Norton Commando update...

Haven't posted any photos of this for a while cause I was waiting until I was more-or-less happy with it... that and just haven't been in the right kinda mood. I'm sorta getting quite sick of custom motorcycles... for a bit anyway. My Facebook feed and Instagram etc, it's all I ever see, and I'm sick of it. All the bikes look the same now and I dunno but I think I'm just finding it really boring. That said, I'm feeling fairly happy with where my Commando is at... EXCEPT the side covers. I'm gonna strip and repaint them just plain glossy black. I HATE the decals I made for them... as soon as I put them on I realised they look too 'gang-y', and fuck that. I am happy with the tank though, even after a good ribbing from various friends about how I should have got it hand painted, I'm pleased I stuck to my guns and made these decals at school. I won't go into it too much except to say that (like the whole custom bike thing I guess) the hand-painting thing has just started to seem a bit 'twee', a bit 'dinky', and actually too 'crafty' for me. As a graphic designer and NOT an illustrator, I'm more into mechanical reproduction, so this suits me and my schitck I guess. Beyond the decals I'm happy that I've kept the Commando fairly straight. The mods are very 'light', I haven't cut the frame or anything, and all the original bits can be put back on at a moments notice (when I get bored). I like that it looks a bit like it could maybe have come out like this? And it suits my riding better now too, I like to sit a little lower and feel more part of the bike now. That and I just like the way it's looking.. it suits my mood.

I took these photos in the weekend when I was replacing the oil line that runs up to the rockers. Unfortunately the lower banjo bolt had been RTV'd in though and it fell right out as soon as I loosened it, so now I've got the timing cover off for a helicoil or something? Shouldn't be long off the road though and I'm looking forward to riding this to Wellington in March for the Mummies gig there!

Norton Commando Evening Wear

Got my Hi Rider tank and other set of side-covers back off Marty last week. This is the tank I got from India fucking aaaaages ago now, see it when I got it here. And also here it is with Marty last year when he was helping me out with the seat pan. So yeah it's been a long time coming and I was pretty stoked to get a text from Marty last week saying "come get it!"

I've procrastinated for ages over all of this but I'm real fuckin' happy with the plain old gloss black actually. I'd thought about all sorts a shit, even a metal flake, but yeah I dig the gloss black a lot. I'm also happy I didn't chop this bike more. I like the 'mild' customization job I'm doing on this – a light touch! I kinda like that it sorta looks like it coulda' come out like this?

There's still a bit of shit to do. The tank's just sitting on there at the moment. I'm going to make up some decals – not sure what yet – and then when they're on, take it back to Marty for another beautiful thick coat of gloss. I'm going to have to rethink the mounting as I want it to sit higher than normal too...

And yes the white handlebar grips will be going. Maybe onto the Triumph?

Norton – New Bodywork

I was propelled recently to do some shit to the Norton that I'd been thinking about ever since I bought it over five years ago now. The push I needed was breaking the frame!

It wasn't that bad, just a break at the rear loop. I immediately had the dilemma do I fix it 'as-it-was' OR shorten it??? In the end I have chickened out and am getting the frame fixed (and strengthened) in its original proportions. Two reasons for this – 1. This is an all original bike that still even has it's original number plate, AND 2. I'm kinda on the verge of being a bit sick of custom bikes I think? Every day I open my email or web browser and I'm bombarded with the bloody things! They're starting to all look the same to me, although that said you don't see many Nortons chopped and modified.

Anyway... I took the bike to Marty Winders (of Winders Rod and Restoration). Marty is a top man and had done a very similar frame fix for me when I was looking after Tim's bike (I'm pretty sure these breaks have nothing to do with me or my riding?). Looking at Tim's bike now you'd never know it had been touched. Marty is a magician when it comes to metal and paint! While there I'd mentioned to Marty that bloody rusty Hi-Rider tank I'd got out of India last year, and I thought I'd get him to have a look at that too... and then since he was gonna be doing all that I asked if he wouldn't mind also cutting this old seat pan down and welding some new mounts on it for me.

And here it is all underway. I'm going to also get a new blank rear guard that I can cut short and chuck a smaller tail light on (I've got a light on the way already from Christian Condo at the Modern Motor Cycle Company).

So the plan, at this point, is to have essentially a couple of different 'body kits', but to keep the frame original. The whole thing could then be changed over in a very short amount of time but potentially look really different... which'd be good for my short attention span! I also have a cafe racer kit on the go for it (I have rear-sets, but would wanna make a seat and get clip-ons for that... and also probably another tank, maybe an Interstate?).

Hi Rider tank from India (Hi Rider tank number-bloody-2)

So I was really excited when this showed up at my old man's house today. It's ANOTHER Hi Rider tank. Why another one? Because the last one didn't fit... see it here... it's a long story but basically I've figured out that it wasn't a hi rider tank but rather a tank for a P11 or a Ranger, or even a Matchless possibly. The tunnel was too narrow. I tried to modify it and ground away a bunch of the fibreglass until I had holes in the tunnel and then realised how much more I'd have to remove to make it fit... so plan with that one is that either it's a decoration or I may get it re fibreglassed and sell it? So yeah that was a bit of a fucker!

Anyway Once I saw that one in real life I decided it definitely was what I was wanting for the Commando, so I eventually ordered a (so called) brand new bare steel one off Ebay from this company in India – 'Shivam Auto Trading' (whose ID on Ebay is autospare.parts).

I was getting nervous when over a week went by after I'd paid them and I'd had no communication with them at all. Eventually I contacted Ebay, having received no answers to my emails from the seller, and Ebay managed to get them to respond to me. They sent me a strange email (which sounded automatically generated) and then a couple of days later I received a tracking number.

This is when things got good – I tracked the package and it got here ridiculously fast! They sent it on Saturday and it got here today (Tuesday). And so yeah when I went to dad's today and saw this package sitting there I was pretty stoked.

Check out the packaging, amazing huh. It came in it's own tin case. Very impressive. Unfortunately the good vibes end there though...

When I got the tank out it was different to the photos of the one I thought I'd bought. The one I'd purchased wasn't painted at all. It was oiled bare metal. And it was 'brand new'. This one is totally fucking rusty! And has obviously been painted grey very recently. The outside's not such a worry anyway, that's easily fixed and I knew it needed painting anyway. But the inside!? Fuck.

When I picked the tank up you could hear all sorts of shit rattling about inside, so I spent a bit of time shaking it about and all this metal (weld I think?) eventually came out along with a shit load of rusty coloured dust. Needless to say I'm pretty fucked off. I've been trying to get help through Ebay's resolution center but haven't had much luck yet (because they keep putting me onto Paypal saying it's their problem, and Paypal point me back to Ebay!? Anyone have experience with this sorta bullshit?).

Feeling fucked off and down I went to show Marty Winders, the guy who sorted the T150 tank to fit my Thruxton. Marty convinced me I could clean up the inside enough with a bit of work (stones, ball bearings maybe, and a bunch of shaking), and he also pointed out that, on the good side (if there really is one here), it is made of really heavy weight steel. Hmmm...

So I dunno what to do just yet, whether to send this back and try and get my money back, or whether to try my best to just tidy the insides of this one up.

Anyone else out there had experiences like this with these Indian dealers? I'd read a few good reviews about their metalwork, and I thought this was gonna be all ok, but unfortunately it confirms all the stereotypes I'd already imagined. On that note I better check it actually fucking fits onto the bike!? Argh...

 

Temporary seat

Electrical tape and foam rubber!

Triumph update (new tank)... 2

New petrol tank is now fitted, apart from a balance pipe I need to make up and a couple of sleeves for the front mounts. Also gotta extend some wiring on the loom. Had Marty paint the tank and side covers matte black after much procrastination about colours. I'd like to do the tank a kandy red in the future maybe, but doin it black for now. Will hand-paint logos on tank and side covers, but will wait til I get it running and know everythings ok. I'm a little worried about the flow rate from the tank. The old (original) one had a breather pipe and this one just breathes through the cap, old school style.

I really gotta get my head around the seat now. The mounts for the seat are doing my head in a bit. I've cut so much off the seat the base is really weak and I will end up crushing wires and the CDI unit if I don't get it sorted.

Every weekend since I've pulled this bike off the road has been amazing... hoping the weather holds for when she's back on the road!

Triumph update (new tank)

Went to Marty's today to look at this tank. I took the tank to Marty when I realised that even with the lugs cut off the frame the tank still weren't gonna fit. I was deflated, thinking 'fuck it I'll sell this tank and look for something else, but James was here and he suggested taking it to Marty, a friend of his dad's. Marty's amazing. He's a panel-beater/painter by trade and keen motorcyclist to boot. He certainly knows what the hell he's doing. So far he's cut a large part of the tunnel out and welded a new shape back in, including a recessed bit for the fuel tap. I've been round to see him about a week ago, to sort of set the height and position, and then today was to look at the bracket he's made for the rear. The seat pan also connects to this bracket if possible.

I'm really happy with the way it's going, but I'm real keen to drop the dials/clocks now too. They stuck up too much before anyway, but with this new tank they look even more out of place. I'll wait and get the tank and seat sorted first though. The seat is the next thing I gotta deal to. I'd started shaping it before I got this tank, so I'd put it on hold until we get the tank mounted properly. The seat's been tough to figure out, I'm cutting up a pan from a Hinckley Bonneville (keeping my original Thruxton seat), but I've cut so much off it mounting has become a bit of a problem.

Anyway, shit I'm hanging out to have a rideable bike sometime again soon! It feels like it's been ages. It's been a month now I guess? Hopefully the seat doesn't take me too long to figure out? Wish I could ditch work for a week and just nail it.

Old Triumph logo

Funnily enough just after posting the Triumph logos here yesterday I looked over at Pipeburn here and saw this bike which actually uses the gold one with the lion. This is a pretty amazing build, using a Hinkely Bonneville engine. Built and designed by Pangea Speed here. This was the best picture of the tank with the logo on it... thing is this had made me think maybe a Triumph logo isn't the best idea. I mean Triumph didn't build this bike. Just the engine. I think the tank should ref the builder maybe? Not that I'm doing a rebuild!? Wishing I was the more I think about it. Strip the entire thing and start with the frame and stance of the thing. That would be great... you can see how things spiral out of control and people don't have bikes to ride anymore.

Old Triumph logos

Been looking at old Triumph logos with the idea of putting one on the new tank I'm putting onto the Thruxton. Thought I'd stash a bunch here. Still not sure what I'll do, kinda waiting to see the tank sitting properly on the bike, but I'm also thinking about putting my own design on the tank, ie. NOT a Triumph thing at all? Maybe an H.F.O.S thing? Really not sure...

New petrol tank for the Thruxton

I finally bit the bullet and shelled out for a new tank last week, and it just got here today. Having paid for the thing I read in the weekend some guy on the TriumphRat forum saying to someone else that there was no way this would work, that the tunnel in the tank would be too small. I was freaking out thinking shit I shoulda checked this out more before buying the tank, so when it arrived today I got busy straight away seeing if and how it might work. Good news! It's going to work, and won't require any mods to the tank. I will have to grind a couple of lugs of the frame though (the ones that hold the front of the current tank). I had been trying to do everything without cutting the frame at all, but fuck it I think this tank is going to look totally fucking awesome, so get out the grinder! I will have to reroute the loom a bit, maybe pull it apart to do this, but I don't think that'll be too difficult. Also, obviously, will have to make up some pretty serious brackets. The one at the back will be easy enough I think, the front will require a little more thought. Anyway sitting the tank on the bike, even though it won't go down past those lugs, I'm pretty happy with the shape of it. Might even grind of those lugs this weekend so I can get started thinking about brackets etc. AND then I'll be able to fit it over the frame and actually eyeball it 'on' the bike.

This is a NOS tank! And I know there's a bunch of Triumph owners who aren't going to be very happy about this... esp more so because I'm planning to get rid of the mounts for the tank badges and paint the thing (probably black?). It is original paint too. Sorry guys, but I couldn't find another one in shitty condition to do this with... and hey, you coulda bought it if you loved it so much. Still I do feel a bit guilty, she's a beautiful object that's for sure...