ashman
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- Jul 11, 2010
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Well as promised I will start this thread on setting up a Commando running gear in a Featherbed frame no matter 750 or 850 or whether Wideline or Slimline Iit can cover both frames or motors, I will start by my own history on my 850 life and the start of the conversion to the Featherbed frame and how it started, most have already heard the story but for the few who haven't is only fair to them.
Back in early 1976 I just got my licence at 17, I been into Honda dirt bikes when 15 and after I left school late 1973 and working (November was when I turned 15 and couldn't get out of school quick enough, 15 being the legal age of leaving school) when I got my licence I was riding a Honda TL 250 road registered trials bike, my good mate Don had a 750 Commando/Featherbed that he and his older brother built, Graham his older brother was a criminal and was doing 5 years for armed robbery and Don was riding the Norton that they both built, Don loved riding my TL 250 at the old W11 rife range where we lived, plenty of hill climbs and bush and slops to make more hill climbs.
I have never rode a British bike before and Don wanted to ride the TL so he said let's swap bikes for the day I hang at the rifle we use to call it and you can take the Norton up the Ranges for the day, the 750 Commanbo/Featherbed was a rough old bike slapped together from different bikes but it was all there, rode good and handled great, but being a skinny 17 year old and not use to right hand gear change, the kicking it over wasn't to bad having dirt bikes so off we both went to enjoy each other's bikes.
Well Don's motor was a bit of a hottie the crank was lighten, polished and balanced for the Featherbed frame, it hammered and the Featherbed handled better than the Japanese road bikes I rode at the time, I was hooked from that day and infact so hooked within 2 weeks my dad help me get a loan of $1100 and I had the rest of the cash saved for a new 74 850 Commando, this was June 1976 and in Brisbane there was only 2 dealer that had the last 2 new kick start model left both at $1999 on the road, Morgan&Wachers in Brissy had the black 74 850 Roadster sitting way down the back of the show room as all the new 1975 Norton's and Triumphs were all in front of it.
Well the newer models were just under $500 more than the kick start model so the 74 850 was it, told no one I was buying it they all found out when I picked it up a few days later.
My first ever new road bike, I had brought 3 new Honda dirt bike before the Norton, the first day picking it up from the dealers a mate drove me up there and a few mates in the car as well no one had a idea what was happening it was a Saturday morning the bisest time as the dealership also main Harley dealership in Queensland so we pulled up out front and there it was just in the main door was my new Norton just waiting for me, the shop was crowed with harden bikers getting parts and all and this skinny kid getting the once over by the salesman and the hand over, by this time the mates had found a parking spot and realised what was going on, time to kick it to life for the first time and I can tell you every eye in that shop was on me, before they knew it I had my helmet on and had it fired up, straight into gear and out the door I was goneeee with the biggest smile on my dial.
I loved my Commando but the first few years had a few problem with it cracked oil tank, problems with points ignition, chrome lifting off the rims, layshaft bearing blowing, seat and kick start stolen when the GB was in peices, isolastics troubles and at one stage getting a rear flat tyre every week till find out it was a faulty new replacement tyre, it got to so bad I nearly gave up and sold the bike until my local Honda dealer said its got to something wrong with tyre and sent it back to the tyre supplier where they found is slit inside wall of the tyre with weight on the wheel would open up and pinch the cube, they replaced the tyre and no more flats since.
Now comes the part where the Featherbed frame comes into play, my good mate Don had 2 Wideline frames and he going to sell one this was 1979 both were 1957 frames but one had a few dings in it and the other was perfect but was just around the corner from my place a Mick's place waiting to get a new paint job, so Don said I could have the frame with everything from front end, fuel tank, oil tank, battery/tool box and rusty old rims for $400 I jumped at it gave him the money but Don was trying to do a swifty with me by giving me the frame with the dings in it but I was one step in front of him and walk around the corner and there it was the good undamaged frame sitting in the open garage at Mick's place, no one home I just picked the frame and swing arm up with frame over my should walked around the corner and 100 yards to my place.
A few day later Don asked me when I was picking up the frame and bit, to his surprise I told him I already have the frame and just need to pick you the rest of the bits, he said no the frame is still here and that's when I told him I picked up the good frame, his jaw dropped and said that's my frame and I said tuff as paying that much money I expected the good frame lol, well we are still good mates after 43 years later, we still have a laugh about it he tried to do a swifty in my and I was one step ahead of him.
Well a few months later in 1980 was the start of the hotrod 850 Commando to Featherbed conversion/build built my way and not make the mistakes Don did on his build, by the way before I started the conversion/build Don's brother Graham has got out of jail and he bought a second hand 74 850 Commando we became good friends and he helped me solve a few running issues with my Commando at the time before I started on the build in mid 1980.
I get into stage 2 of the conversion soon and what my plan was with the build and how it started, stay tuned and be welcome to tell your story as well if you went down this road or thinking about doing similar I will add pics of the things I did as I go with stage 2 and happen to share what I done to help anyone else on their way to build a great looking and great handling bike with great torque of a motor.
Ashley
Back in early 1976 I just got my licence at 17, I been into Honda dirt bikes when 15 and after I left school late 1973 and working (November was when I turned 15 and couldn't get out of school quick enough, 15 being the legal age of leaving school) when I got my licence I was riding a Honda TL 250 road registered trials bike, my good mate Don had a 750 Commando/Featherbed that he and his older brother built, Graham his older brother was a criminal and was doing 5 years for armed robbery and Don was riding the Norton that they both built, Don loved riding my TL 250 at the old W11 rife range where we lived, plenty of hill climbs and bush and slops to make more hill climbs.
I have never rode a British bike before and Don wanted to ride the TL so he said let's swap bikes for the day I hang at the rifle we use to call it and you can take the Norton up the Ranges for the day, the 750 Commanbo/Featherbed was a rough old bike slapped together from different bikes but it was all there, rode good and handled great, but being a skinny 17 year old and not use to right hand gear change, the kicking it over wasn't to bad having dirt bikes so off we both went to enjoy each other's bikes.
Well Don's motor was a bit of a hottie the crank was lighten, polished and balanced for the Featherbed frame, it hammered and the Featherbed handled better than the Japanese road bikes I rode at the time, I was hooked from that day and infact so hooked within 2 weeks my dad help me get a loan of $1100 and I had the rest of the cash saved for a new 74 850 Commando, this was June 1976 and in Brisbane there was only 2 dealer that had the last 2 new kick start model left both at $1999 on the road, Morgan&Wachers in Brissy had the black 74 850 Roadster sitting way down the back of the show room as all the new 1975 Norton's and Triumphs were all in front of it.
Well the newer models were just under $500 more than the kick start model so the 74 850 was it, told no one I was buying it they all found out when I picked it up a few days later.
My first ever new road bike, I had brought 3 new Honda dirt bike before the Norton, the first day picking it up from the dealers a mate drove me up there and a few mates in the car as well no one had a idea what was happening it was a Saturday morning the bisest time as the dealership also main Harley dealership in Queensland so we pulled up out front and there it was just in the main door was my new Norton just waiting for me, the shop was crowed with harden bikers getting parts and all and this skinny kid getting the once over by the salesman and the hand over, by this time the mates had found a parking spot and realised what was going on, time to kick it to life for the first time and I can tell you every eye in that shop was on me, before they knew it I had my helmet on and had it fired up, straight into gear and out the door I was goneeee with the biggest smile on my dial.
I loved my Commando but the first few years had a few problem with it cracked oil tank, problems with points ignition, chrome lifting off the rims, layshaft bearing blowing, seat and kick start stolen when the GB was in peices, isolastics troubles and at one stage getting a rear flat tyre every week till find out it was a faulty new replacement tyre, it got to so bad I nearly gave up and sold the bike until my local Honda dealer said its got to something wrong with tyre and sent it back to the tyre supplier where they found is slit inside wall of the tyre with weight on the wheel would open up and pinch the cube, they replaced the tyre and no more flats since.
Now comes the part where the Featherbed frame comes into play, my good mate Don had 2 Wideline frames and he going to sell one this was 1979 both were 1957 frames but one had a few dings in it and the other was perfect but was just around the corner from my place a Mick's place waiting to get a new paint job, so Don said I could have the frame with everything from front end, fuel tank, oil tank, battery/tool box and rusty old rims for $400 I jumped at it gave him the money but Don was trying to do a swifty with me by giving me the frame with the dings in it but I was one step in front of him and walk around the corner and there it was the good undamaged frame sitting in the open garage at Mick's place, no one home I just picked the frame and swing arm up with frame over my should walked around the corner and 100 yards to my place.
A few day later Don asked me when I was picking up the frame and bit, to his surprise I told him I already have the frame and just need to pick you the rest of the bits, he said no the frame is still here and that's when I told him I picked up the good frame, his jaw dropped and said that's my frame and I said tuff as paying that much money I expected the good frame lol, well we are still good mates after 43 years later, we still have a laugh about it he tried to do a swifty in my and I was one step ahead of him.
Well a few months later in 1980 was the start of the hotrod 850 Commando to Featherbed conversion/build built my way and not make the mistakes Don did on his build, by the way before I started the conversion/build Don's brother Graham has got out of jail and he bought a second hand 74 850 Commando we became good friends and he helped me solve a few running issues with my Commando at the time before I started on the build in mid 1980.
I get into stage 2 of the conversion soon and what my plan was with the build and how it started, stay tuned and be welcome to tell your story as well if you went down this road or thinking about doing similar I will add pics of the things I did as I go with stage 2 and happen to share what I done to help anyone else on their way to build a great looking and great handling bike with great torque of a motor.
Ashley
