What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Spring fit out time - in the clean up department I tried the new Dawn foaming detergent as suggested by Mean Gene and others . Wow ! I am now a big fan .
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And tried this foam polishing ball - works very well . So well that I ordered the cone shaped one as well .
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Richard Tool said:
Spring fit out time - in the clean up department I tried the new Dawn foaming detergent as suggested by Mean Gene and others .
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The Dawn wash looks perfect for wheels, is it safe for powder coated frames? I typically use S100 for my bikes but I'm afraid to use it on the PC frames on my classic bikes. Also, is that a "MOTHERS POWERBALL MINI 05141"?
 
baz said:
You can use your crash helmet as a side stand
Just stick it under the footrest
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Was always an option when a post wasn't close by, done that a many of times in my days without a side stand, but had to have a strong helmet, but in the old days they were heavy fiberglass helmets lol.
 
2WheelsUp said:
The Dawn wash looks perfect for wheels, is it safe for powder coated frames? I typically use S100 for my bikes but I'm afraid to use it on the PC frames on my classic bikes. Also, is that a "MOTHERS POWERBALL MINI 05141"?
Click to expand...
It doesn’t seem to affect the powdercoat or anything else. I sprayed it on - let it sit a few minutes- rinsed with distilled water in a pump spray bottle. Repeat and wipe where needed then rinse again and blow off . Followed up right away with Blue Magic and foam ball on polished aluminum/stainless. It is indeed Mother’s 05141 mini ball.
 
Removed and stripped the forks.

Seals were leaking as the stanchions had a couple of stone chips. Also I wanted to fit the full (UK friendly) gaiters. Oil was absolutely minging.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Sadly, the express(!) courier won't make it to me until Monday with the new parts and so after cleaning the bits I am going to re-use, I'm going to have to sit and look at them until I get some time next weekend (long bank holiday!)

I bought new springs a while ago. Interesting to see how much the originals that have sat in the forks for 50 years have compressed.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
 
Richard Tool said:
Spring fit out time - in the clean up department I tried the new Dawn foaming detergent as suggested by Mean Gene and others . Wow ! I am now a big fan .
View attachment 113247
View attachment 113248
And tried this foam polishing ball - works very well . So well that I ordered the cone shaped one as well .
View attachment 113250
Click to expand...
Dawn Ultra really is ace isn't it? I can't believe some people waste it on cleaning dishes :eek:

You're definitely showing off with your fancy pear scented version though ;)
 
worntorn said:
I made some D shaped exhaust slugs in Monel, to be fitted in the header pipes right at the head.
It occurred that the anti reversion point might be ok shifted an inch or two from directly in the head.
Who knows, it might even work better than in the head.
In any case, it is easy to do and it will be easy to test for gain or loss on Dyno Hill. View attachment 112983
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Can you please explain the theory? Thanks in advance.
 
I’m going away on the Commando in June so I decided to buy an extra mount for my Garmin XT that normally lives on my KTM. Got the RAM Mounts parts out and it looked a dogs dinner so decided to make a mount. A few hours on the mill and I’ve made a new pair of handlebar clamps that will accept a bar and the mounting block to fasten the Garmin cradle to. Finished it off this morning and the parts will be going off to my pal Rog for powder coating.

Dave

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ericg said:
Can you please explain the theory? Thanks in advance.
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The theory behind the sideways D shaped exhaust ports is that with regular round ports, some exhaust flow in the header at bottom can revert backwards into the cylinder and disrupt intake flow.
When Jim Comstock designed the FullAuto heads he incorporated D ports in the casting for that reason.
Pontiac successfully used D exhaust ports on their stock car racing engines way back in the 1950s. I believe that the more recent very high hp Corvette V8s also use the D exhaust port. My 1360 Terry Prince heads also have this feature.

For the Commando, I tried a poor man's version with some slugs fitted into the exhaust header. At 4 to 5000 rpm they made zero difference. It is possible that they might help or hinder at a higher rpm, but I cannot test that easily. I'm also principally interested in anything that maximizes the midrange, although now and then the top end is useful. This is especially true if I happen to be chasing a certain hopped up 750 Commando which has high compression, hot cam and a Comstock ported head with D exhaust ports ( done with weld buildup). When that is happening who needs midrange? :)

Glen
 
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worntorn said:
The theory behind the sideways D shaped exhaust ports is that with regular round ports, some exhaust flow in the header can revert backwards into the cylinder and disrupt intake flow.
When Jim Comstock designed the FullAuto heads he incorporated D ports in the casting for that reason.
Pontiac successfully used D exhaust ports on their stock car racing engines way back in the 1950s. I believe that the more recent very high hp Corvette V8s also use the D exhaust port. My 1360 Terry Prince heads also have this feature.

For the Commando, I tried a poor man's version with some slugs fitted into the exhaust header. At 4 to 5000 rpm they made zero difference. It is possible that they might help or hinder at a higher rpm, but I cannot test that easily. I'm also principally interested in anything that maximizes the midrange, although now and then the top end is useful. This is especially true if I happen to be chasing a certain hopped up 750 Commando which has high compression, hot cam and a Comstock ported head with D exhaust ports ( done with weld buildup). When that is happening who needs midrange? :)

Glen
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Did you stuff the JSM sleeves in the intake ports yet?

Thanks for verifying the in the exhaust header D-shaped thingy exhaust reversion concept was a bust. I can take that off my bucket list now.
 
No I haven't tried the sleeves yet. That's a bit of work as I always have a tough time getting those mk3 carb boots back on properly.
I will summon the required mechanical energy soon.

Glen
 
Dellis said:
I’m going away on the Commando in June so I decided to buy an extra mount for my Garmin XT that normally lives on my KTM. Got the RAM Mounts parts out and it looked a dogs dinner so decided to make a mount. A few hours on the mill and I’ve made a new pair of handlebar clamps that will accept a bar and the mounting block to fasten the Garmin cradle to. Finished it off this morning and the parts will be going off to my pal Rog for powder coating.

Dave

View attachment 113318View attachment 113319
Click to expand...
Very Nice Dave,
I purchased the XT2 last fall and love it. Please show us that mount once its on the bike.
Cheers,
Tom
 
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Dellis said:
I’m going away on the Commando in June so I decided to buy an extra mount for my Garmin XT that normally lives on my KTM. Got the RAM Mounts parts out and it looked a dogs dinner so decided to make a mount. A few hours on the mill and I’ve made a new pair of handlebar clamps that will accept a bar and the mounting block to fasten the Garmin cradle to. Finished it off this morning and the parts will be going off to my pal Rog for powder coating.

Dave

View attachment 113318View attachment 113319
Click to expand...

You should start producing & selling these Dave, they look class 👍
 
Dellis said:
I’m going away on the Commando in June so I decided to buy an extra mount for my Garmin XT that normally lives on my KTM. Got the RAM Mounts parts out and it looked a dogs dinner so decided to make a mount. A few hours on the mill and I’ve made a new pair of handlebar clamps that will accept a bar and the mounting block to fasten the Garmin cradle to. Finished it off this morning and the parts will be going off to my pal Rog for powder coating.

Dave

View attachment 113318View attachment 113319
Click to expand...
Great work on the mill. Looks great.

Be aware, that the rubber balls in an x-mount provide some modicum of vibration isolation (also flops like a fish in the bottom of a boat at idle 😜)
I would humbly suggest adding some rubber in there somewhere.

I completely understand the XT is ruggedized electronic kit (I have one, rode the TAT with it) but have witnessed the destructive power of vibration.

JMWO
 

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