"Test Mule" '74 850 Monoshock build

The mailman showed up with my braided stainless rocker feed line, so I installed it, popped the tank and a new set of petcocks on, kicked it through a couple dozen times to prime the rocker feed, then installed the spark plugs and nipped everything up.



Took THREE kicks to get the bugger to fire; first was a pop, second was a kickback, third was golden-



Took a few minutes to let the carbs settle in, adjusted the mixture and idle speed, then shut it down. It re-fired on the first kick. No oil leaks that I can spot so far. It's got fantastic throtle response and is ungodly loud without mufflers.

Still need to find the bloody primary drain plug so I can add oil to the primary chaincase, then I need to strobe time it (although it sure seems like it's real close).

Also got in the Lockheed caliper pistons for the rear brake, so I need to get that sucker overhauled and installed; not going with the Japanese 2-pot unit after all, too much work to fabricate an adapter plate right now.

It's taking the local UJM shop forever to get my fork seals; once they get here I just need to pop 'em in and get the forks on, install the chain, pick up the seat from the painter, then I can take it out for a spin!

OK

Can't find a "delete" buton

I fixed the hyperlinks, Danno; you can delete the re-fix replies...

Only moderators can delete threads, I think...

Wow that's great. I fired up that hooligan Honda for the first time today so I share your excitement. Looks like the electrical system and Holley carb are right the first time. It's a bit of a blast even at my age when one comes together.

My dang ankle is killing me. I was totally unprepared for that kickback; the bike is sitting balanced on the lift with no front end, and I was handling the throttle clip-on carefully so as not to ding the tank (it's held in place by a single 10mm bolt underneath the yoke). I'll be limping for a day or two.

Of course, I aggravated it straight away by installing the mufflers and re-starting it a couple of times to do oil leak checking. It sounds fantastic with the beancans, but I need to re-work the oil line fittings at the oil filter. With the upper swingarm and forward uprights, the hose routing is unconventional and is causing a partial kink in the return line; that's got to get fixed.

Those fork seals can't get here quick enough...

"Light of Day" at last...

I picked up the forks (seals still haven't been replaced) and installed them, scrounged around and found my spare "bum stop' seat, and rolled it out for the first photos that give you a better idea of what the bike will look like.

REMEMBER: It will have the Dreer "boat tail" seat/tail, painted Silver, Silver fiberglass sidecovers, Silver front fender, plus the headlight and probably peashooter mufflers; so these aren't totally representative of what the final package will look like, but they beat the one dim shot where the tires weren't mounted-



By the time I flipped the bike around, the sun had gone behind the clouds...



Oh, and it started on the first kick once I lowered it onto it's tires for the first time.

120 hours to this point, since 10/1/09.

So, this is basically the preliminary "For Sale" advert-

1984 Norton 850 Commando frame (powdercoated)

1984 Norton 850 engine, polished primary, timing & tranny covers, rocker inspection caps

.020 oversize pistons, mild performance camshaft (SS/2S/clone)

RH10 head with tapered 32 to 30 mm intake manifolds, Amal 932 carbs

Custom monoshock swingarm, Showa 3-way multi-adjustable shock absorber unit

Suzuki TL1000 inverted forks, dual 13" full floating cast iron rotors with 6-pot Tokico calipers

Mark III drilled & ground rear disc brake & sprocket / hub assembly, Nissin master cylinders front & rear

Excel non-shouldered aluminum 18" rims, laced by Buchanan's with stainless spokes

Avon AM 26 Roadrider 100/90-18 tires front & rear, Dreer VR880 front hub

Lyta Sprint polished aluminum gas tank w/ monza cap, Dreer "Boat-tail" seat

Suzuki TL1000 clip-ons, Magura clutch lever, home-made rearset footpegs

Sparx electronic ignition, Tympanium solid state voltage regulator/rectifier

Individually fused electrical circuits for ignition, headlight, tail light and horn

Final specs yet to be determined...

Love that tank, are they available, I would purchase one straight away

I got the tank in a trade, here on the forum!

Painter is done painting the seat & sidecovers.

I'm having a pair of Gold BAB logos done for the sidecovers, then clearcoat.

Just trying out a different look...





Can't wait for the seat/tail to be done Monday morning...

grandpaul said:

Just trying out a different look...

Click to expand...

Hides the monoshock look too much.

swooshdave said:

Hides the monoshock look too much.

Click to expand...

oh I don't know Dave, I think that's an interesting line, worth going a bit further in the mock-up with the right seat and a 'guard fitted.
Sure the mono's important - the basis of the 'experiment' but its presence is implied by the lack of normal shockies.
Just my 10c.

unaproachable said:

Love that tank, are they available, I would purchase one straight away

Click to expand...

Sprint tank fitted to a Commando
with or without clip-on dents
£400
The Tank Shop

Definitely a different look with the seat/tail; just need to get it upholstered this evening-







Just need to finish up with the brakes and install a chain, and I can start test riding it in a day or two...

Just me but with that seat I really don't like the hi-pipes. Might just be the photos.

I'm probably going to pull the peashooters off my Blue bike & install them with the downswept / crossover headers for a photo session after I get the seat, brakes & chain done.

Classic peashooters give the widest audience acceptance of all pipe styles, from what I've seen over the years.

I think it works, but you've got to change the angle of the tank a bit - either raise the front or drop the rear (if either is possible).

The tank isn't mounted yet; it will have a common bottom line with the seat pan when it's all done.

I was turned on to a great idea recently; in a discussion on crankcse breathers, George Baker suggested a reed valve from the Air Injection unit off a new Triumph, installed as a one-way breather.

So, the AI unit from my wyfe's '02 Bonneville-



I simply took a recipro saw and cut off the two reed modules-



Here's a close-up of one of the reed units-



The opening on the unit is centered, while the reed valve's "active" zone is on one end, so I figured I'd trim the opening for better alignment-