What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Stevo said:

Fitted a reed valve from Mikes XS the other day. Judging by the musical hum when first kicking the bike over then the virtual lack of positive pressure at the breather outlet in the oil tank when running, it seems to be working.

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@Stevo, Mikes XS specialized in Yamah parts and I found the reed valve they sell. Where did you fit it onto your engine? Pictures would be great. Thanks.

Hey, I didn’t take pics of my install though we should thank Dan for his shown here and this is exactly how mine is fitted too.
Steve

Thread 'Trixie With Her Knickers Down'
https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/trixie-with-her-knickers-down.38829/

Didn’t intend linking the whole thread, sorry. Digitally challenged here.

Took ‘Arnie’ on his first overnight trip to my cousin’s home near Norwich, about a 160 miles from me, spotted this road that leads to the village by the same name; thankfully mine didn’t’ ‘blo’!





Garaged overnight next to his pride and joy, a rare Lotus Escort Mk1 owned since he was 16, (now 63) To be rebuilt… one day

An unplanned detour on my return run today caused by running out of mobile data and thus took a wrong turn off the A11 meant I ended up by pure chance at a small village just outside of Cambridge. Hang about, I’ve another cousin who lives here! Popped in for a quick cuppa before the 100 final leg.

Make no mistake, these Corbin seats are the bollox. Six hours 5 in the saddle, two petrol top ups and a 40min tea break and no discomfort is pretty impressive.

Café au Lait said:

Took ‘Arnie’ on his first overnight trip to my cousin’s home near Norwich, about a 160 miles from me, spotted this road that leads to the village by the same name; thankfully mine didn’t’ ‘blo’!

Garaged overnight next to his pride and joy, a rare Lotus Escort Mk1 owned since he was 16, (now 63) To be rebuilt… one day

An unplanned detour on my return run today caused by running out of mobile data and thus took a wrong turn off the A11 meant I ended up by pure chance at a small village just outside of Cambridge. Hang about, I’ve another cousin who lives here! Popped in for a quick cuppa before the 100 final leg.

Make no mistake, these Corbin seats are the bollox. Six hours 5 in the saddle, two petrol top ups and a 40min tea break and no discomfort is pretty impressive.

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Cafe,

How did your tail bag work out and how was it attached?
Thanks,Mike

As fate typically demands, the "legbone connected to the thighbone" syndrome has swept over my shop.

This was just supposed to be a cleanup / detail / quick fix to trailer to a nearby bike show, and now it has turned into fixing stuff I said I'd fix "one of these days" including:

-Permanent sidestand stop
-Pit Bull bolts on the swingarm
-Proper setback on the fork yokes, with proper bar mount provision
-Proper shimming and spacers in the front hub & bearings
-Proper headlight mounts
-Proper meter mounts
-Rear inner fender
-Chainguard

Of course add to that:

-"missing" 1-into-2 throttle cable (don't remember when I robbed that)
-"missing" tach & speedo inner cables (same gremlins, I suppose)
-matching grips (all this time, they were slightly mismatched)
-clutch lever (broken ball end)
-all new fuel lines and intake crossover tube
-braided stainless top end oil line set (replaces cheap plastic ones)
-rebuild rear brake master cylinder (of course)
-third mounting pin for left sidecover (lower rear)
-battery (of course)
-battery hold-down strap (perished)
-all new muffler rubber bobbins (perished)
-de-rust and touch-up paint several non-stock fasteners including rear axle (CAT heavy equip't bolt)
-polish all alloy engine covers
-polish fork legs
-install dual neck K&N clone air filter (only $30 on Amazon)

So, THIS bike will take 2 or maybe 3 WEEKS, instead of DAYS. And, I still have three others to get done (not nearly as extensive) before Nov. 2nd!

It was a L-O-N-G day yesterday...

Tore that sucker right down, by golly!



Liberated the forks, mainly to get at the yokes...



Pit Bull bolts done.



Yokes came home with me, I'm doing AutoCAD design of a new set, and plans for modifying this set; we'll see which one is less expensive...

YING said:

Cafe,

How did your tail bag work out and how was it attached?
Thanks,Mike

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No tail bag, that’s a small rucksack strapped behind the shocks and rear frame loop then 1 bungee around the tail light; completely solid, easy access to the zipped pockets etc. Had change of clothes, wet weather gear, tools, oil etc which weighed a ton (no way I’d have had that on my back) I didn’t need of course.

Checked my Odo today, that run was actually 400+ miles and the vibes started to piss me off. Checked the Isolastics for the 1st time today, 2.5 holes front, 1.5 rear. Changed to 1.5 on both, horrendous, 2.5 both, nice

Café au Lait said:

Checked my Odo today, that run was actually 400+ miles and the vibes started to piss me off. Checked the Isolastics for the 1st time today, 2.5 holes front, 1.5 rear. Changed to 1.5 on both, horrendous, 2.5 both, nice

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Don't forget spraying Teflon lube in there whilst you are at it . ISO's need lube .

Torontonian said:

Don't forget spraying Teflon lube in there whilst you are at it . ISO's need lube .

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Thanx, I didn’t know that. Easy job so I’ll get on it. I guess having the Comstock Headsteady is why the bike doesn’t now feel like a goose waddling

Which stand should the bike be on when adjusting, centre, side or either and why please?

Speedo work . Pulled all the electronic one pieces off . I'm now thinking the connectors are the real problem what with they are tiny and don't fit snugly enough . Hence the drop outs .

Café au Lait said:

Thanx, I didn’t know that. Easy job so I’ll get on it. I guess having the Comstock Headsteady is why the bike doesn’t now feel like a goose waddling

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All ISO's need lube regularly . Many neglect that . Peel back the dust covers on the front to spray in , then peel back into place .
The rear ones do not need dust covers , tear them off and spray regularly with Teflon , ALA CNW practice .

And "just like that", I'm sticking with the original ZX6 yokes. $800+ is over the top for custom yokes.

It's just going to still be a wide turner at low speeds.

Speedo work . Pulled all the electronic one pieces off . I'm now thinking the connectors are the real problem what with they are very tiny and don't fit snugly enough . Hence the drop outs .
New speedo gearbox , new greased up cable , old but working fine original speedo to be installed , next . Tomorrow . Off to a BBQ tonight , then Tomorrow T.O. Islands Gibraltar Point , so more likely the next day . Oh wait , I have a date with my fishing Buddy to go get a northern watershed Salmon . Run is on . So no more Norton work for 3 days .

2WheelsUp said:

@Stevo, Mikes XS specialized in Yamah parts and I found the reed valve they sell. Where did you fit it onto your engine? Pictures would be great. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Put mine in the breather from the engine to the tank high in front of the oil tank. line is near vertical to the reed valve and slightly down hill to breather port on oil tank. This is on a combat.

I have a wedding to attend this weekend in the town (Manistee, MI) where I grew up. I trailered the Norton up with me and did a nostalgic tour through town followed by a nice sunset romp up the Lake Michigan shoreline on beautiful twisty roads to Frankfort.
Best ride ever (so far). The Commando is running great. The only issue was when I shoulder checked the lane next to me at 65mph my sunglasses flew off. Went back and got them no problem. Another lesson learned.

Forgot the pics.

Saber said:

Forgot the pics.

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Life is good!

ilikevelos said:

Put mine in the breather from the engine to the tank high in front of the oil tank. line is near vertical to the reed valve and slightly down hill to breather port on oil tank. This is on a combat.

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The mayo must drain.
Mine was like this 40,000 miles

Early evening blast thru sunny Sussex n Kent countryside , bike running grand in fading sunshine …
80 years after Arnhem , grateful to those that took part in this and many other such combat conflicts which mean I can do as I please…within reason of course .

Yesterday: Checked the front brake pucks (within spec) bled front brake, filled up tank. with idea to get up in early AM and ride to breakfast meet in scenic area. Weatherman promised hot, sunny day.
Today: Got up and looked outside. Fog and a little drizzle. Weatherman lied again! Left Norton home and rode to gathering on Hinkley Triumph. Got back home as promised sun was starting to peek through clouds. Now safe to ride Norton, so I swapped bikes and did a 32 mile run. Bike running well. Brakes have stopped squeaking, so either the brake bleeding did the trick or my most excellent Brownkitty caught the mouse.

Put together two bottom ends today, one for my bike and one for an engine that will be sold. Both had to go into the grill to shim the mains. My engine is for a MKIIA, the other a std. 850.