What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

I found another use for a smallish C spanner I had in the garage: the outside of the curved section fits the bigger primary inspection cover slots perfectly in width and curvature!
Funnily enough our IKEA potato masher (don’t tell the wife) and it’s handle do exactly that for the 2 inspection covers on my Kawasaki W800 Cafe which is just as well when one finds out how much Kawasaki want for their tool😱
 
Went to Dixon Antique Motorcycle Rally, about 65 miles on the freeway, Friday afternoon. Two hours of slow and go. Checked into motel (with AIR CONDITIONING- Dixon was over 90 fahrenheit!) and went to fairgrounds for a meeting. Stopped on way back to pick up a flasher at an auto parts store, since the turn signals had stopped working on the way up. Called two Norton Club friends in vicinity. Waited until the sun started to go down and went out to parking lot to work on turn signals. Found that the problem was a loose connection. Verified turn signals worked with the headlight in place and returned to air conditioned room until friends showed up. We all went out to very good Mexican dinner. Got up early in the AM and went to show - I was helping out. Eventually retreated to motel, I was tired and hot. Got up early Sunday AM and rode home on the scenic route. Norton ran smoothly, no oil leaks, no gearbox leaks, turn signals worked. About 150 miles in total for the weekend.
 
Did not get too far out of my garage yesterday!Ah,living in the woods.
What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
 
Been riding my bike to work and figure that our bikes qualify to park here....
At about 45 miles per gallon I think they are relatively low emissions vehicles.....That's about 2.5 gallons of fuel for me to ride to work and back as opposed to the 9ish gallons my old truck or E38 would guzzle down for the same trip.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?
 
Been riding my bike to work and figure that our bikes qualify to park here....
At about 45 miles per gallon I think they are relatively low emissions vehicles.....That's about 2.5 gallons of fuel for me to ride to work and back as opposed to the 9ish gallons my old truck or E38 would guzzle down for the same trip.

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so about 50 miles each way? Quite a commute!
 
LOL. We‘re having a heat wave over here at the mo, over 37deg C and so bloody humid. Just as well that I can’t ride anyways after me and the Tr***ph parted ways almost five weeks ago so am stuck indoors with the a/c blasting, leg in a big boot. At least I can look at the Commando longingly and a good buddy has called a couple of times to fire it and the others up for me.

Enjoy riding when you can.
 
LOL. We‘re having a heat wave over here at the mo, over 37deg C and so bloody humid. Just as well that I can’t ride anyways after me and the Tr***ph parted ways almost five weeks ago so am stuck indoors with the a/c blasting, leg in a big boot. At least I can look at the Commando longingly and a good buddy has called a couple of times to fire it and the others up for me.

Enjoy riding when you can.
Same heat dome moved north into Canada . We drove the MK 111 across town to the Beaches to swim in ice water , hot and sticky going in heavy traffic . Forced to do a little split-laning to prevent the overheated motor from melting under the Gardiner on Lakeshore west parking lot . Had to turn off the ign. 4 X. just to survive it .
 
I've been riding my bike almost every day this season. I put 76 mi. on it today. I ride it every chance I get. Going to breakfast? Ride the Commando. Running errands? Ride the Commando. Going to your buddies house? Ride the...... You get it. Around 1200 mi. in less than a month. Loving it!
 

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Well, it's been a side panel kinda day. The modifications to the right side I mentioned earlier on worked out well (although I am tempted to remove the protruding part completely).
Then I took a look at the left one which is a pain in the arse to refit with it's horrible plastic Dzus fastener. So I removed the plastic female part of it from the bracket and fixed an M6 computer rack captive nut in its place. Next I got an M6 knob and removed the first few threads on the lathe to make it easier to locate and start. I was very pleased with the result, as the panel seems much more secure.

I reckon I have removed two annoying rattle sources today.

More work to do in this space as the front Dzus on the left panel is also very difficult to locate on an Interstate.
My issue with screw-type keepers of left-side panels is the loss of every panel I've ever had secured by one and nothing else. Somehow, they unscrew. Today, I always add something to ensure that when they unscrew, the panel does not get away. This is often a zip-tie through an added hole and around a frame tube. PITA when you need to get in there, but I've never lost a panel with one added.
 
Decided that today I was not going to use the electric start and rely on the kickstart only. Cold start on the second kick. Next six or seven starts was one or two kicks. I think I’m getting the knack of it.
Removed the kicker , forever . Plus the center stand . 10 Lbs . gone .
 
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