The birth of a Seeley Norton

Our local race circuit has mains electricity to the pit garages.

storm42 said:

Providing i can start the starter

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Best comment I've heard in a while.

Thats Spa out of the way, good to meet SteveBorland although we didn't bump into anyone else from here.

A bit of an eventful weekend considering this is only a parade event for us. After scrutineering, I managed to break the end off the brake lever, it broke beyond where i use the lever so as there was no chance of getting another, duct tape to the rescue, not ideal but a good job it didn't happen before scrutineering.

First session was going well until I nipped past someone coming out of a corner which meant I got to the next one a bit quick, and although I have binned one of the discs off the bike, I stood it on its nose and when it landed, it had stopped and I went straight in the the gravel trap, nobhead error but I bet the guy on the bike I had just passed probably had a good laugh.

I stayed upright but got a ride back in the recovery van, bloody hot in that van when your are sat on the bike with the doors shut.

Second session, I was probably on my final lap when the end of the gear lever disappeared, I left the track at the end of the straight and when i realised what had happend I figured I could get it back without suffering the van again, I didn't tell the guy that was pushing me across the track to the van though. I had my helmet on but my gloves were in my leathers, when he started pushing i dropped the clutch and the bike fired up so i went back to the pits under my own steam, trouble was, when I got back, i was missing a glove, first time out with them as well. (Alpinestars ) No matter, I had two spare pairs of gloves and as it happens, another end to the gear lever (and some locktight)


Third session, woohoo, managed to complete the session, a bit strange leaving the track the proper way though. That was the end of the first day and despite the problems, they happened close to the end of the sessions so not too much track time lost.

It was the right decision to loose a disc, despite the first session problem, it is a lot more controllable and still very powerful. The brake lever is another story, it looks like they are £130 and I am not sure it would be the right one, so there is a Brembo PS12 on its way to me tomorrow. More cost initially but the lever blades are £40.

Next day session 4, again going well until a wire broke and the bike stopped at the end of the straight, yep the same place as when the gear lever end buggered off, the marshal seemed pleased to see me (again) and although he didn't speak any English and my French is only good for asking for beer, he managed to get the message across that when he pushes me across the track to the van, i should go across the track and not bugger off again. All good humoured though and when I got in the van, they had my glove so a bit of a result.

Session 5, a good run round and getting faster, starting to realise just how good the Seeley handles, very stable in the long fast turns.

Session 6, bugger, only two laps in and the ignition switch fell apart on the start finish straight. I coasted round the hairpin and back to the garage, now this is getting annoying, and has now cost me a fair bit of track time. It is obvious that although the bike doesn't seem to vibrate that much, it must be, and it will be the first job when I get home to buzz proof everything.

Anyway it was the last session of the day so I had plenty of time to sort it out. I have another switch which i could use to change ignition maps, as i didn't feel the need to change maps i rewired that for the ignition switch, I taped all the wire together and whilst i was playing i got my shift light working, I set it to come on at 6900 rpm and start flashing at 7000 rpm, as it is quite bright it has made the rev counter a bit redundant and I noticed that it was lighting up about 2/3 the way up the long straight so a gearing change for next year methinks.

The next day could have been a disaster, the organisers had changed the running order and started a proper race in the morning and grouped session 1 and 2 together and 3 and 4 together, this information was passed to the riders by rumour, not really good enough. It was to be my last session of the weekend because for some reason they have split the endurance race up into two days and as they ran it in the middle of the track sessions my last one was too late for me to do as i would have missed the ferry back.

Anyway the session was brilliant and i did finish it with a running bike so back home to sort the problems and get ready for the festival of a thousand bikes next weekend.

Another thing the organisers did to us was to ban video cameras from the front of the bikes so no video

If Carling did race tracks !!!

acotrel said:

I bought a starter in which the driving force is an angle grinder. It often pops the reset button. But it doesn't need two people to operate it.

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There were quite a few of the angle grinder starters at Spa, looks a good light solution.

Riding at Spa is probably not playing to the strengths of a Seeley Commando. On short tight circuits, a torquey excellent handling bike is in it's best environment. Big circuits need more horsepower because you can end up in a drag race towards the ends of the straights.

You are right there, the amount of time you spend flat out at Spa causes reliability problems, I guess the Isle of Man would have the same effect on reliability. It is a fantastic circuit though.

Big circuits worry me. With the steering geometry I use, I need to stay on the gas and keep accelerating while going around high speed bends - however it suits small tight circuits extremely well. Also gearing for a big circuit is a problem. If it is geared too low for the circuit, you don't have enough legs to keep accelerating towards the ends of the long straights. So that is where you get beaten. If you can out-ride the faster guys on the tight parts of a short circuit, what happens towards the ends of the straights is not so important.

As far as Spa and the IOM being fantastic circuits is concerned, everything is relative. In Victoria, we have Phillip Island which is 3 miles around and very smooth and flowing. The kids with modern bikes love it because you can go extremely fast there. But any crash is a monster and with an old bike reliability problems put you at risk - particularly drum brakes. Even on a short circuit, it is difficult to get consistent braking for the whole length of a race when using a drum brake. On a big circuit, that problem is sometimes ten times bigger.

Last weekend was a short track and a lot kinder to the bike, no long flat out sections. Was at Mallory park for the Festival of 1000 bikes and more good weather.


Was good to meet oldmikew and Fast Eddie with his very nice Commando, his 961 isn't bad either


The bike might need the rear springs changing, on the last session at Spa, the rear tire rubbed the oil catch bottle so I moved it for Mallory, it has now rubbed the back of the oil tank. There is a bit of a dip coming round the devils elbow and that is where it was bottoming out, the pegs are too long as well so I have put a bit more pre load on the springs and will be shortening the pegs.


Other than that, no problems and not one trip back to the paddock in the van


I made a camera mount that is behind the fairing, it felt fairly solid but the video is very wobbly, and there is a horrible clacky rattle which i think is the carbs, anyway I will post it and there is a Norton 588 RCW in shot for a while, at the hairpin I could hear that over my bike and the horrible Kwak 2 stroke thing that was following it.

Vid to follow.

A parade session from Mallory, here is 15 mins you will never get back but the brief howl from the RCW might redeem it a bit.

Very nice clip Ralph.

Your bike sounds bloody lovely with that pipe!

You’re a man after my own heart taking the inside line at the hairpin!

And listening to you change down through the box approaching the hairpin is a good sales pitch for the 5 speed box. Mine wasn’t nearly as happy or smooth doing that with the stock box.

Have you phoned Norton yet ??

Ha, I didn't think I was smooth, but you are right the gearbox is brilliant, can't fault it.

Not phoned Norton but I have found this. https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1000751 .

Single seat though, a bit of a no no that is.

storm42 said:

Ha, I didn't think I was smooth, but you are right the gearbox is brilliant, can't fault it.

Not phoned Norton but I have found this. https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1000751 .

Single seat though, a bit of a no no that is.

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Yes, I met your missus, and it seems clear to me that a solo seat is a NO!

And... personally I’d make sure I got a mk2. Norton are continually (albeit slowly) improving the breed, so the later the better I’d say.

storm42 said:

A parade session from Mallory, here is 15 mins you will never get back but the brief howl from the RCW might redeem it a bit.

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Shit video mate - only has gambling advertising audio which doesn't even stop when you end the video.
Don't need this crap.

robs ss said:

Shit video mate - only has gambling advertising audio which doesn't even stop when you end the video.
Don't need this crap.

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I don’t get any of that Rob, just lovely motorbike noise !

I wish I did!

Take that back Eddie (& storm42) -2nd try and I got the correct audio.
Sorry for the spray!
Bloody dodgy internet - first time all I got was crappy music with occasional ads for online gambling (in Oz)
Lovely sound - even that Honda sounds good
Cheers
Rob

robs ss said:

Shit video mate - only has gambling advertising audio which doesn't even stop when you end the video.
Don't need this crap.

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Oh dear, I don't get any advertising, sounds like you need lessons on the use of these new computer thingies

Storm, for future videos, perhaps you could add subtitles...

“Barrrrrrp, barrrrrp, barrrrrp, brum, brum.... Barrrrrp, barrrrrp”

Ha ha, and a warning, the viewing of this video is entirely optional.