Norton Combat Commando "Do-Over"

grandpaul

Author, "Old Bikes"
DTT SUPPORTER
DTT BOTM WINNER
Back story:

I picked this bike up from a friend some years ago, in all I bought a Triumph, BSA and 2 Norton big twins from him. This '72 Combat came to me in the form of a not-quite rolling (no axles, just long bolts) chassis, with a fresh Leo Goff built engine (Memphis Motor Werks). Apart from that, it had a Norvil 13" fully floating front disc brake, and an ARD micro magneto new in the box. I liked the look of the Corbin seat, but it was WAY too hard for my taste. Bodywork was nice "10 foot" stuff, lots of debris in the fresh paint.

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I picked up this Dunstall bodywork some time later and tried it on for size (along with new Thomaseilli adjustable clip-ons, clubman rearsets, and a set of peashooter mufflers)...

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I wasn't too sure I had fully acquired the taste for this look...
 
Once I got it assembled and running, I tried the Corbin seat with a High Rider tank and liked the look (a LOT). Rode it around a bit, but that seat was just too hard...

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So, it ended up with the LR tank & dualseat. I acquired the taste.

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I rode it some, but with so many bikes, it ended up being neglected. With no emotional attachment, it went up for sale last year and sold to a guy from California. The new owner wanted the bike to look the same, or very similar, but in polished alloy, including new shouldered wheels.

So, I sold off the bodywork on e-bay, set up an order with Evan Wilcox (6 month waiting list), unlaced the wheels and sent the hubs and spokes to Buchanan's (spokes were already Buchanan's best).

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Wheels got back about a month later, meanwhile a set of new Avon Roadriders and new tubes and rim strips arrived; all of that got done quickly.

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Evan sent me this photo the day he finished the seat (mid October); then I told him to go ahead and make me a set of sidecovers (e-bay Indian burn).

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Almost to the day, (6 months), the bodywork started arriving around Thanksgiving. First thing I test-fit was the fairing; turned out the steering arc aperture was too small, could hardly swing thru half the normal arc...

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So, trimming time...

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Dec 1st - Much better! Full range of steering travel, just need to adjust the control lever and bar angle for full operational clearance (this ought to be fun)

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I found a matching pair of thin, flat, chrome brackets that I easily bent into perfect Z-patterns and mounted the lower/rears in conjunction with the front gas tank mounting studs. Piece of cake, all rubber isolated, as are the adjustable front mounts, and as will be the seat & sidecovers. Tank has proper front and rear thin and thick foam pads, plus all the rubber washers up front and rubber bands at the rear.

Installed a new wiring harness (I never rode it at night, so never needed a wiring harness with the magneto). Almost half the wires go unused with a magneto and modern regulator/rectifier.

Had to fabricate a bracket for the left sidecover, but I had a spare cover on hand, so making the pattern was easy.

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Just waiting on the seat to arrive from Wilcox to finish everything up, will have to take the removable seat pan to my upholsterer and have him do a leather number on it, still need decals Might have some on the shelf), idiot lights (might also have some on the shelf), fuel taps & gaskets, and fuel line (sold that stuff with the old tank). Then, an oil and plug change (carbs are already clean and ready to go, along with a new battery). I think the bloody final nail will be the screw-in microswitch for the front brake light, it has to get here from France.
 
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