Відео

My Mk3 was built in 1977, but wasn't registered until 1984 (on an 'A' plate..) I bought her in 1989 when it was absolutely factory standard, had been registered for only 5 years and had only 3200 miles on the clock (yet it had already had 3 former owners?..) The only badly assembled thing I ever found was that the centre head bolt was just dropped into it's hole, this revealed itself by blowing the original composite head gasket ! - I fitted a solid copper head gasket and it's been fine ever since.. While the bolt was 'on the loose' it's rattling had worn away the first three or four threads in the barrel, but luckily it still had enough to tighten down securely.. Apart from peashooters it's still standard and it's been a great bike, I absolutely love it !

Thank you for outlining the "pre-production" vehicle process; it is little known and greatly misunderstood among Commando enthusiasts. Most years during Commando production (and it happened pretty much every year) the process was repeated. There were three stages of these "pre-prod" motorcycles. The first were some special ones, built with production or at least production-looking components for special purposes, such as photography for sales and brochure purposes, dealer launch shows or meetings, public shows, influential magazine road tests timed to hit sales at the time the first motorcycles arrived at dealers, etc. Sometimes, these motorcycles didn't have parts inside the engine or gearbox but they were as complete as they needed to be. Most of these motorcycles were so far from final production spec that they couldn't be sold to the public, at least not without significant rebuilding or refitting. The second stage was for production fit and process. These motorcycles were put down the production line using fully-production spec components to validate all aspects of the assembly process. All the time that it took to assure that things fit together properly, were correctly sequenced on production (i.e. you can't have a process that calls for assembly of wheels to a motorcycle on the line before the wheels are spoked up, trued, and tyres fitted, as a silly-simple example), and all the non-vehicle items in the production process are present and correctly outfitted (tools like torque spanners, alignment jigs, bins for newly-introduced parts properly sized and located in the stillages at the correct assembly stages, etc.). As I mentioned, these were slow processes to assess that everything was right to produce the motorcycles and time was taken for measurements, installation of new tools or fixtures, and worker training. Then the results of the analyses done were returned to design engineering and production engineering staff for final validation and technical review. In theory, these motorcycles were fully to the specification of the motorcycles that were planned when full series production was to begin. The final "preprod" stage was a batch of motorcycles that were built on the production line at full production schedule speed. These builds were done by the assembly line workers using the established production processes and they were timed to assure that the most efficient procedures were used to build the production motorcycles to the lowest cost and quickest time involved in the process. While there was some involvement of production engineering and production planning personnel, they were mostly involved in overseeing and measuring each process rather than being actually a part of the processes. The finished motorcycles were mostly held for dispatch to distributors until series production had begun although there were cases where addition motorcycles were built at this stage to meet market demand. In the case of the introduction of the new models for production meant for January, 1972 -- the introduction of the Combat engine, the front disc brake, and the Interstate models -- there were a number of full-production pre-prod motorcycles built from October through December, 1971; some of these motorcycles were shipped to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other Southern Hemisphere markets so that they could be put into dealers' showrooms with timing to match their "selling season". Others were used to obtain the new processes instituted by mostly European governments for "Type Approval" of new models and for dealer stock for these markets, and more motorcycles than previously had been built for allocation to the N. American distributors (Berliner in the eastern US, Norton Villiers Corporation in the west, and Canadian distributors) so that the distribution "pipelines" in these markets could be filled for a more-than-adequate number of motorcycles to supply the expected sales of these new models. A brief look at production dispatch records and serial number batches indicates that at least 1200 motorcycles of the "1972 models" were built and mostly put into distribution prior to the actual start of production of the 1972 Commandos. If you include some early builds with standard engines (it was originally planned for the Combat engine to be an "option" at additional cost but market demand meant that this never really happened; also, the '72 model Hi-Rider Commandos were specified to have standard engines), it could be that the total number of these pre-prod '72 Commando could have reached 1600 - 2000 finished motorcycles -- prior to the "official" start of production of these models. This is very different to the earlier years when the number of pre-prod motorcycles probably did not reach more than 25 - 40 total of the three types, and it was not repeated in '73 due to a number of unsold Commandos in stock at the end of 1972 following the "Combat" engine failure and the fact that the 850 was not available for the beginning of production until the spring of 1973. A deep financial depression worldwide following the first major "Oil Crisis" also meant that production plans for 1974 did not call for a significant number of pre-prods. The number of a significant pre-prod motorcycles in 850 Mk3 production in late 1974 prior to official start of 850 production again mirrored that experience from 1972 and produced the situation as described by Ashley in this video.

One question on the single sided transmission main output bearing. The one seal option. I was thinking that if you dont let the oil through to the output seal will it shorten the life of the seal. Good work Andover. I bought a bunch of items from you and some lost parts came out of a hole in the box and you guys shipped replacements asap thanks.

I've had my 1977 registered Mk3 since 1982, when I bought it second hand, as it had apparently been traded in for a Laverda Jota. It was crashed by the first owner 6 months after he bought it and was rebuilt. I have got its mileage up to 100,000. The bike was originally a silver Interstate and as Ashley suggested was quite heavy. I converted it to Roadster specification, put peashooter pipes on it and an unbalanced exhaust, and this lightened it a little. I converted it to Boyer years ago and it is still running it's second black box. I had a Prestolite dealer convert the starter to 4 brushes and put in a 750 battery tray so that a bigger battery could be fitted and together with a different solenoid the starter was quite reliable. It has a single Amal carb conversion, which makes the throttle much lighter but knocks the acceleration down. The bike itself is reliable, but I have found that riding it for over 40 years that modern cars have got a lot faster and my poor old Mk 3 is still quite heavy compared to the 750 Commando, and so gets passed by quite easily. I would recommend a Mk3, but a very light 750 will have you grinning more.

nice old norton...what does the letter P on the cases stand for?

i was getting clutch drag with new surflex plates and ended up subing one new friction plate with a used one and problem solved, nice and light and more importantly the correct pushrod clearance. ...snicks nicely into neutral at a standstill like AMC box should 👍

Good job, Andover Norton, from Australia.

Nice bike

Drool,drool......

What a lovely, honest machine 👍

❤

Hi , I've just come across your videos and very good and informative they are , I presume it would be basically the same process with a 650ss with older concentrics ? Thanks

Send it over to Allan Milyard.

Who built this engine, Ashley? I've never heard of this one! Thx, BH

Handy tip re the live terminal, Ashley - that situation could be 'terminal' for anyone with a pacemaker!!! cheers, Phil

It is real great , that the Parts Situation for Norton is better than for every Mercedes 👍

Looks like a lot of fun!!

out standing my brothers🥰🥰😍😍🤩🤩😘😀😀😀

Interesting....❤

Simon, the crank-csse breather kit for the 71/72 commandos, is that something that was added on later? My 71 is not equipped with those items... I am sure my is all factory. There is however a breather on the left end/side of the crank-csse. Mark

Good job, Andover.

Great video and very helpful. Is it possible to get better close in video on? Some areas that are pointed out did not have a good close up of the area being addressed.

What bike is this ?

Tacho completely non functional and a wildly inaccurate Speedo. If only you knew somewhere you could get parts!

That was interesting. I'm an old timer now, 77, got my first Norton, a Commando 'S' in 1970, "Oh the Joy" of ripping through the Colorado Rockies... Had no idea that a few lucky tractors had the pleasure of being powered by a Norton engine.

On my list of places to visit when I’m able :)

Basic things...but still many adjust just a cable....not a clutch rod which is the most important... Thanks again, good work

When I had problems with stack high, I mixed used and new plates and worked well. Additionally I have use narrowed steel plates, later found out to be same size than yours. I have narrowed also triumphs and other bikes steel plates/or friction plates, needing less spring pressure and plates release easy after winter "hibernation" ... helps cable life and you fingers too 😁

Thank's guys, good memories.... saw one foreigner too😁😇

Moin Joe, nice ride. Greeting from the Harz. Stefan

Love it! Ah, yes, I remember that sound...

Also Ashley , taking a plug off to tune with electronic ignition is not good either .

Absolutely fascinating stuff thanks for the invaluable info, gonna be doing the gearbox on my 68 soon so will be great to check all this out thanks for sharing never stop learning that’s for sure.

That’s absolutely brilliant to see :) always fancied building a Commando with the best components I could possibly get, looks so good you could stick it on your mantelpiece let alone in an engine.

Absolutely brilliant video Ashley that’s the way I settled on doing it on mine :) good to know I’m doing it the right way, one tip for anyone fitting premier concentric carbs on the 650SS double check your pilot jets, I had a case where they had come with the wrong ones fitted when they were new :) On monoblocs on the 650SS now a premiers on the 68 Commando :)

great tips👍. ....ive done the plug off one side thing once, many years ago and got zapped by the magneto😂

Hi Ashley, One thing I learned on my Commando during my restoration is to have a little slack in the throttle cable at the twist grip. Initially I had zero play/zero slack and everytime I went to turn the handle the engine would pick up in rpm's. I have approximately 1/8" slack and that setting seems to work well...

Badly kinked clutch cable I saw.......

Good "boys" you are😁😇

Just put the 3mm steel plate in mine today to replace an original plate and a 1mm shim plate I cut out of a piece of stainless. To get the stack height correct and have light operation at the lever. Time will tell.

Thanks for helping us look after our heirlooms. Respect to Andover Norton.

thank you so much😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Nice❤

I have had my Triumph Tr-6 with a hard tail and magneto for 40 years.No problem with vibration. Like my solid mount Sportster. If the rubber mounted frames are not maintained properly they will become dangerous. Featherbed frames handle better.

Good information Ashley. My bowls (71 Commando) must be older...? I do not have drain plugs.

Sound advise

lol

Another great video Ashley, I will have to ckeck my 71 Commando now, i followed the manuals very close when restoring the bike. I bet i am missing that second washer and add if I am it will be added - thank you!! I will also make a not in my manuals as well. Mark

well my Norton is the one of the first 650s built early december 1960 and it the Grandfather of the Norton Commando and there is only 12 in this country as these were for export only for that 8 months of 1961 and then by april 21st the atlas was built out of the 650 the first one was number 101876 shop 01 exported to france As I have all the real factory record and there not the same has the NOC has these records are accurete and from the motorcycle business that handeled these machnie from new in there day I have sent years doing my own reseach and contacting the ownrs and business people of the day when these Norton were new over 63 years ago

The tech tips are much appreciated especially as the tradesmen who work on classic bike are retiring rapidly. Well done Andover Norton. From Western Australia 🇦🇺