The swingarm pivot on these bikes is too high. This causes the chain to tighten a lot as the rear suspension compresses. So an over tight chain will result in huge loads being applied to the gearbox output shaft when you hit a bump. The chain on the bike pictured at 29 seconds into the video looks to have an overly tight adjusted chain. Death traps when adjusted like that as it can severely limit the rear suspension travel! Ideally the 2 sprocket centres and swingarm pivot want to all align at somewhere around mid suspension travel. It is a pretty but badly design bike!
Delighted you and the bike are OK. My investigation unit dealt with a high speed lock up on a motorway ridden bike many years ago and the rider was killed horrifically as he struck several crash barrier supports. That is a high failure rate though, can you imagine the flood of videos if you applied that rate to a Japanese manufacturer?
Hi thank you for your comments. I am so thankful nothing worse happened. Luckily it was dry and I was riding in a straight line. Yes that's true about the failure rate, really good point. Thanks, ride safe
Sounds like a serious quality control failure by the manufacturer of the gear pinions (which may have been manufactured by an external supplier). The gears are made from alloy steels and the teeth undergo a hardening process that must be very precisely controlled to optimise their life. Very unusual for gears to break like this unless they are severely overstressed.
Glad you were OK. I remember going up to Donington Hall bike nights during the Garner era. You could see the bikes on the essembly tables through the windows of the old office building.
Thank you. Yeah I had a factory tour once, I remember it was an old office building. I could even see where the desks had been on the faded office carpet!
That’s a scary failure, luckily you were travelling in a straight line and not too fast as you said, it’s going to be a long time before you trust that bike again 😬. I rode a dominator from Garners “factory” a few years back, it was the one that Garner rode around the TT course, as I said a few years back but my ears are still ringing! 🙉
I would think if the rear wheel locked up, it's either motor or transmission. Had it happened to me in a semi truck, I was driving one rainy day. I heard a loud K-BOOM, thought I had blown a tire. Seconds later, the rear drive axles started coming around on me. I had sensed enough to push in the clutch petal and moved to the breal down lane. All 10 tires were still inflated, and I looked under the frame rails. The entire bottom motor was gone. Nothing left but a block. .
Now that is scary. Never know when something can go wrong in a bike, car or truck I guess. 99.999% of the time things are fine, until they aren't... Ride safe. Cheers
On the other hand, if gearbox locked, imagine the stress on driving shaft, gears and chain and all those did not budge or break. Makes me think of good quality on those parts. About reason why gear tooth got broken off - it's a press molded metal powder, it's really hard to be super certain about quality. May be cog wheel got dropped or not enough heat at the end of shift or anything like that. Things just happen and QA at this level is hard and expensive. And knowing from you that it's not a common failure, nothing to be worried too much about. Thank you for the video!
That's one cracking bike i think it is the top yoke conversion,does it for me,, just a pity that it let you down,, merciful you got to tell the story 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland
Thanks. The top yoke conversion made a world of difference to the rideability of the bike. I love the look of the clip ons, but the riding position was far too aggressive for me - my back especially! I’ve got more sensible pipes on it now too, so I’m looking forward to putting more miles on it next year.
Hi, glad you made it out unscathed! Funnily enough I just read a FB post by a chap whom claims to have had a bad experience with TVS Norton… he’s yet to elaborate! But I’m receiving mixed signals. My concern is many of the old hands at Norton have been re-employed by TVS (which is par for the course)… but did the work shy and not-so-conscientious workers come back too?! These professionals are expected to be able to work unsupervised, so regulate themselves. But if they’re having a bad day or need an early ‘Friday’ shoot…. who suffers?
I'm in two minds whether to go for a TVS 961. I like the idea of having factory support, but my 2015 Commando has (so far) been super reliable - it's taken me all over Europe in the past 12 months. Is it a case of better the devil you know? 🤔
Doesn't even have to be an engine problem....... Years ago I had a new rear tyre fitted to my Honda CX500B, quick dab on the rear brake felt fine and off i went onto the motorway where i touched the rear brake again and locked solid at 50mph. Turned out the mechanic had failed to tighten up the rear drum brake rod which came loose wrapping the brake arm around the spindle and locking the brake on.
That is scary. We don’t have much protection if something like that happens. Just gotta do the best we can to keep the bike upright and under control, and pray other drivers are paying attention. Hope it all worked out okay for you in the end. Ride safe
I did nag you a bit for this video but l think it was worth it😁. Great pity about no gear photos, although it was out of your hands then, l would have expected the repairer to give you all the old parts back that weren't used. Thankyou.
My mate had one and he lost his shit with it, the bike keot pumping oil out all over the place every time he used it. Sadly he eventually binned it, it was never repaired properly even though it was under warranty. Sadly I think the new Nortons are built so poorly that the reputation is already damaged.
I had a few similar problems with the Domi, but eventually it was repaired under warranty. It will take a lot of time to improve the perception of the bikes, hopefully TVS will stick at it as I want to see the brand so well again. Thanks for your comments 👍🏻
Wow that was a lucky escape, a few minutes earlier and it doesn't bear thinking about. Slightly worrying and disappointing that TVS will not make spares available to Donnington made owners. I can get gearbox parts for my 1975 Triumph T140V without issue. I hope you have many more happy miles on your Norton's.
Thanks! I was so very lucky. It did rain a bit while I was waiting for recovery. I dread to think what would have happened had it been wet when the wheel locked. It’s like TVS have cut out the Donington era from their history. A shame, as many owners myself included are passionate about their bikes. Making spares available would help build a lot more loyalty to the brand.
Stuff happens,,On my BMW rt I had my gearbox lost all (most) drive,, I was able to ride home in 1st gear ,,turns out one of the shafts had snapped in two,, and I got drive by the ends rubbing together and so drive only in 1st...On inspection it was abit of a mess inside.....
Sounds like you had a lucky escape as well! Yes, these things happen I guess, even on supposedly bullet proof bikes like BMW. I haven’t had much luck with the bike from new, various items needed sorting such as rust on the frame, and an oil leak. I’m hoping now I’m through all that and I can start putting some miles on it.
I have a TVS 961, the dealer has sold over 50 so far and only had one with any issues. That bike had a failed sensor which sits in a hollow on top of the air box. The owner jet washed the bike ever time he rode it, which caused the failure. Norton have since relocated that sensor to protect it better. At 2000 miles my 961 has been fine... touch wood...
@@NortonUnofficial Yes very much so, I wish it had a bit more power.. hit the rev limiter a few times when overtaking, but I knew its specs when buying it. It can keep up with mates on faster bikes, though I have to work harder than them which is part of the fun... Pity there were no new models announced at M/c live today.. Are you still planning to build a 961 scrambler?
That’s great to hear. I’m happy enough with the power on mine, and the torque is great too. I’m not a fast rider at all lol. I’ll be up at MC Live on Monday, having a mooch around the Norton stand no doubt! I’ve kinda given up on the scrambler idea for now, I’m loving the Commando as it is. But if prices keep dropping like they have been, I might look for a cheaper 961 that needs some TLC and use that as a project bike.
@@NortonUnofficial Ah, I have the same idea, buy a cheap 961 and mod it. But prices of the older bikes are holding up surprisingly well, given all their known issues.
@@Merch131hoYes, the 'Mutton chop' test actually demonstrated that rev limiter, l wish TVS had stuck a 4 valve head on it while 'redesigning' their version, but a pushrod engine will always have constraints.
yeah it's bad luck. I wonder if the new gears can be xrayed or something to see any hairline cracks? or maybe a specialist gear maker could make high quality gears for you? for me it would be a piece of mind thing..
Thanks for your comments. I'm gonna ride with this new gearbox for a while, I've done a couple of hundred miles no issues. I'll just take it easy for a while!
This story is the same as mine, i had a 2011 961 same problem, returned to Donnington I was told by a salesman who left that i was not alone with this issue😮 It took 7 months to get my bike back but when i did they had either swapped my cylinder head for a damaged one ore damaged it so it had to go back again. SHIT SERVICE from Garner the CROOK! I believe that the gearbox internals were Harley Sporter. Good luck with yours
Hi thanks for your comments. That’s a nightmare. Many people had problems with the Garner era bikes, but then some of them run really well. I’m hoping that the quality of the TVS bikes is much higher. Cheers.
Unfortunately not. My bike is 2018, so predates the TVS takeover. The new Norton don’t support the old bikes at all. And there have apparently been over 300 improvements to the 961 since TVS took over Norton so there is a chance parts from the newer bikes won’t even fit the older ones.
Unfortunately not. My bike is 2018, so predates the TVS takeover of Norton. The new Norton company does not support the old bikes at all. And there have apparently been over 300 improvements to the 961 since TVS took over Norton so there is a chance parts from the newer bikes won’t even fit the older ones.
I believe you repeat your script at 3.08 and 3.19. Slightly different camera shot. (The good news is you know, you are followed closely.) Thanks for posting. I'm an Enfield guy but I like the Norton 961s and always watch your vlogs. Never say never as I look for that one "last" bike.
Thanks! I just fixed it 😃 I really appreciate your feedback. A mate of mine (UA-cam - Grumps Rides) has a RE 650 Interceptor, we plan on doing a comparison video with the Commando in the next few months.
@@NortonUnofficial Will look out for it. Taking nothing away from Enfield, I suspect the Norton will have a lot of upside. Fortunately, I am more than happy with what I have.
I do hope you managed to get your leather trousers cleaned!!🤣🤣 Seriously though, Thank goodness you were upright etc. Could've been a very bad day. Glad you're ok.
Haha! 😜 Thanks! To be honest it all happened so quickly it was over before I realised what had happened. If it had been wet though, or there was a car or lorry close behind, it could have been a completely different story. It’ll take a while to build trust in the bike again, I think. Cheers, thanks for the comments.
Thanks for the tip. The AA recovery guy didn’t have a socket big enough for the rear spindle nut, and didn’t want to cut the chain so he winched it onto the low loader 👍🏻
I don't even want to think about it! I guess it could happen at any time, on any bike really. My other 961 is a Commando and that's done over 12000 miles with no issues, and I do know of other 961s that have done 30k+ miles. So hopefully this was a one off.
Hi, thanks for your comments. Thankfully it doesn't seem to be a prevalent issue with these bikes, I'm only aware of two that have had problems. Both had different issues.
riding in California, I came across a dude broke down on his commando. the entire right head pipe, the cylinder had blown out around the entire thing. He said he just bought it. I happen to have a couple of metal clothes hangers with me. A pair of pliers wrapped the hangers around the cylinder head, got the busted out part in place, and cinched it up tight. Said I would ride it back to the dealership and show them. That was in 1973
Thanks for your comments. I think the thing to do is just get back on and ride it. I bought the bike to ride, not as an ornament. Unfortunately the problems I’ve had with it have stopped me doing that to a certain extent. Fingers crossed that’s the end of the problems. Cheers
@NortonUnofficial Jawa 350ts, tube burst (not punctured but a foot long rupture) and tyre came off rim and jammed against the forks. The wobbles from 50kmh were dramatic to say the least. My two Nortons are 55 year old 750 commandos, ride yours in good health.
It would be super complicated, first one should check how liabilities transfers changing owners and if at all. Does new owner bear responsibilities or did he buy just a brand name?
That's right, I have no recourse on the bike unfortunately. That's part of the reason I have been tempted to get a new TVS built bike - at least then I'd have the backup of the factory in case of major problems. But I'm going to stick it out with these older bikes for now.
@@NortonUnofficial It is gorgeous & rare as hens teeth mate, I still miss my blueprinted & tuned T140 bonnie i sold in the mid 80's tbh. One I should have kept it was so good.
Thanks for your comments. My other 961 Commando (2015) has so far been very reliable, it took me all over Europe this year. But yes, these Nortons do have a poor reliability perception. Hopefully the TVS bikes are built to a higher standard, although some comments online would suggest otherwise. I plan to do a video on that topic soon. Cheers. Ride safe.
Thanks! Yes I totally agree, she’s a beauty. It was definitely a purchase from the heart not the head. But that’s what riding a bike is all about for me.
After you warm the bike up in neutral shut it off put it in gear while off pull in clutch restart in 1 rst gear and go. This will prevent first shift from neutral to first from being done without oil. BEST WAY TO MAKE ANy BIKE TRANS LAST!!
@NortonUnofficial if you don't do it that way the first shift from neutral to first will happen without oil on the gear. Starter motors are easier to replace than trans gears
Didn't occur to you to pull the clutch in then? Not that it would've done anything in this case. The tooth failed because the gears aren't manufactured correctly. This is actually an incredibly poor failure rate considering how few bikes there are and how few miles they do.
Hi thanks for your comments. Yes I tried to pull the clutch in but that didn't do anything. The bike wouldn't budge, the rear wheel was totally locked up. That's why we had to manhandle the bike off the road and eventually winch it onto the low loader.
In the event the relative danger of motorcycling is not obvious, here it is: Driving a motorcycle is approximately 38 times more likely to result in a fatality than driving an automobile, mile-for-mile.(in the typical "civilized" country) One basic reason is that there is no way to protect a person on a bike the way we can protect people in cars. However, we motorcyclists typically dispute or ignore the danger, or treat danger like an addiction. You know, it's not as bad as they say. It won't happen to me because I'm more skillful than those other dolts. I know it's dangerous, but I can give it up any time I want. There are lots of enthusiasts around who will preach that it's carved in stone somewhere that we must never ever give up motorcycling, so you must always get back on the horse that threw you even if you're busted up and drooling. I'm going to suggest that when your bike throws you, you can use that as a warning about the danger, and make smarter decisions. For openers, It might be wise to never get back on that brand, style, or condition. I could name a few very popular brands that are notorious for tank slappers even if their gear teeth or primary chains don't fail. Whatever you ride, if staying alive a high priority to you, consider limiting your riding. For instance, rather than making a long transit on your firebreather, take the car and carry a smaller bike on the hitch rack. Avoid a dangerous situation, even if you have to take a load from your macho mates. Never ever swap a bike during a group ride. Better yet, avoid group rides. You might also consider how you intend to squander your remaining years, and plan a reasonable exit stratetegy from the sport before your luck runs out. On the other hand, none of us are going to get out of this life alive, so you may prefer to go out in a serious motorcycle crash. I had a late friend found on his bike leaning up against a guard rail, dead as a nail. He's an example of riding until you can't do it anymore.
Everything one does in life has it levels of danger. Climbing a ladder, eating a nut, going to pub or riding a bike. It's about how far would you go to enjoy actual living. And no, there is 0 ways to prevent accidents, not by avoiding sharing bike, not by avoiding bike brand. Next time young mom will hit your bike while texting. It's not worth time and effort to be scared, life is too precious to spend it on worrying about it. I never ever take any tools for bike on a road trip. It is not worth it, you will miss that one particular anyway. Same goes for protecting oneself. If you wear full airbag leather costume, most probably you'll drawn in elevator.
The swingarm pivot on these bikes is too high. This causes the chain to tighten a lot as the rear suspension compresses. So an over tight chain will result in huge loads being applied to the gearbox output shaft when you hit a bump. The chain on the bike pictured at 29 seconds into the video looks to have an overly tight adjusted chain. Death traps when adjusted like that as it can severely limit the rear suspension travel! Ideally the 2 sprocket centres and swingarm pivot want to all align at somewhere around mid suspension travel. It is a pretty but badly design bike!
Delighted you and the bike are OK. My investigation unit dealt with a high speed lock up on a motorway ridden bike many years ago and the rider was killed horrifically as he struck several crash barrier supports. That is a high failure rate though, can you imagine the flood of videos if you applied that rate to a Japanese manufacturer?
Hi thank you for your comments. I am so thankful nothing worse happened. Luckily it was dry and I was riding in a straight line. Yes that's true about the failure rate, really good point. Thanks, ride safe
Sounds like a serious quality control failure by the manufacturer of the gear pinions (which may have been manufactured by an external supplier). The gears are made from alloy steels and the teeth undergo a hardening process that must be very precisely controlled to optimise their life. Very unusual for gears to break like this unless they are severely overstressed.
You were a lucky guy, but obviously confiden in your second Norton as I saw you on it at Mandello del Lario. Looking forward to more vids. Cheers.
Thanks! And likewise, looking forward to your vids, I have recommended your channel to my mates.
Glad you were OK. I remember going up to Donington Hall bike nights during the Garner era. You could see the bikes on the essembly tables through the windows of the old office building.
Thank you. Yeah I had a factory tour once, I remember it was an old office building. I could even see where the desks had been on the faded office carpet!
That’s a scary failure, luckily you were travelling in a straight line and not too fast as you said, it’s going to be a long time before you trust that bike again 😬.
I rode a dominator from Garners “factory” a few years back, it was the one that Garner rode around the TT course, as I said a few years back but my ears are still ringing! 🙉
I would think if the rear wheel locked up, it's either motor or transmission. Had it happened to me in a semi truck, I was driving one rainy day. I heard a loud K-BOOM, thought I had blown a tire. Seconds later, the rear drive axles started coming around on me. I had sensed enough to push in the clutch petal and moved to the breal down lane. All 10 tires were still inflated, and I looked under the frame rails. The entire bottom motor was gone. Nothing left but a block.
.
Now that is scary. Never know when something can go wrong in a bike, car or truck I guess. 99.999% of the time things are fine, until they aren't... Ride safe. Cheers
I had a fuel line bust on my Honda cb1 the bike skidded all over and petrol was gushing out I fitted a new fuel line. It's 35 years old but I love it.
Wow lucky escape. I still love my Dominator too, despite all the headaches it's given me. Ride safe.
On the other hand, if gearbox locked, imagine the stress on driving shaft, gears and chain and all those did not budge or break. Makes me think of good quality on those parts. About reason why gear tooth got broken off - it's a press molded metal powder, it's really hard to be super certain about quality. May be cog wheel got dropped or not enough heat at the end of shift or anything like that. Things just happen and QA at this level is hard and expensive. And knowing from you that it's not a common failure, nothing to be worried too much about. Thank you for the video!
Thank you for your feedback and comments, I really appreciate it. Cheers. Ride safe!
That's one cracking bike i think it is the top yoke conversion,does it for me,, just a pity that it let you down,, merciful you got to tell the story 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland
Thanks. The top yoke conversion made a world of difference to the rideability of the bike. I love the look of the clip ons, but the riding position was far too aggressive for me - my back especially! I’ve got more sensible pipes on it now too, so I’m looking forward to putting more miles on it next year.
Hi, glad you made it out unscathed! Funnily enough I just read a FB post by a chap whom claims to have had a bad experience with TVS Norton… he’s yet to elaborate! But I’m receiving mixed signals. My concern is many of the old hands at Norton have been re-employed by TVS (which is par for the course)… but did the work shy and not-so-conscientious workers come back too?! These professionals are expected to be able to work unsupervised, so regulate themselves. But if they’re having a bad day or need an early ‘Friday’ shoot…. who suffers?
I'm in two minds whether to go for a TVS 961. I like the idea of having factory support, but my 2015 Commando has (so far) been super reliable - it's taken me all over Europe in the past 12 months. Is it a case of better the devil you know? 🤔
Doesn't even have to be an engine problem.......
Years ago I had a new rear tyre fitted to my Honda CX500B, quick dab on the rear brake felt fine and off i went onto the motorway where i touched the rear brake again and locked solid at 50mph.
Turned out the mechanic had failed to tighten up the rear drum brake rod which came loose wrapping the brake arm around the spindle and locking the brake on.
That is scary. We don’t have much protection if something like that happens. Just gotta do the best we can to keep the bike upright and under control, and pray other drivers are paying attention. Hope it all worked out okay for you in the end. Ride safe
I did nag you a bit for this video but l think it was worth it😁. Great pity about no gear photos, although it was out of your hands then, l would have expected the repairer to give you all the old parts back that weren't used.
Thankyou.
Thank you 😃 I appreciate your comments. Always good to get feedback, and ideas for future videos 👍🏻
Thanks for the update
No worries 👍 Cheers!
My mate had one and he lost his shit with it, the bike keot pumping oil out all over the place every time he used it. Sadly he eventually binned it, it was never repaired properly even though it was under warranty. Sadly I think the new Nortons are built so poorly that the reputation is already damaged.
I had a few similar problems with the Domi, but eventually it was repaired under warranty. It will take a lot of time to improve the perception of the bikes, hopefully TVS will stick at it as I want to see the brand so well again. Thanks for your comments 👍🏻
Wow that was a lucky escape, a few minutes earlier and it doesn't bear thinking about. Slightly worrying and disappointing that TVS will not make spares available to Donnington made owners. I can get gearbox parts for my 1975 Triumph T140V without issue. I hope you have many more happy miles on your Norton's.
Thanks! I was so very lucky. It did rain a bit while I was waiting for recovery. I dread to think what would have happened had it been wet when the wheel locked.
It’s like TVS have cut out the Donington era from their history. A shame, as many owners myself included are passionate about their bikes. Making spares available would help build a lot more loyalty to the brand.
@@NortonUnofficial It is one of the reasons I chose not to buy a TVS made Norton.
So far he's put less than 1000 miles per year on it. It needed a new gearbox, & almost killed him!.
Stuff happens,,On my BMW rt I had my gearbox lost all (most) drive,, I was able to ride home in 1st gear ,,turns out one of the shafts had snapped in two,, and I got drive by the ends rubbing together and so drive only in 1st...On inspection it was abit of a mess inside.....
Sounds like you had a lucky escape as well! Yes, these things happen I guess, even on supposedly bullet proof bikes like BMW.
I haven’t had much luck with the bike from new, various items needed sorting such as rust on the frame, and an oil leak. I’m hoping now I’m through all that and I can start putting some miles on it.
I have a TVS 961, the dealer has sold over 50 so far and only had one with any issues. That bike had a failed sensor which sits in a hollow on top of the air box. The owner jet washed the bike ever time he rode it, which caused the failure. Norton have since relocated that sensor to protect it better. At 2000 miles my 961 has been fine... touch wood...
Thanks for your comments. I was thinking of swapping my Donington Commando for a TVS one. Are you enjoying the bike?
@@NortonUnofficial Yes very much so, I wish it had a bit more power.. hit the rev limiter a few times when overtaking, but I knew its specs when buying it. It can keep up with mates on faster bikes, though I have to work harder than them which is part of the fun... Pity there were no new models announced at M/c live today.. Are you still planning to build a 961 scrambler?
That’s great to hear. I’m happy enough with the power on mine, and the torque is great too. I’m not a fast rider at all lol.
I’ll be up at MC Live on Monday, having a mooch around the Norton stand no doubt!
I’ve kinda given up on the scrambler idea for now, I’m loving the Commando as it is. But if prices keep dropping like they have been, I might look for a cheaper 961 that needs some TLC and use that as a project bike.
@@NortonUnofficial Ah, I have the same idea, buy a cheap 961 and mod it. But prices of the older bikes are holding up surprisingly well, given all their known issues.
@@Merch131hoYes, the 'Mutton chop' test actually demonstrated that rev limiter, l wish TVS had stuck a 4 valve head on it while 'redesigning' their version, but a pushrod engine will always have constraints.
yeah it's bad luck. I wonder if the new gears can be xrayed or something to see any hairline cracks? or maybe a specialist gear maker could make high quality gears for you? for me it would be a piece of mind thing..
Thanks for your comments. I'm gonna ride with this new gearbox for a while, I've done a couple of hundred miles no issues. I'll just take it easy for a while!
This story is the same as mine, i had a 2011 961 same problem, returned to Donnington I was told by a salesman who left that i was not alone with this issue😮 It took 7 months to get my bike back but when i did they had either swapped my cylinder head for a damaged one ore damaged it so it had to go back again. SHIT SERVICE from Garner the CROOK! I believe that the gearbox internals were Harley Sporter.
Good luck with yours
Hi thanks for your comments. That’s a nightmare. Many people had problems with the Garner era bikes, but then some of them run really well. I’m hoping that the quality of the TVS bikes is much higher. Cheers.
I am glad you were unhurt.
Thank you, much appreciated. I hope I never have to go through something like that again. Cheers
So you were not able to buy just the cogs required from the factory ?
Unfortunately not. My bike is 2018, so predates the TVS takeover. The new Norton don’t support the old bikes at all. And there have apparently been over 300 improvements to the 961 since TVS took over Norton so there is a chance parts from the newer bikes won’t even fit the older ones.
Couldn't you get Norton parts from like, Norton?
Unfortunately not. My bike is 2018, so predates the TVS takeover of Norton. The new Norton company does not support the old bikes at all. And there have apparently been over 300 improvements to the 961 since TVS took over Norton so there is a chance parts from the newer bikes won’t even fit the older ones.
I believe you repeat your script at 3.08 and 3.19. Slightly different camera shot. (The good news is you know, you are followed closely.) Thanks for posting. I'm an Enfield guy but I like the Norton 961s and always watch your vlogs. Never say never as I look for that one "last" bike.
Thanks! I just fixed it 😃 I really appreciate your feedback. A mate of mine (UA-cam - Grumps Rides) has a RE 650 Interceptor, we plan on doing a comparison video with the Commando in the next few months.
@@NortonUnofficial Will look out for it. Taking nothing away from Enfield, I suspect the Norton will have a lot of upside. Fortunately, I am more than happy with what I have.
I do hope you managed to get your leather trousers cleaned!!🤣🤣 Seriously though, Thank goodness you were upright etc. Could've been a very bad day. Glad you're ok.
Haha! 😜 Thanks! To be honest it all happened so quickly it was over before I realised what had happened. If it had been wet though, or there was a car or lorry close behind, it could have been a completely different story. It’ll take a while to build trust in the bike again, I think. Cheers, thanks for the comments.
To move a bike if the gearbox is locked remove the chain (as long as it's not endless).
Thanks for the tip. The AA recovery guy didn’t have a socket big enough for the rear spindle nut, and didn’t want to cut the chain so he winched it onto the low loader 👍🏻
I got 6500 on my Endield GT this summer 🌞 new tiers and oil and ready for next year. I bet your new set of gears last a lifetime 🤠.
Fingers crossed! I put 5000 miles on my Commando 961 this year with no issues 😎
@@NortonUnofficial it's the best looking caf race bike yet.
What prevents another gear from fracturing?
I don't even want to think about it! I guess it could happen at any time, on any bike really. My other 961 is a Commando and that's done over 12000 miles with no issues, and I do know of other 961s that have done 30k+ miles. So hopefully this was a one off.
Nothing new ? Same issue with the first models of 750 Commando in 1968-1969. I think Burman made the gear box at the time.
Hi, thanks for your comments. Thankfully it doesn't seem to be a prevalent issue with these bikes, I'm only aware of two that have had problems. Both had different issues.
riding in California, I came across a dude broke down on his commando. the entire right head pipe, the cylinder had blown out around the entire thing. He said he just bought it. I happen to have a couple of metal clothes hangers with me. A pair of pliers wrapped the hangers around the cylinder head, got the busted out part in place, and cinched it up tight. Said I would ride it back to the dealership and show them. That was in 1973
Even if it was a fluke, it takes months before that nagging feeling dissapears and you start to trust your bike again.
Thanks for your comments. I think the thing to do is just get back on and ride it. I bought the bike to ride, not as an ornament. Unfortunately the problems I’ve had with it have stopped me doing that to a certain extent. Fingers crossed that’s the end of the problems. Cheers
@NortonUnofficial I hope it for you. That's a great looking bike. 😃👍
I think you will be riding with two fingers on the clutch lever for awhile, even though it wouldn't have help you this time.
100%!! It's going to take a while to get back trust in the bike. Ride safe.
If you think a rear wheel lockup is scary trying a front wheel one😬
I can only imagine! Did you have one? What happened?
@NortonUnofficial Jawa 350ts, tube burst (not punctured but a foot long rupture) and tyre came off rim and jammed against the forks.
The wobbles from 50kmh were dramatic to say the least.
My two Nortons are 55 year old 750 commandos, ride yours in good health.
Sue , harley just lost a case just like this on their trike.
It would be super complicated, first one should check how liabilities transfers changing owners and if at all. Does new owner bear responsibilities or did he buy just a brand name?
@@lauraiss1027 Yeah your right, I posted before watching the whole video didn't realise it was built while the dodgy con man owned it.
That's right, I have no recourse on the bike unfortunately. That's part of the reason I have been tempted to get a new TVS built bike - at least then I'd have the backup of the factory in case of major problems. But I'm going to stick it out with these older bikes for now.
@@NortonUnofficial It is gorgeous & rare as hens teeth mate, I still miss my blueprinted & tuned T140 bonnie i sold in the mid 80's tbh. One I should have kept it was so good.
Tell me when Norton actually made a reliable motorcycle.I owned several when I was a kid.
Thanks for your comments. My other 961 Commando (2015) has so far been very reliable, it took me all over Europe this year. But yes, these Nortons do have a poor reliability perception. Hopefully the TVS bikes are built to a higher standard, although some comments online would suggest otherwise. I plan to do a video on that topic soon. Cheers. Ride safe.
Odd breakdown.
It was pretty scary at the time!
These bikes are sexy as. They are timeless and are what most people need in a bike.
Thanks! Yes I totally agree, she’s a beauty. It was definitely a purchase from the heart not the head. But that’s what riding a bike is all about for me.
Then why are most people not riding them??. I wouldn't!.
Over priced and dangerous. Whereabouts is the recall... Oh they went bust
After you warm the bike up in neutral shut it off put it in gear while off pull in clutch restart in 1 rst gear and go. This will prevent first shift from neutral to first from being done without oil. BEST WAY TO MAKE ANy BIKE TRANS LAST!!
That's definitely worth considering. Thanks a lot for your feedback. Cheers.
@NortonUnofficial if you don't do it that way the first shift from neutral to first will happen without oil on the gear. Starter motors are easier to replace than trans gears
Didn't occur to you to pull the clutch in then? Not that it would've done anything in this case. The tooth failed because the gears aren't manufactured correctly. This is actually an incredibly poor failure rate considering how few bikes there are and how few miles they do.
Hi thanks for your comments. Yes I tried to pull the clutch in but that didn't do anything. The bike wouldn't budge, the rear wheel was totally locked up. That's why we had to manhandle the bike off the road and eventually winch it onto the low loader.
In the event the relative danger of motorcycling is not obvious, here it is: Driving a motorcycle is approximately 38 times more likely to result in a fatality than driving an automobile, mile-for-mile.(in the typical "civilized" country) One basic reason is that there is no way to protect a person on a bike the way we can protect people in cars. However, we motorcyclists typically dispute or ignore the danger, or treat danger like an addiction. You know, it's not as bad as they say. It won't happen to me because I'm more skillful than those other dolts. I know it's dangerous, but I can give it up any time I want. There are lots of enthusiasts around who will preach that it's carved in stone somewhere that we must never ever give up motorcycling, so you must always get back on the horse that threw you even if you're busted up and drooling.
I'm going to suggest that when your bike throws you, you can use that as a warning about the danger, and make smarter decisions. For openers, It might be wise to never get back on that brand, style, or condition. I could name a few very popular brands that are notorious for tank slappers even if their gear teeth or primary chains don't fail. Whatever you ride, if staying alive a high priority to you, consider limiting your riding. For instance, rather than making a long transit on your firebreather, take the car and carry a smaller bike on the hitch rack. Avoid a dangerous situation, even if you have to take a load from your macho mates. Never ever swap a bike during a group ride. Better yet, avoid group rides.
You might also consider how you intend to squander your remaining years, and plan a reasonable exit stratetegy from the sport before your luck runs out. On the other hand, none of us are going to get out of this life alive, so you may prefer to go out in a serious motorcycle crash. I had a late friend found on his bike leaning up against a guard rail, dead as a nail. He's an example of riding until you can't do it anymore.
Everything one does in life has it levels of danger. Climbing a ladder, eating a nut, going to pub or riding a bike. It's about how far would you go to enjoy actual living. And no, there is 0 ways to prevent accidents, not by avoiding sharing bike, not by avoiding bike brand. Next time young mom will hit your bike while texting. It's not worth time and effort to be scared, life is too precious to spend it on worrying about it. I never ever take any tools for bike on a road trip. It is not worth it, you will miss that one particular anyway. Same goes for protecting oneself. If you wear full airbag leather costume, most probably you'll drawn in elevator.
@lauraiss1027 this is my philosophy on life!
A long dull life is much worse than a short interesting life in my view. Sorry for your loss.