Oh you haven't bought another bike.....

I weakened recently, since Commandos are so easy to keep on the road :? thought i would try something a little trickier - for me at least.





Needs a bit of tlc but it is a runner.
And i had to do it, those whitworth spanners i inherited from my father a couple of years back needed some exercise.
Have only ridden up and down the driveway so far, certainly a different experience.

I'm glad you found something more challenging than a Commando.

Well done for taking the plunge Iain. Does it have an NZ history or has it spent some time in India ?

It looks like a WD16H frame. Have you had a look at Rob van den Brink's website ?

http://www.wdnorton.nl/

This is my WD16H as it stands at the moment :-



You're actually quite fortunate in NZ as Ken McIntosh (the Manx man) has one and many of his cycle parts for pre-war camshaft models are identical (top quality as well).

What are your engine and frame numbers ? I have quite a lot of info from the factory records on pre- and wartime 16Hs. I can scan most of the parts books and manuals as well.

79x100 - Very nice restoration you are doing.
Yes I have spent some time on Robs site, a great resource, and have had a brief chat with Ken - he will be hearing more from me. And yes it is an ex India WD model, Engine No W42230, frame No is harder to read but W88??? So around 1941 engine and 1944 frame? It may well fit the warning on Robs site about ex India bikes, something along the lines of a loosely connected pile of bits more or less travelling in the same direction, it isn’t in quite as good a nick as I was led to believe but thats buyer beware. I bought it on the basis of a couple of fuzzy cell phone photos and a recommendation from someone who knows less than I do about 16H’s. A triumph of enthusiasm over common sense but I have been on the look out for something like this for a couple of years. Plus my father was a despatch rider in WW2 so it seemed a good fit.
Not standard Norton colours but I quite like it as is so won’t be changing in the foreseeable future even though the chrome is heavily pitted, will only be doing (or having done) any mechanical work to make it rideable.

Things done so far
- Made the work platform out of the crate it came in
- chronometric speedo sent for refurb, speedo cable sourced
- fuel lines replaced, inline filter cleaned, petrol taps degunged.
- Valve lifter cable freed up
- Polished everything in sight

Things to do
- fully clean then set up carb, the bike starts and runs but too much throttle and it dies again.
- Choke kit needed for carb
- Rear stand repair or replace, has had a bodge repair where the cast top lugs insert into the oval tube.
- Rear drum/sprocket to be replaced – some teeth broken!!!
- Kick start lever hangs low while engine is running, gearbox tlc needed.
- Front end, seems little or no damping in the girders, and there is some slop in the movement. General tart up needed.
- source an original (or better) seat - the repro is not good.
- ride and smile, repeat

I have a copy of a "Maintenance Manual and Instruction Book" but its for a later telescopic fork model so i have nothing on the girder set up. Anything you could pass on would be much appreciated.

P.S. Commando comment was intended as tongue in cheek.

That;s great by me. If one came my way I'd grab it.

ntst8, I don't even know what that is. But I like it. A lot.

ntst8 said:

I weakened recently, since Commandos are so easy to keep on the road :? thought i would try something a little trickier - for me at least.

Needs a bit of tlc but it is a runner.
And i had to do it, those whitworth spanners i inherited from my father a couple of years back needed some exercise.
Have only ridden up and down the driveway so far, certainly a different experience.

Click to expand...

Ha! they are easy to work on than any Commando and much simpler, but you might be fiddling on the road side more often....as 79x100 will tell you...

here's one of my other bikes...



also simple, also fiddling more too.

have fun, I know you will....

Eric

BrianK said:

ntst8, I don't even know what that is. But I like it. A lot.

Click to expand...

Thanks Brian,

500cc side valve (flat head) single, the classic early Norton bore x stroke of 79mm x 100mm. 15HP on a good day.
WD stands for War Dept, Norton made 100,000 of these for WWII use by despatch riders etc.
Commando74's pic looks like a BSA M20, very similar machine and also made in great numbers for similar use - looks to be a nicely restored/maintained bike.

I once made a comment to a mate on a modern bike, when he apologised for a lengthy roadside puncture repair delay, that for a Norton rider every ride was an adventure and the unexpected just adds to the experience. I'm certainly looking forward to riding (complete with roadside pauses) the new adventure bike.