Project Chobber - (practically) FINISHED!

The big red Indian Chief I rode in Fla in '70's had L foot dead man clutch with throttle on LH and was pretty easy to get used to jumping from my P!! to that tank. The danger in these hand shifters with suicide clutch was being in gear at a light and bike tipped to LH so LF reflexly lifted off clutch to catch but instead engine torque leaped out into intersection. So how hard to put throttle on LH and a foot clutch on LH. Anywho its ridable as is just not a fast shifter snicking gears with mere throttle blips. Just give a bit extra throttle before shifts so can coast a bit while hand or knee shifting up or down then ease or release clutch and run up till next up or dn shift. It will sound like a big twin with a slightly longer throttle cut between shits is all that may annoy.

Any "first start up" youtube vids? :?:

Yep, here's Mrs. Trixie Norton Combat first start up about 3 yr ago. Do note this was like my 5-6th time on initial rebuilds [don't ask] and lost all fear to baby them and realized cam is the main thing to worry about and only rpm over 2000 surf it on oil layer as its initally seaing in, as on Trixie with new surfaced lifters and cam surface re touch by hand file from a prior injury. New Pistons, New bores, new rings yet almost no smoke and what little there was cleared up before oil seen returning to tank via the primary oil return line- rather than the Combat secondary way higher return path via it down low dirty breather tube.

Skip this one, just posted to flash me back on the pensive anticipation removing Trixie like a ripened fruit off the stem.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZVzibRo23Q&list=UUPYptSBefG8VVdgykSJuXxw[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmzGf5HcBdc&list=UUPYptSBefG8VVdgykSJuXxw[/video]

Do note my oil flow watching, didn't see any appear back in tank til I grabbed the flash light but then only really saw the breather return most a min before sump cleared and only oil spittle form oil pump return. Over 30 second of hi-ish rpm before oil system filled and flows as expected. Prior to that just splash lube on cam lifters.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmiZ0QI18ks&list=UUPYptSBefG8VVdgykSJuXxw&index=73[/video]

We've seen a handful of this type start, so nothing special to brag on but fun.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmM5emTXK-g&list=UUPYptSBefG8VVdgykSJuXxw[/video]

Wife made me stop putting mechanics pants in wash, said it coats washer tub, so not just use em up till so oil coated can use to start my bush pile fires with.
Its chain sawing by far that does em to this state not mere heavy twin shop work.

hobot said:

Just occurred to me how to get a real world appeal survey, have a cafe and chopper sytle Commando at public gathering next to each other with a sign for gals to please sit on to see how it fits and feels, then record which one gets
sat on first of most. Can also keep track of the guys voting with their seats too. I don't have sense of self worth enough to ride around on lipstick rims, so way to go hauling that ballsy attitude around town and beyond, which looks rather comfortable if a back rest sissy bar added.

Click to expand...

perhaps it might look a little something like this?....handy having both....

Hey there team - been a long time - but seeing as how i just posted the for sale ad - thought i might also drop the vid of the startup here for you...fixed the seat issue and a bunch of other stuff.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hai-HQB4eOU


for sale ad here -

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-ViewAd?AdId= ... 7501%3B%3B

You should remove that piece of rear mudguard and you would save on toilet paper.

I give the for sale ad a solid 9.5 based on BS vernacular entertainment alone... :lol:

I like it a lot, but I wonder how this would go over outside the US.
My Triumph chopper has 18 inch ape hangers and a jockey shift (hand shift just above the gearbox for those unfamiliar with what we crazy Americans sometimes do). It is a long way (about four feet) for me to move my hand from the throttle/front brake lever to the shifter. It means very slow shifting. I admit that it is the most dangerous motorcycle to ride that I have ever ridden, but that's part of the appeal. With a long shift lever, you might run into problems with vibration of it leading to unintended shifts. A friend rigged a retainer of sorts to prevent this on his chopped Norton.
If you find yourself sliding back, just put 3" springs under the back of the seat; It will help decrease the pain (and potential damage to your pudendal artery) when you hit rough roads or "beer bumps".

Stix this in the Commando Choppers Please thread so this definition carries over too...

The epitome of the American male. He radiates confidence in everything he does, whether it's ordering a drink, buying a set of wheels, or dealing with women. He's slow to anger, brutally efficient when fighting back.

The badass carves his own path. He wears, drives, drinks, watches, and listens to what he chooses, when he chooses, where he chooses, uninfluenced by fads or advertising campaigns. Badass style is understated but instantly recognizable. Like a chopped Harley or a good pair of sunglasses: simple, direct, and functional.

Click to expand...

christulin said:

I like it a lot, but I wonder how this would go over outside the US.
My Triumph chopper has 18 inch ape hangers and a jockey shift (hand shift just above the gearbox for those unfamiliar with what we crazy Americans sometimes do). It is a long way (about four feet) for me to move my hand from the throttle/front brake lever to the shifter. It means very slow shifting. I admit that it is the most dangerous motorcycle to ride that I have ever ridden, but that's part of the appeal. With a long shift lever, you might run into problems with vibration of it leading to unintended shifts. A friend rigged a retainer of sorts to prevent this on his chopped Norton.
If you find yourself sliding back, just put 3" springs under the back of the seat; It will help decrease the pain (and potential damage to your pudendal artery) when you hit rough roads or "beer bumps".

Click to expand...

well..to be honest...i thought it would be wicked dangerous....but seeing as how the shifter is on the right, and only a foot long...and i replaced the two supporting springs with new...its actually surprisingly organic feelingly, almost like how it was supposed to be....it certainly rules out the possibility of grinding gears seeing as how you have to take your hand off the throttle to change - but seriously - its fun, and not at all as dangerous feeling as i was expecting...especially with the clutch leaver in the normal position....just saying...

You can always remove the throttle return springs from the carbs so you have to push and pull the throttle and it pretty much tries to stay where you leave it. It might work better with a solid wire cable though.

RennieK said:

You can always remove the throttle return springs from the carbs so you have to push and pull the throttle and it pretty much tries to stay where you leave it. It might work better with a solid wire cable though.

Click to expand...

that would only result in higher revs between shifts tho...this way is a lot 'easier'....i dont know why this is catching so much flack - especially from a bunch of guys with right hand shifters......

ianfotheringham said:

RennieK said:

You can always remove the throttle return springs from the carbs so you have to push and pull the throttle and it pretty much tries to stay where you leave it. It might work better with a solid wire cable though.

Click to expand...

that would only result in higher revs between shifts tho...this way is a lot 'easier'....i dont know why this is catching so much flack - especially from a bunch of guys with right hand shifters......

Click to expand...

Lol, just friendly teasing, from a group who (some) are old enough to have survived the chopper craze forty years ago, and have focused on more traditional bike designs now. Hell, I'm so old, now I prefer foam padding on the seat over steel/aluminum/wood. Good job blending jap bike parts with aftermarket and such. Keep us posted with the sale and your next project

christulin said:

I like it a lot, but I wonder how this would go over outside the US.
My Triumph chopper has 18 inch ape hangers and a jockey shift (hand shift just above the gearbox for those unfamiliar with what we crazy Americans sometimes do). It is a long way (about four feet) for me to move my hand from the throttle/front brake lever to the shifter. It means very slow shifting. I admit that it is the most dangerous motorcycle to ride that I have ever ridden, but that's part of the appeal. With a long shift lever, you might run into problems with vibration of it leading to unintended shifts. A friend rigged a retainer of sorts to prevent this on his chopped Norton.
If you find yourself sliding back, just put 3" springs under the back of the seat; It will help decrease the pain (and potential damage to your pudendal artery) when you hit rough roads or "beer bumps".

Click to expand...

He's Canadian, but the ad shows some amazing motorcycle cultural parallels.

ianfotheringham said:

RennieK said:

You can always remove the throttle return springs from the carbs so you have to push and pull the throttle and it pretty much tries to stay where you leave it. It might work better with a solid wire cable though.

Click to expand...

that would only result in higher revs between shifts tho...this way is a lot 'easier'....i dont know why this is catching so much flack - especially from a bunch of guys with right hand shifters......

Click to expand...

Actually this wasn't flack, just trying to help. With the fixed throttle control you can bring it down 1000 rpm's before you let go to grab the shifter. lots of old bikes had the set-up.

I'm relieved not to see howls of protest. I know there are some chopper/bobber builders in Europe.
Once upon a time in another life, I was surprised to see that the HA at one of their weekend rallies in Canada were riding mostly stock Harleys, dressed more like lumberjacks than HA; times may have changed since then.

RennieK said:

ianfotheringham said:

RennieK said:

You can always remove the throttle return springs from the carbs so you have to push and pull the throttle and it pretty much tries to stay where you leave it. It might work better with a solid wire cable though.

Click to expand...

that would only result in higher revs between shifts tho...this way is a lot 'easier'....i dont know why this is catching so much flack - especially from a bunch of guys with right hand shifters......

Click to expand...

Actually this wasn't flack, just trying to help. With the fixed throttle control you can bring it down 1000 rpm's before you let go to grab the shifter. lots of old bikes had the set-up.

Click to expand...

perhaps i shouldn't have said 'flack'...more so that others - not just in this thread - were of the opinion that the hand shift was excessively dangerous - which it REALLY does not feel like....just sayin....