Someone gave me a Norton…

Greetings, allow me to introduce myself for my first post. I am now the proud owner of a ‘75 MKIIA (it’s a ‘74 titled as a ‘75).

A little history.. I’m not new to Brit bikes or riding, and I have wanted (lusted after) a Commando ever since my younger brother bought his in '84. I had a '64 Triumph Tiger for many years until a devastating car-motorcycle accident totaled it in the early 90’s. I also worked at a British motorcycle dealer to put myself thru college in the early 80’s, so I know enough about them to be dangerous.

A good friend bought it, non-running, semi-chopperized, in ‘94 with the intentions of restoring it.


And it has sat in his garage in a corner for 20 years waiting patiently. It also sat for 10 years or so before he bought it up, so it’s not been running/driven in maybe 30 years. He’s tried to give it to me for the last 3 years, knowing it was rotting away and he would never get around to it, and for various reasons, I have said no, I didn’t want a project, didn’t want to spend the money, etc….well, he came to visit us last spring, and my wife made some sort of deal with him, and promptly announced it was now mine. Yes, she’s a saint. She’s also a Brit, so that may have something to do with it…

Anyway, I drove 2200 miles home last December to bring it to my garage.


I had a trusted friend/ professional mechanic /legendary brit bike racer, fix some of the things I didn’t want to tackle, such as the Isolastics and rebuilding the transmission before I got it, and give it a good going over, and leave some of the fun stuff for me to finish. At this point in my life, I don’t want to hate a project and leave it in the ‘punishment corner’ while I’m mad at it.

And…it’s now running. Pretty well actually. So now I have a lot of little things to do to get it to a driving state, and get rid of the rest of the chopper bits one of the PO’s added. It’s almost all there, for the most part, a lot of it was in a box, at least the original bits, as well as a new seat and other items my buddy collected over the years to restore it.

I have a thousand questions already…. I’m looking forward to joining in the forum as a participant, no longer as a lurker, and learning (and re-learning) things.

I don’t want to do a concours type restoration, I just want to have a driver I can enjoy. I’m looking forward to dusting off my old Whitworth tools as well.

Steve

Looks pretty good for a gimme.

Welcome.

Wondering what kind of a deal your wife brokered, because that bike looks pretty nice. :shock:

Oh, and you can never put your bikes in a corner when your mad at them...they will never forgive you.

Just walk away for a bit and they will cry for you to come back.

Geez, sounds like we're about the same age so my 1st question is, does your wife have a sister?

gtsun said:

Geez, sounds like we're about the same age so my 1st question is, does your wife have a sister?

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She does, but she lives in Sydney, NSW.

Nice score! What cylinder head does it have?

Snorton74 said:

Nice score! What cylinder head does it have?

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I have no idea. How would I know and why does it matter?

It's stamped on the top. It's probably not an RH 10 but would be better if it was. I think some of the earlier ones had problems with cracking around the valve guides.?

Glad ya found your heart's desire but do check brake fluid routinely until ya know its not leaking down riding and do not over tighten the seeming excess primary chain slack when cold.

It should be a RH10 head. A nice combination of smaller ports with 32MM carbs. If yours is a late '74, it may be a MK2A. May even have the MK3 type swing arm. It does have a MK3 kick start lever, so that's nice. It's all good, you got it running already. Time to ride and enjoy. I expect that you'll have some maintenance items from sitting, but your's looks like it wasn't neglected.

Great looking bike. You've got some great friends and wonderful wife.
Now roll up your sleeves and lay your hands on it and make it your own.

2200 miles. Where did you have to go to retrieve your Norton? What part of Maine are you located in? I have a daughter in Cumberland Foreside that I visit frequently, great country Maine is; there are plenty of roads north and west of Lewiston/Auburn that don't appear to have speed limits...

You'll really enjoy the Norton; it makes you feel good whether you're riding it or just having a beer with it.

Bill.

You lucky so and so, I wish I had friends like that and you kept knocking it back at first, just inmagin what it would have looked like now if you had taken it when first offered it, anyone offered me their Norton for free I would jump at it straight away, anyway your wife knew what she was doing so your lucky there.
All I get out of my friends is they put shit on me because I ride a Norton and a Triumph (fucking Harley riders), they drink my beer, they put more shit on me, but hey I wouldn't have it any other way, they are great mates.
So now just enjoy your Norton, keep in mind how you got it and keep it for life and when you get it the way you want it, let your friend take it for a ride when ever he is with you and your Norton, have fun.

Ashley

Deckard said:

It should be a RH10 head. A nice combination of smaller ports with 32MM carbs. If yours is a late '74, it may be a MK2A. May even have the MK3 type swing arm. It does have a MK3 kick start lever, so that's nice. It's all good, you got it running already. Time to ride and enjoy. I expect that you'll have some maintenance items from sitting, but your's looks like it wasn't neglected.

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It is a MK2A, that I know. How do I determine if it has the MK3 swing arm? And why is it better?

RoadScholar said:

2200 miles. Where did you have to go to retrieve your Norton? What part of Maine are you located in? I have a daughter in Cumberland Foreside that I visit frequently, great country Maine is; there are plenty of roads north and west of Lewiston/Auburn that don't appear to have speed limits...

You'll really enjoy the Norton; it makes you feel good whether you're riding it or just having a beer with it.

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I live in Bar Harbor. I'm originally from Michigan, and it's a 2200 mile round trip for me to go home. It was pretty much a banzai run.

ashman said:

You lucky so and so, I wish I had friends like that and you kept knocking it back at first, just inmagin what it would have looked like now if you had taken it when first offered it, anyone offered me their Norton for free I would jump at it straight away, anyway your wife knew what she was doing so your lucky there.
All I get out of my friends is they put shit on me because I ride a Norton and a Triumph (fucking Harley riders), they drink my beer, they put more shit on me, but hey I wouldn't have it any other way, they are great mates.
So now just enjoy your Norton, keep in mind how you got it and keep it for life and when you get it the way you want it, let your friend take it for a ride when ever he is with you and your Norton, have fun.

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Business commitments and other things really didn't allow me to accept it any earlier. Financially, I had just bought a new bike for my wife, and it would only have sat in my garage in just another corner for that time, and I couldn't bring myself to do it. My buddy comes out visit annually (we live on an island in the middle of a national park, we don't lack for pp who want to visit us, lol) and for sure he get's a ride. He also get's first dibs on it if I decide to sell it, so no worries. So, I guess I shouldn't mention I have a Harley at this point either, 'eh?

Where in Bar harbor? I used to live on Prospect Ave behind the elementary school...

peculierboy said:

It is a MK2A, that I know.

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A couple of things suggest it could be a Mk2 rather than a 2A, however......

peculierboy said:

How do I determine if it has the MK3 swing arm? And why is it better?

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Not the actual Mk3 swinging arm, but late Mk2/2A's also had the "sealed for life" S/A pivot assembly which doesn't require periodic lubrication (with EP140) and the spindle is securely located by two cotters instead of a single central bolt that allows the spindle to eventually become a loose fit within the cradle tube, that's if the spindle doesn't rust solid.

http://www.oldbritts.com/1975_g16.html

geoff71 said:

Where in Bar harbor? I used to live on Prospect Ave behind the elementary school...

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Roberts Ave...how long ago on Prospect?

Business commitments are not a good reason for not playing with old motorcycles. You only live once and looking back on my life I have few regrets. The main one is that I did not do more with bikes, fishing and photography. These days I'm retired and short of funds so it is probably too late for me. If you are still earning, make the most of it. Your wife obviously cares about your welfare.

Business commitments are not a good reason for not playing with old motorcycles. You only live once and looking back on my life I have few regrets. The main one is that I did not do more with bikes, fishing and photography. These days I'm retired and short of funds so it is probably too late for me. If you are still earning, make the most of it. Your wife obviously cares about your welfare.

L.A.B. said:

peculierboy said:

It is a MK2A, that I know.

Click to expand...

A couple of things suggest it could be a Mk2 rather than a 2A, however......

peculierboy said:

How do I determine if it has the MK3 swing arm? And why is it better?

Click to expand...

Not the actual Mk3 swinging arm, but late Mk2/2A's also had the "sealed for life" S/A pivot assembly which doesn't require periodic lubrication (with EP140) and the spindle is securely located by two cotters instead of a single central bolt that allows the spindle to eventually become a loose fit within the cradle tube, that's if the spindle doesn't rust solid.

http://www.oldbritts.com/1975_g16.html

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Ok, I may have been misinformed about it being a MK2A. What other things should I be looking for?

The swing arm has the lubrication point and needs lubrication, that was pointed out to me by my friend.