Rescuing my WD WW2 Norton 16H

Spent the weekend taking down the BSA B40WD and the B44 Victor Special from the barn. After some routine service had both running as they should.
Then on Monday got the Victor through our MOT equivalent. The tester (having a 850 Commando) said it made his day.
Then had to fix a broken wire in the dynamo on the 16H. Bad weather for two days. Today a warm summer day. Rode the 16H for some miles.
The handling problem I had before disappeared when fully loosening the steering damper. Over 45 Mph vibrates too much to be pleasant.
Somewhere between 40 and 45 seems to be a normal cruising speed. Front brake is not good.
A pleasant ride on a nearly 80 years old bike. Nice to have a road legal and running Norton for a local Norton club meeting later in June.

Awesome Mike I'm itching to get stuck back in on the 16h over the next few weeks finished my Japanese classics I'm letting go to fund a flat tanker model 18 so can finally start to get my baby running an ready to ride.

Mike40M said:

Spent the weekend taking down the BSA B40WD and the B44 Victor Special from the barn. After some routine service had both running as they should.
Then on Monday got the Victor through our MOT equivalent. The tester (having a 850 Commando) said it made his day.
Then had to fix a broken wire in the dynamo on the 16H. Bad weather for two days. Today a warm summer day. Rode the 16H for some miles.
The handling problem I had before disappeared when fully loosening the steering damper. Over 45 Mph vibrates too much to be pleasant.
Somewhere between 40 and 45 seems to be a normal cruising speed. Front brake is not good.
A pleasant ride on a nearly 80 years old bike. Nice to have a road legal and running Norton for a local Norton club meeting later in June.

Click to expand...

You may need to fit "slippers" to your brake shoes to bring them closer to the drum, this in turn will increase the contact patch of brake shoes/ wheel drum, making the brake more effective. Been doing this for years.

Tom, any progress on the 16H?
When you have it running, this film will advice you how to ride it.

Another film with lots of closeups of different parts. Didn't know they used both metal and rubber petrol pipes in -42.

Tom, any progress on the WD? Or been fully occupied with other things like the flattanker?
Took my WD16H to a local Norton Club meet, A guy fell in love with it and bought it.
Talked to him yesterday and he was happy with it. Said he had put a thousand miles on it without problems.
Not a bad distance for a 76 year old bike in one summer.

Hi Mike Those videos are awesome some of my favs to watch! Yep they did an update to keep the metal cross over pipe which I'm still trying to get and a rubber fuel line. Sorry mate totally missed this Funny you should say that I've actually finally managed to paint the oil tank an I'm about to start doing the wiring this week just waiting on some mini collectors coming for the MCR2

So you don't use the original MCR1? Maybe have the longer EL3 to get a staggering 60W?

Sorry Mike was a typo meant to say DVR2 to go inside the original MCR1

Hi everyone hope we are all keeping well as a few will know I ended up having to take a bit of a forum break after suffering some setbacks with my mental health.

I'm just starting to get back to getting stuck in on the bikes and it's all change!

I've had to take the decision to stop riding the 650ss as daily riding and kick starting was constantly re setting the injury off on my nerve an I was finding it just far to much to kick start so after 4 years of daily riding she's now become a highdays and weekend bike.

The 1927 16H Flat tanker has been my go to over the past 2 weeks along with an 1150GSA that ended up having a ton of issues now all sorted thanks to my dad helping me out to afford the parts to fix it.
That replaced the 300 rally as I figured out I didn't enjoy the green laning as much as the idea of it life is always a learning experience.

On a setup ride last week on the flat tanker I ended up having the magneto fail again be more about that in the thread for that

So without further ado here's the update the the WD16H

Happy Friday! It's time for a WW2 Norton RAF WD16H update.

Making really great progress this week after a few unexpected setbacks.

All being well next week she will be a running motorcycle today I did something I've never done before making a wiring loom from scratch just wanna say a big thanks to everyone thats helping with advice along the way.


I'm making one or two tweaks as I go along as the intention now is to shelve my Norton 650ss which I've daily ridden for 4 years an 4 winters an use the WD16H as a daily there's quite alot of thinking behind it.

No1 inspiration and remembrance paying respect every day I ride to those it remembers.

No2 I'm struggling best will in the world to continue to kick start the 650ss with my nerve injury, lots of rethinking on future plans for motorcycles an the best ways to keep my riding. To make sure I have more good day's than bad days with it, an taking the 650ss out of the equation really ensures that.

No3 after riding the 1927 Norton 16H flat tanker an being pain free

Being able to kick start it trouble free with the valve lifter was a utter revelation, an now the magneto is away for rebuild the logical choice is my wd16h also parts availability for the rigours of daily riding the wd16h makes sense.

No4 - where as I had lots of issues with a modern Himalayan which went back at 500 miles there's nothing on the WD16H that I can't fix or maintain myself without being bound to a warranty.

No5 the big 1150gsa is epic but the weight can be an issue sometimes so again that's a + for the wd16h.
No6 older bikes are built solid simple an so much fun!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Ps: a few will notice the new username change sometimes something new can be good an I'm starting to move past just riding Norton's only as well so it seemed to fit my growing passion better.

Starting to run the wiring and place the tags on the correct wires


A good look at the Farrant Brown (Scc2 Brown against a ameter I got dated march 44' an when I removed the black paint off carefully it had SCC2 underneath! Not a bad match really considering fresh paint against possibly war time paint!







Where I'm up to currently just waiting on a few more bit's arriving this week so I can make my own fuel lines finish the control cables and then she's not far off the first start! Exciting times.

Glad you’re back!

Commando progress ??

The new name sounds good, and much more appropriate.

Onwards and upwards !

Thanks mate

The Commando is coming on good, halted now though until after the move I need to sort the tank out on the Commando I'm not to happy with the replacment I got so thinking of having one hand made like the original 1968 obv that takes money so had to shelve it for now. Engines all rebuilt wired, timed etc just the petrol tank n oil tanks to sort, sorta the wrong weather for painting at the moment but if we get a run of warm days I might throw some paint on the tank anyway and give it a whirl.

Sorted the tail unit out I'll have to post some pics of that on the Commando thread for it once I've colour sanded the paint.

An thanks I'm really happy with it tbh it's as you say good fit.

Thought a few might enjoy this 50+ mins off my journey saving an working on the WD16H thanks to everyone thats advised and helped along the way pretty humbling to think she will be running all being well by the end of this week. The ups the downs the mistakes along the way with the paint and redoing it have all been left in as well as the plan changing as her history and number was discovered Restorations are always such a journey for both motorcycle an mechanic/rider.

Next videos will have much better sound as this was filmed before I had a good Mic