Congrats. Looks and sounds great.
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My Norton is taking shape
- Thread starter oldGSfan
- Start date
I got my Mikuni VM34 set up and it's idling well, the plugs look good, and it pulls well. Not sure I can ask for more, but I will. It had a 290 main and 45 pilot, really big, wtf. I put a 230 main and 30 pilot in. My 19 y/o son (who found the bike, and will inherit it) has a very good aptitude for bikes, and took to it like a duck to water. I taught him the startup technique and he's able to kick it over first or 2nd try. I shouldn't have doubted it, I was joy riding my older brother's Triumph at 14 when he was away to college haha. I trailed him on a 20-minute ride and he said the front brake's very strong, and altogether it rides fine. It's in our DNA, I guess. He doesn't look like such an ape on it as I do.
Wrenching and riding is a great way to spend time with the kids.
The bike looks great.
The bike looks great.
I took a nice ride up through Trabuco Canyon and stopped at Cook's Corner. Feelings took over for the people involved in the tragedy there not so long ago.
I wondered what you were referring to and found it in the LA Times. Grim stuff.
I didn't mean to get maudlin but I have been to this place often, it's a Harley hangout. Decent greasy grub and bands playing. Brought my son along many times. You just never know who's about to snap.
Back to bike news, it's idling well now that the engine's broken in a bit. I've still got a slight stumble at small mid-throttle openings to figure out. If I gas it, it's fine. It idles and has great power, and sounds sweet. I swapped fork oil for heavier grade and that made a big difference. It's super good, and the disc is really strong. I can chirp the front any time. It starts first or 2nd kick when cold with the Mikuni enrichener lever pushed down, then I ride it away and flip the lever up, and it's a one-kick start. It sounds great and handles well. It doesn't even leak any fluids. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop... I can't be this good of a builder, can I?
Oh, BTW Evel Knievel rode a Norton N15CS before switching to HD. He also had a Willys wagon. So i have that in common with him. No jumps for me though.
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I took a nice ride up through Trabuco Canyon and stopped at Cook's Corner. Feelings took over for the people involved in the tragedy there not so long ago.
Really nice!
Shiney, Fine, Great Wonderfull.
Note to anybody: a search for "Trabuco Canyon Cook's Corner" will find referenced tragidity.
I've been riding the Norton around and things are spot on, the engine is doing great, the rings are seated, it has great compression, plugs fine, charging system and electrics are fine, blows no smoke, starts and idles, shifts, stops, and suspends, sort of. It doesn't even leak, yet. The break-in period is over and it's settled into a nice runner, easy to putt around on, and no issues to fix. But...I decided to torture myself and scored a deal on a set of old Amal Monobloc carbs with the original air filter. I have cleaned them up and got a free parts carb with most of the missing bits I need (slide, jet block, and other little stuff). It may be a fool's errand but two carbs will wake the motor up, allow the proper air filter, and look cool. The Mikuni is OK with the 2:1 manifold - lots of people like the simplicity and better precision, but the intake spigot reduces to 32mm from 40mm and pushes the carb so far back that I have only 1" to squeeze a sock filter in. Not terrible but two carbs with thin intake spacers will let it breathe a lot better.
Because the intake ports aren't splayed, the carbs sat too close together to mount two standard Monoblocs. Notice the solution to the space problem - a shared extended float with a crossover pipe. Later bikes (maybe mine) were fitted with Concentrcs, which don't have the side float chamber. Neither is a particularly great carb, but you can tickle them and get gas all over your fingers so that's a treat. The filter housing chrome cleaned up nicely with just a little pitting. The mesh looks deformed on top in the photo but that's how it is normally. They are hard to find in any condition.
My son is enjoying riding it around too, the clutch pull will make a man out of him yet.
Because the intake ports aren't splayed, the carbs sat too close together to mount two standard Monoblocs. Notice the solution to the space problem - a shared extended float with a crossover pipe. Later bikes (maybe mine) were fitted with Concentrcs, which don't have the side float chamber. Neither is a particularly great carb, but you can tickle them and get gas all over your fingers so that's a treat. The filter housing chrome cleaned up nicely with just a little pitting. The mesh looks deformed on top in the photo but that's how it is normally. They are hard to find in any condition.
My son is enjoying riding it around too, the clutch pull will make a man out of him yet.
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Love that bike and the adventures you are having on it.
When you park the GS1100E too close to the Norton they start to rub off on each other, ha!
I was not happy with my metal shrouded cable coming off the Smith's 'rev counter' drive rubbing the exhaust pipe as the torque twisted it in that direction. I'm gonna give this a try, it seems about right. I need to find the right sized washer, have a pile of Briddish ones somewhere.
I was not happy with my metal shrouded cable coming off the Smith's 'rev counter' drive rubbing the exhaust pipe as the torque twisted it in that direction. I'm gonna give this a try, it seems about right. I need to find the right sized washer, have a pile of Briddish ones somewhere.
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When you park the GS1100E too close to the Norton they start to rub off on each other, ha!
I was not happy with my metal shrouded cable coming off the Smith's 'rev counter' drive rubbing the exhaust pipe as the torque twisted it in that direction. I'm gonna give this a try, it seems about right. I need to find the right sized washer, have a pile of Briddish ones somewhere.
The rivet-counters will have conniptions. You're supposed to put up with its design flaws and idiosyncrasies and not improve anything, least of all some oriental cable hook/tie/securer thingy.
I'm jealous...I may dip my fingers in the tank. And there's no better builder of character than a heavy clutch pull. (I love it when friends sit on my 11EZ and comment about the clutch. Happened a couple of days ago, but I think your Norton makes my Suzi look like a girlie bike. Jeez...even the name is 'slightly' effeminate.) :upset:
I will tell them it's a rare piece of racing unobtanium that, being Philistines, they don't know about.
Another great ride today. I even did a few miles up a fire road. 23K acres burned. The heavy equipment crew was trying to block dirt bikes from ruining the landscape. Nice. The bike runs so well, vibrations are no bother with tall gearing and 7.5:1 compression.
Nope, no plans. I think it looks fine as-is. I tend toward simplicity in aesthetics.
What about a 'start up' vid? Your son films you approaching the Norton cold (hand on exhaust header), then you slowly explain each step in getting it running.
I may be wrong, but I'm under the impression it's a little more involved than turning the key and pushing the button like on our UJMs.
I may be wrong, but I'm under the impression it's a little more involved than turning the key and pushing the button like on our UJMs.