still do.
Do you know the dia. and length of pipe Maney uses and the Mega dimensons? I have a great local welder in my area that does contract work building Stainless systems for some Euro. cars and also fabs. my alloy oil tanks, so I know he is at least capable.
Regards
GT