1967 Norton 650SS daily rider :)

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adventure steele
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1967 Norton 650SS daily rider :)

Post by adventure steele »

Hi Everyone I hope we are all keeping well over the past few days I've took my old Samsung A70 mobile out with me on a few rides.

Now bike wise my daily rider is a 1967 Norton 650SS I use her through winter in all weathers an she never let's me down ever super reliable an brilliant to ride.

Last year I picked a 2010 T100 up as I've been cranking that many miles on my classics I wanted something to spread the miles a bit, anyway I also got it thinking of dad trying a bike other than his gsxr750k9 as we plan some trips further afield after lots of pushing he finally had a go and loved it an on the first set of pictures he was on the Bonnie he even has started joking calling it his Bonnie so I think that was a mission success on him experiencing something other than his gixer

I was on my 650ss in those pictures :)

Tonight I managed to get out up to Winnats Pass on the t100 and catch a terrific sunset was pretty much up there by myself anyway hope you all enjoy some quick mobile pictures an hoping to bring a video about both the bikes as its interesting being that my main bike is the 67 Norton 650ss.

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Last edited by adventure steele on Sun Nov 06, 2022 1:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
daveuprite
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by daveuprite »

Nice pics. Got to say I much prefer the old Norton to the 'new' Triumph.

I remember you put up an on-board video of the Norton some time back and it sounded / looked great.

I love the fact that you're the young lad with the 67 classic and your Dad has a Gixxer K9. :D
adventure steele
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by adventure steele »

Thanks mate :) yep the 650ss will always be my main bike, just absolutely sublime to ride, they are one of those bikes that feels totally ahead of it's time superb chassis brilliant brakes (I've got a Commando 2ls brake on) and the engine puts the hairs up on the back of your neck) she starts first kick every kick now I've finished the setup as well.

Yep plenty of footage over on my Norton.rider YouTube channel the footage from the other day came out really nice with clean audio 12 mins clip so taking a bit to upload.

I've just finished the rebuild of my 1968 Norton Commando engine which is going to be my long distance tourer just starting on the wiring this week, my 1944 WW2 Norton 16H is also on the verge of being finished an ready to ride really exciting times.

I'm hoping once I've sold my Yamaha rd250lc and one of my 350lcs to look at getting a Pre War Rigid International Norton my gsx750e went a few weeks back gonna use the Inter regularly If all goes to plan an I get a decent one.

I think dad will end up using the T100 a fair bit as he's struggling with his back unfortunately on the Gsxr, I'm still going for the Norton every time I go to go out haha so the plan of keeping the miles down a bit has gone outta the window lol! They are meant to be ridden that's for sure I use the 650ss through winter n all year round really confidence inspiring in poor conditions.

It actually drives me crazy riding a left hand shift bike I'm that used to the rh shift n race pattern on the Nortons, I wish the modern Bonnie's had stuck a rh shift on :)
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by daveuprite »

You're a proper classic nut aren't you? :D

I basically prefer modern tech, and handling is the holy grail for me, but I've had some RD LC, Gamma and other classics over the years. The funny thing is that at 54 yrs, some of the bikes I rode as a late teen /early twenties biker are now regarded as valuable classics - RD400, RD350YPVS, GS1000, GSXR1100, FZR1000, OWO1 etc etc. Makes me feel old, to be sure....

But I've never gone further back to the 60s. I bought and sold a 1978 Triumph Bonneville once - hated it actually. But I kind of fancy a nicely restored classic brit twin for some pootling about and your Norton looks great. I would very much want it to work properly, not just look good.
adventure steele
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by adventure steele »

Indeed mate im the same handling is an obsession

I'm really obsessed with the classic bikes. It's actually quite funny the bikes I've had issues with have all been modern, a 2014 gsa te that worked its way through 3 engines after a main dealer screw up, the clock assy went first day I had it, it also lunched a final drive, grips, oh an one time it come back with a gearbox full of neutrals lol ended up with no gsa for 7 months. It was funny when I was having it out with them an said you do realise I'm going to work on a rd250lc an not breaking down haha!
If it hadn't been under warranty I'd have been screwed just the clock assy cost more than my entire rebuild on the Commando lol

My dads eldest bro raced British bikes back in the day at a high level, his favourite was the 650ss :) he raced a first year commando as well and other brands.

I remember as a kid him always going on about how reliable an good handling the Nortons were with the featherbed chassis would constantly say the featherbed is just so an I have to agree :) the only reason I've had to rebuild the Commando unfortunately is due to the previous owners standard of work, now she's nearly done I expect nothing but reliability actually planning on using the Commando as a long distance tourer.

The good thing is with the Norton's you can get everything for them between Andover Norton an Norvil everything is available. A great book to get is Norman White's Commando restoration book as lots applies to the earlier dominator twins to :) you could build an entire bike out of new parts if necessary.

I actually know a few lads that tour Europe on Dommies and Commandos hoping to do the same myself.

When I went to go out last night the first bike I went for was the 650ss so I think that probably speaks volumes, decided to give the Bonnie a run as I'm always using the 650ss :) it's interesting comparing against the modern retro and an original British Twin.

The T100 is smoother thats a given I'd say a Commando is just as smooth if not smoother though, fueling is perfect on them both, I'd say the brakes are better on the Norton 650ss. Vibes wise the t100 beats the 650ss but I'd say the 650ss vibes add that extra mojo that alot of bikes miss, valvetrain noise I prefer the tappy Norton is a happy Norton way of doing things, the whine on the modern Triumph engines sort of does my head In a bit that's a personal thing though as it doesn't bother dad.

Handling wise very close to be honest I'd go with the 650ss and its legendary chassis.

You tend to sit on the 650ss and in the Bonnie.
Both handle very swiftly and well.
I'd say the t100 is a nice swift bike that's a good Gt bike and the 650ss is like a race horse they were the sports performance bike of the day and still feel it.

Gearbox again I'd give that to the Norton I still don't get how some modern bikes can have a worse gearbox than a 1960s bike.

Cost of servicing and parts I'd give the thumbs up to the Norton valve clearances take me all of 10 minutes now to do. Ease of working on again I'd give that to the Norton, the T100 is easy to work on to though but pushrod engines like the Nortons are really nice and simple once you have the correct tools which are all available.

All in all to sum up both great bikes just different ways of going about it. I've not had a classic Triumph yet something on the list at some point :) I could never part with the Nortons though it feels like such an occasion when you rife them the 650ss idles perfect now on hills etc she starts first kick just so much fun to ride. Eventually something might rear its head on her but the parts are that affordable and easy to work on that its almost a none concern to me.
The rocker spindles wore out last year she still got me home and It cost all of 100 quid to fix an they will be good for another 60 years now.

On the Commando engine rebuild I had a load of cylinder head work done an that only came to £400 quid sending it out so its all quite reasonable actually some videos of the commando rebuild on my youtube Channel :)

I guess as a final thought I really like them both every bike always brings something unique to the table n that's why I always like experiencing different ones.
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

Of all the mainstream British makes, I think Norton were the 'quality' option. None of the other manufacturers caught up with the Featherbed frame. What a strange decision it was to dump the frame, but keep the engine when the Commando came along. Still, I suppose changing the frame was the cheaper option.
I once rode a Norton which had a tuned Commando 850 in a Featherbed frame. Amazing handling, but I literally had double-vision when the thing was ticking over. I think my eyeballs were rattling in my skull!
adventure steele
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by adventure steele »

Oh yep I've heard about that with the Atlas to not ridden one myself but heard the 750 solid mounted engines can be a bit of bone shaker, the 650's are a bit of a sweet spot I think heard the 500s an 600s are even smoother but I do like the power of the 650ss.

Yep I agree on the Commando I still think the Featherbed chassis is by far one of the best handling platforms I've ever ridden. The commando is good though mines got vernier Isolastics, so easy to adjust an keep in the correct setting, the problem with my 68 is ground clearance but I knew that before I got it, they updated the frame design on the later ones, interestingly the Commando should actually have a 3rd Isolastic in the head steady I'm hoping to get one for mine once the 350lc is sold,

I've had my Commando chassis updated by Norman White checked and the extra support spar added under the main down tube so I can now run the later head steadies which will be good. For those that don't know the 68 Commando frame had a gusset plate and in America they were snapping at the back of the headstock so the frame was re designed, luckily mine had never snapped so was easy to jig and update :)

There's also a few other updates that can be done to the swingarm on the Commando to improve things, I'd say they are the smoothest bike I've ever ridden though so can understand why it won bike of the year so many times.
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by daveuprite »

adventure steele wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 9:33 am
The T100 is smoother thats a given I'd say a Commando is just as smooth if not smoother though, fueling is perfect on them both, I'd say the brakes are better on the Norton 650ss.
Great post by the way. It's amazing that Triumph couldn't better the brakes of a 67 Norton on a 2010 retro. Shocking really. I know people buy these retros for the image plus reliability, but that's just unacceptable.

At least Triumph have shown that they can build a high performance retro if they want to - the Thruxton R. Superb piece of kit.

So, Ad Steele, if you were new to the classic brit bike scene, and relatively naive about it like me, what would you buy? For the sake of a budget figure, let's say 5 - 8,000 quid. Preferably something easy to own, as far as that's possible, with parts availability, but also quick enough and dynamic enough to be fun to ride...
adventure steele
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by adventure steele »

Thanks mate I see lots of people talking about the modern retro and which is best but I don't see alot who have actually used a period one 365 days a year :)

Yep it really needs twin disks to haul it down the t100. The feel on a drum brake is so direct in comparison.

So I thought it'd be interesting to compare a bit but obviously we are all different with different riding styles so what suits one might not suit another.

So what Norton to buy.

I'd say in that range and if you fancied a Norton a 750 69 on Commando with the frame update pre 71 they have the drum brake still which looks really period, can get everything from them from Andover Norton, Norvil and RGM. Even performance stuff from NYC Norton.

Gives you the smoothness for long distance riding an they sound terrific,

If you didn't mind some vibes you could get a good 650ss at 8k again pretty much everything is available apart from original mudguards but there's some decent repop ones available through Norton owners club steel tank to unlike the fibreglass ones on some of the Commandos.

Personally I like both for different reasons hence having the pair, I'd do plenty of reading up of what people think of them.

My 650ss is magneto the Commando electronic ignition.

The best mod you can do is a new oil pump and a set of Premier Concentrics on the Commando or new Monoblocs or prems dependant on the year of 650ss.

Handling wise the 650ss out handles the Commando but the Commando feels more modern typical Norton being far ahead of the times.

Best mod on the 650ss is the 2ls brake from the Commando

If the bike is stood for more than a month they can wet sump, if you see an oil tap in my opinion walk away, all you have to do is undo the bottom drain nut drop the oil an put it back in the tank takes all of 5 mins, regular use you never have the issue, leaving it on compression helps as well.

If you want to pop me a pm I can give you my mobile number :) alot more advice I can give that I've picked up over the years.

The 650ss is probably the rarer of the bikes being the sports special.

The Commandos came in a few different trim styles, fastback, roadster, interstate the 750 Commando is more sporting than the 850.
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Re: A tale of two motorcycles 1967 Norton 650SS and T100 Bonneville

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

Hugh of this parish has a Commando with a broken frame, which he is currently rebuilding.

IIRC the Commando frame came from Italy. There was an interesting article in Classic Bike a while back, which was a contemporary account of a visit to the Norton factory (actually more of an assembly works) in Andover by an American photojournalist in the mid '70s. He mentioned that there were 80 or so external component suppliers, at it was quite normal for half of them to be on strike at any time!

So Norton's quality control issues of the time are unsurprising. In fact, it's probably easier for restorers to get Commando components delivered now, than it was for the factory then!
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