New owner

[mcmarvellous]

Hi, I have just joined the dark side and bought an IP53 Commander, 2 weeks back, from Peter, it's only other owner. Lovely bike and nice seller. i am just getting used to it.Couple of things, it has a high mileage (over 100K) but has been rebuilt and Moly'd by Mr Negus about 30,000 ago, and it has been very well maintained by it's previous keeper but now I have ridden it a couple of hundred miles I believe the forks dip too quickly and are too soft, and the back feels a bit soft/loose. This is compared to my Commando by the way. I have never know a bike do this sort of mileage on the original springs, but then again, I have never had a rotary before although it Yamaha stuff I believe.I see I can get progressive springs for the front (Hagon or Startright), anyone fitted them and what about heavier oil?The rear, Hagon do shocks or do I get the originals rebuilt, or any other ideas.I am much heavier and taller than the previous pilot and will have a pillion regularly.Lastly, anyone fitted a screen aerofoil type thingy to theirs/ The wind noise is deafening.Third gear is whiney (if that is a word) and the clutch is not a smooth operator like my Commando, but it doesn't slip and works ok, just feels like it has a bag of gravel in the cable when I let the lever out.Mike

[tim harrison]

HiI hope that you are enjoying the Norton. If you have a Commander with Yamaha XJ 900 forks then there is a straightforward mod which is fully explained on the Startright website. It involves putting in aluminium an insert (although i used hard plastic). the bike wallows less and i am very pleased with the result. I put Hagon shocks on the rear of my Commander, they have the correct fitment listed. Maybe I would have had the Koni's rebuilt if i hadn't wanted to use the bike straight away for a long trip. The Hagon's seem fine however. The gearbox is another issue. If only 3rd whines then you are indeed fortunate especially at your bike's mileage. The whining is par for the course but the box will go for a long time sounding like that. I should check the clutch, there are 18 plated inside there and they probably need checking and cleaning. The final adjustment is crucial, you have to find the point where it lifts sufficiently to release the clutch but doesn't slip (this is explained in the handbook). if you have dismantled a commando clutch then the job should be straightforward. Finally screens come (or came) in different heights, I prefer the lower screen for visibility but that does send the air to the top of your helmet, it's the price we pay for having the rest of a body free from the excesses of the elements .Best of luck.Tim

[mcmarvellous]

Thanks Tim, Hope Linda and the family are well.I have been researching what i can do on the new beast. I have been using it for work and Loraine and I tested out the cafe culture at Frinton today of all places.It seems I will have to brush up on my Rotary knowledge just to answer the many questions from the public. One chap and his wife came up to us while we were sitting outside a cafe today to show her pictures of the last ever Norton Rotary ( a classic) that he had photographed the week before in the states! I can add this to the guy I met outside work last week with the last ever Commando to leave the factory, made mine look a bit tatty but then it had under 5000 miles on it if I recall. I will be popping over to Trog's so we can have a go at altering the crash bars to give Loraine more leg room, I have a spare set and it looks possible, and I'll explore the options then, but Hagons are on the Commando and I am happy with them.See you aboutMike