Norton Commando Interstate Mk 11 a 1974

Coolcarbon said:
When we got the 'Electric Start' 850...it only really managed to crack up that Empire State Building type stroke when the motor was warm, first start of the day always involved the kick start, assisted by the 'button'...:D
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Since we're in reminiscence mode...... I had the head on mine ported, fitted a 3S cam and 10.25:1 Omega pistons. I'm not sure that it actually made any difference to the performance and the porous head casting certainly didn't help. However, the high compression pistons ensured that I had to jump up and down on the kickstart and use the button every time.

This would be '77......

meonthecommando1.JPG
 
Wally Bradshaw, a retired Leicester bike cop, told me years ago that the best chase he was ever involved with was ona Police Commando, the chap he was chasing was also on one, they went half way round Leicestershire on back roads before the guy got away :)

Would this be one the adverts you mean CC?
 

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Not dissimilar to those Ads I mentioned....;)

All you needed there Mike, was the obligatory 'Bell bottomed' Totty on yer Pillion seat...with a fair bit of cleavage on show....those were the fantastically politically incorrect days.....bliss...:D
 
Rob Farmer said:
Wally Bradshaw, a retired Leicester bike cop, told me years ago that the best chase he was ever involved with was ona Police Commando, the chap he was chasing was also on one, they went half way round Leicestershire on back roads before the guy got away :)

Would this be one the adverts you mean CC?
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Damn, as I painted the word picture, you posted the real McCoy...Spot on...:thumb2
 
I suspect it was more likely this one though ;)
 

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Coolcarbon said:
All you needed there Mike, was the obligatory 'Bell bottomed' Totty on yer Pillion seat...with a fair bit of cleavage on show....those were the fantastically politically incorrect days.....bliss...:D
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The Commando was good for ejecting said totty from the pillion. I remember a humpback bridge in East Lothian with the Commando in mid air and ex SWMBO with her arse a good six inches off the seat and the shout of "BASTARD" echoing behind me......:D

My Ducati single was actually a better pulling tool. A short ride on the pillion of that was pretty much guaranteed to get any girl out of her knickers. Must have been the vibration.....:)
 
Both bikes have had their engines rebuilt by the guy who owns the 850. He's well known around here as being a good mechanic, so I think I'm safe mechanically.

Just been to see the 750, it's a Mk 5:confused: Looks a lot better paint work wise, but it's the roadster. So the tank doesn't do it for me. It has a pair of very loud side silencers, mounted on the left. He said that these are the same as fitted to the Early Triumph Hurricane. I preferred the exhaust system on the 850.
Still don't really know why I want one:confused:

Regards Mr.:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
Schtum said:
My Ducati single was actually a better pulling tool. A short ride on the pillion of that was pretty much guaranteed to get any girl out of her knickers. Must have been the vibration.....:)
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Nah, yer Boy-ish good looks and that Griffen Helmet more like....:D
 
This one doesn't have the cones on the ends, or the heatshields, also the exhaust pipes are a snugger fit together.

Also the 750 will have new swinging arm bushes, this involves fitting oversize bushes, and what looks like the swing arm "carrier plate?" being removed from the bike for this work to be done.

Hew,
I have the possible option of Guzzi T3. I do like the looks of the Guzzis, it's that engine layout, could always bend the heads on the GS?
 
ELIMINATOR said:
Still don't really know why I want one:confused:
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Brit bikes aren't for the faint hearted. If you have any doubts don't bother. You have to be prepared to get your spanners out after almost every ride to tweak something. More than likely during the ride as well. The pleasure :)rolleyes: ) comes from knowing the bike inside out (literally). A well setup Commando is a great bike to ride but for every hour on the road there's probably been a couple in the garage. We used to spend hours wedged into sheds and garages taking the piss out of whoevers turn it was to skin their knuckles with a dodgy set of Whitworth spanners...not everybodies cup of tea.
 
Clive said:
Sheds and Garages? You were lucky.
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I did my time under a sheet of plastic when It rained Clive. trying to set the magneto timing on a BSA A7 with wet fingers and a fag paper and me dads every ready pushbike light held in me teeth :rob
 
Rob Farmer said:
Brit bikes aren't for the faint hearted. If you have any doubts don't bother. You have to be prepared to get your spanners out after almost every ride to tweak something.
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With all due respect I disagree.......
My Norton 850 Interstate never failed me, nor my Dommie 99 that I had before..... I totally rebuilt my 99 including a Wal Phillips "fuel injector" that I modified to work well ( yes.... even with changing fuel tank levels.)
My mechanical skills were (at the time) basic but I found it a simple motor to rebuild....:nenau
 
alimey4u2 said:
With all due respect I disagree.......
My Norton 850 Interstate never failed me, nor my Dommie 99 that I had before..... I totally rebuilt my 99 including a Wal Phillips "fuel injector" that I modified to work well ( yes.... even with changing fuel tank levels.)
My mechanical skills were (at the time) basic but I found it a simple motor to rebuild....:nenau
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I'm impressed that you got one of those Wal Philips things to work. I had a friend who fitted MkII Amals to his 750 Commando and they were an improvement over the MkI version.

I take it that your Interstate was pre MkIII. I think I dismantled the primary drive on mine about twice a week on average because of the hydraulic chain tensioner which didn't....:rolleyes:

It's a shame that Kenny Dreer's company has collapsed. The born again Commando was a fine looking device.....

norton_950.jpg
 
Schtum said:
I take it that your Interstate was pre MkIII. I think I dismantled the primary drive on mine about twice a week on average because of the hydraulic chain tensioner which didn't....:rolleyes:
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An early 850 model fitted with "combat" ( reverse cone) silencers. In a prior post they were said to be quiet but in actuality there was a restrictor on the ends that could be simply removed. This mod ( in discussions with Andover ) opened them up together with the advice to remove the air filter..

Yup Kenny Dreer's bike was a sad loss but BMW's gain in my case......
 
alimey4u2 said:
An early 850 model fitted with "combat" ( reverse cone) silencers. In a prior post they were said to be quiet but in actuality there was a restrictor on the ends that could be simply removed.
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Yes, I had the "peashooters" on mine but they were anything but quiet. I think mine were pattern ones as they didn't have an easily removed restrictor. In my case someone had taken a long steel rod and a hammer and had knocked them out. It really was a lovely noise. I used to revel in watching car drivers jump as I snuck up behind them and then whacked it open to overtake. :D
 
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