What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

SteveA · 2025-03-16T06:21:29-0600

Bonzo said:
Me too, at least when I first started buying - now, the first thing I do is scribble a brief description of (for example) where that washer belongs on its packet and file the receipt in my box file. Popping the part number in the AN search box to find out what I have just shows a picture of the part, not what it's for.

Edit* Blimey! I complicated that. I know what I mean

I used to keep a spreadsheet list of all of my part numbered bike part purchases....then the computer hard drive crashed!

SteveA · 2025-03-16T06:30:47-0600

I didn't do anything with my Norton today. But I did ride my AJS to the pub for the first of planned monthly classic bike and car mornings. Chilly, and I broke my hearing aid in my pocket! Trip to the audiologist tomorrow, if my wife hasn't killed me before then!

This week I have put the rebuilt TTi gearbox back into the Rickman Norton, changed the gearing and installed the drive chain. I don't propose to go into detail, but 'rebuilding' it was a saga running from October to beginning of March.

Next: Install and align the Norman White clutch with new steel plates. Fit belt, pulley and cover. Fit the carbs and exhaust, fill with oil and try to run it up.

Might get that done by the end of the month!

ashman · 2025-03-16T07:03:57-0600

Fast Eddie said:
Why choose second best ??

Well I am a Featherbed person and they were more involved with Norton from the 50s till late 60s, Seeley not so as far as I know, my first taste of a British motorcycle was riding my mate's hot 750 Commando in a Wideline Featherbed at 17 then buying my new 850 Commando 2 weeks later then converting it to the Featherbed in 1980, so you know my choice of frames.

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Fast Eddie · 2025-03-16T07:09:38-0600

ashman said:
Well I am a Featherbed person and they were more involved with Norton from the 50s till late 60s, Seeley not so as far as I know, my first taste of a British motorcycle was riding my mate's hot 750 Commando in a Wideline Featherbed at 17 then buying my new 850 Commando 2 weeks later then converting it to the Featherbed in 1980, so you know my choice of frames.
View attachment 118794 View attachment 118795

Don’t make it too easy for me Ash… I was only winding you up !!

I still ride both a featherbed and a Seeley on the track. I don’t think I’m a good enough rider to stipulate which is better and why. I’d argue that the better set up bike would be better.

Fast Eddie · 2025-03-16T07:13:09-0600

robs ss said:
Okay - I did not know all that.
It was just that when I looked at the AN parts list the mushroom ones were just one part number different (1890 vs 1891) and are about 10GBP dearer.
I haven't hit on a touchy point here, have I?

Hardly!

As I said… I thought you were gonna give us an answer !

So now I’ve opened it up to others to counter my points.

I’m genuinely interested in understanding the arguments for the positive.

baz · 2025-03-16T08:42:38-0600

I've seen at least one Allen key type tappet snapped level with the bottom of the Allen key hole
So be careful with tightening the locknut

Schwany · 2025-03-16T09:24:20-0600

Bonzo said:
I think the mushroom ones need the rockers removing to fit and I couldn't be arsed.

Happy with the socket heads as regards adjustment. Much easier & more accurate than the standard set up

I've been using the socket head adjusters and stellite valve tip caps since the early 1990's. The first set of the socket head adjusters I bought was soft and got little craters in them that put divots in the valve tips, then I got a second set and the stellite caps. I also put the stellite caps on Black Diamond KW valves that are not supposed to need them. I may have tried some elephant foot adjusters back then, but they were problematic to install or came apart. Anywho, the socket heads are definitely easier to work with in tight spaces.

hybridracer · 2025-03-16T10:08:31-0600

baz said:
I've seen at least one Allen key type tappet snapped level with the bottom of the Allen key hole
So be careful with tightening the locknut

The answer to that is in “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance”

Café au Lait · 2025-03-16T10:35:49-0600

Fast Eddie said:
Hardly!

As I said… I thought you were gonna give us an answer !

So now I’ve opened it up to others to counter my points.

I’m genuinely interested in understanding the arguments for the positive.

As you know, I know bugger all except for changing tappet adjusters

For those that don’t remember, I recently had a mushroom type fail and when I removed the other 3 they were all badly pitted but the valve stems were undamaged thankfully. I did manage to replace them with a far sturdier design with only by removing the spindles and by means of a wooden barbecue skewer to keep the washer and Thackeray in place.

The supposed advantage of the mushroom type is they’re reputedly kinder to the valve stems and I can only say, despite the horrendous condition of the adjusters they were still flat, no centre dimples after 12k miles. They also have Allen key sockets which I prefer to the flat blade screwdriver arrangement of the old set.

baz · 2025-03-16T12:55:20-0600

Let's not forget the tappet should strike off centre to the valve to help promote rotation
And I assume to spread the wear on the valve stem

ashman · 2025-03-16T13:52:53-0600

Fast Eddie said:
Don’t make it too easy for me Ash… I was only winding you up !!

I still ride both a featherbed and a Seeley on the track. I don’t think I’m a good enough rider to stipulate which is better and why. I’d argue that the better set up bike would be better.

No wind up for me Nigel, I can only comment on the Featherbed, set up right they are great to ride and handle great, as for a Seeley I have never rode one with a Norton motor or anything so can't compare, last big group ride I had a few comments on how good my Norton goes and playing games in the twisties with my mates, so much fun running circles around them lol.
As I have said have never had any problems using the stock valve adjusters to justified changing them for others.

BERT · 2025-03-16T14:15:13-0600

baz said:
Let's not forget the tappet should strike off centre to the valve to help promote rotation
And I assume to spread the wear on the valve stem

And/or to help keep the valve seat clean

robs ss · 2025-03-16T14:43:20-0600

SteveA said:
Since both 'Seeley'and 'featherbed' fames are still winning races on the IoM you may need to be pedantic about your cut off date for 'TT' wins!

And, do you count any MGP, Classic TT wins etc?

You may want to specify who made them? Colin Seeley 'himself', Norton, or countless other copies?

Was just responding to "second best" - second best at what?

nortonmargie · 2025-03-16T16:36:03-0600

I rode Norton two weeks ago and noticed that head and tail light were not working. I set out to fix these problems. Headlight issue was due to the head/pilot switch being nudged a bit in the wrong direction. Headlight now working, I went for the tail light. Brake lights work (front and rear brake) but not tail light. Removed lens and saw that one filament was broken. Hoping for an easy fix, I went to the auto parts store, bought a new tail light and installed. Tail light still does not work. Get the service manual turn to Mark III wiring diagram... and I can't find the tail light in the diagram. Is this some sort of puzzle? The wires to the tail light are brown/green and brown. There is a red ground wire in its little case. Where is the tail light in the diagram?

What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

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