NOT Another Oil Thread

[WZ507]

With that much silicone she probably doesn’t need a lot of support

Which reminds me of liberation and bras being discarded during the “summer of love”. In an interview with a bra manufacturer he was asked if he felt this would hurt their future business. His response was quite simple where he said “no we’re not concerned as we believe time is on our side”

 

[ashman]

I try to stay right out of oil threads, I been riding my Norton as well other older British bikes for near 50 years, I live in a hot dry country and I do things differently to most but I have got long mileage out of my Norton and my old Triumph's air cooled motors, and the most important thing for me is I always run a Lochead oil cooler all year round even in winter and without a termostat, I also run STP mixture with my oil, but it works for me, my Norton has well over 160k miles on it and is only on it first rebore, I am still running my original valves in my head, my 850 motor was fully rebuilt with the stock cam built up to Combat specs, the head was shaved and lots of port work and my crank was balanced, I still run flat top pistons 40 tho oversize but the rebore and hone was done at tight tolerances and ran in at winter on a very cold night, infact I froze my balls off, my motor was built for the Featherbed frame way back in 1980 and was rebuilt 14 years ago when I had to replace the crank cases from hair line cracks around the main oil seal area.
The last rebuild everything was removed and installed in the new crank cases with new bearings, my oversize bores just got a light hone and new rings installed and the head only had new guides and a light head shave, so really not to bad for what oil I been running so I will say what I been running most of my Norton life.
When I first bought my Norton new back in 76 was last old stock 74 Commando model and the dealers used GTX motor oil and for the first year or two the motor ran very hot and that's when I installed the oil cooler and started to run 50 straight racing Penzoil ( we had a old American who imported it by the barrels from the USA here in Brisbane) as well the STP treatment, the Norton loved it and ran so well with it, but the last 20 years my oil man retired or died and then the Penzoil was produced here and was never the same as when I was using the old Penzoil, so now I run Penright oil for old classic bikes still with the STP added.
As I say I do things differently to others, run a oil cooler all year round without a throstat, STP mixed in my oil and for 46 years of riding my old Norton its still going as good as it always has, it was a everyday rider for most of it life but the last 8 years it has been semi retired since I bought my first Triumph Thruxton in 2013 and now my 2016 Thruxton 1200, I still take the Norton out regularly and with the Joe Hunt maggie it always start on the first kick every time and for 46 years of owning and riding it, it has been very reliable and good to me and have clocked up a lot of miles and long distant rides with only a few minor breaks, 2 failed EIs and 2 failed chain breaks and a dropped coil so not bad for 46 years of riding, the motor has never let me down and to me that's what oil and STP been running in my motor for all its life.
My Norton is starting to show its age but the motor is still very strong and is still built the way I built it for the Featherbed frame way back in the early 80s, its my HOTROD Norton.

Ashley

 

[BERT]

I try to stay right out of oil threads, I been riding my Norton as well other older British bikes for near 50 years, I live in a hot dry country and I do things differently to most but I have got long mileage out of my Norton and my old Triumph's air cooled motors, and the most important thing for me is I always run a Lochead oil cooler all year round even in winter and without a termostat, I also run STP mixture with my oil, but it works for me, my Norton has well over 160k miles on it and is only on it first rebore, I am still running my original valves in my head, my 850 motor was fully rebuilt with the stock cam built up to Combat specs, the head was shaved and lots of port work and my crank was balanced, I still run flat top pistons 40 tho oversize but the rebore and hone was done at tight tolerances and ran in at winter on a very cold night, infact I froze my balls off, my motor was built for the Featherbed frame way back in 1980 and was rebuilt 14 years ago when I had to replace the crank cases from hair line cracks around the main oil seal area.
The last rebuild everything was removed and installed in the new crank cases with new bearings, my oversize bores just got a light hone and new rings installed and the head only had new guides and a light head shave, so really not to bad for what oil I been running so I will say what I been running most of my Norton life.
When I first bought my Norton new back in 76 was last old stock 74 Commando model and the dealers used GTX motor oil and for the first year or two the motor ran very hot and that's when I installed the oil cooler and started to run 50 straight racing Penzoil ( we had a old American who imported it by the barrels from the USA here in Brisbane) as well the STP treatment, the Norton loved it and ran so well with it, but the last 20 years my oil man retired or died and then the Penzoil was produced here and was never the same as when I was using the old Penzoil, so now I run Penright oil for old classic bikes still with the STP added.
As I say I do things differently to others, run a oil cooler all year round without a throstat, STP mixed in my oil and for 46 years of riding my old Norton its still going as good as it always has, it was a everyday rider for most of it life but the last 8 years it has been semi retired since I bought my first Triumph Thruxton in 2013 and now my 2016 Thruxton 1200, I still take the Norton out regularly and with the Joe Hunt maggie it always start on the first kick every time and for 46 years of owning and riding it, it has been very reliable and good to me and have clocked up a lot of miles and long distant rides with only a few minor breaks, 2 failed EIs and 2 failed chain breaks and a dropped coil so not bad for 46 years of riding, the motor has never let me down and to me that's what oil and STP been running in my motor for all its life.
My Norton is starting to show its age but the motor is still very strong and is still built the way I built it for the Featherbed frame way back in the early 80s, its my HOTROD Norton.

Ashley
View attachment 86026

Well that is proof in the pudding right there, and well said Ashley. Any task that needs to be done on a Norton needs to be done properly without shortcuts and will give that machine a long trouble free life with satisfaction knowing it could keep running strong for another 40 or 50 years as long as those good fellows keep us in parts.

 

[ashman]

Well that is proof in the pudding right there, and well said Ashley. Any task that needs to be done on a Norton needs to be done properly without shortcuts and will give that machine a long trouble free life with satisfaction knowing it could keep running strong for another 40 or 50 years as long as those good fellows keep us in parts.

The last time it got rebuilt for the crank case replacement I spent a bit of money on it for the other upgrades, Lansdown front end inturnals before his death, the Joe Hunt Maggie and PWK carb set up, round alloy oil tank and a few weeks later after the original front brake system let me down in a big way and while recovering the full upgrade of the Grimcia front brake system, I haven't touched the Norton since except for its maintenance, I decided to go back to twin Amal carbs, the old Amal carbs are still good so just a rebuild and a good soaking for a few days in vinegar, works better than carb cleaner, just got to fire it up now and do a turn, the PWK carbs work great but got sick of the right float sticking open all the time, the Norton is such a light weight, goes great and handles like riding on rails, but the bike has been built like this for over 40 years now and its starting to show, the oil around the head is not oil I had a leaking carb manifold so its fuel stain, been fixed now and the stains have been removed since the pic has been taken, it only gets a good clean and polish on its birthday 22nd June every year the day I rode it out of the dealers door when I was 17 years old, its no show pony just a great rider, and its always been oil tight all its life, my mates call it the freak because its been so good to me and my riding life.
So run good oil, STP added, a good oil cooler and regular oil changes and give the tank a pat and thank the Norton for a great day out when you get home safely.

Ashley