Somebody should make a straight jacket that allows movement related to working on old bikes, but restricts movements related to BUYING MORE OF THEM!
I've been talking to Kenny Dreer (the guy that almost resurrected Norton) for a couple of years, on and off, and he told me about some leftover VR880 stuff he had that he was thinking about clearing out to make room for a couple of projects he's got going. One thing led to another and my brain started whirling till smoke came out of my ears.
I came up with a plan to build my own version of the "modern" Commando. What I envision is as near the latest VR880 tech as I can get in the engine department, and mount it in a mostly stock late model frame with a complete dual disc front end from a fairly modern bike, and a beefed up VR880 swingarm and rear disc from '75, maybe converted to monoshock. Probably standard tank & sidecovers, with a Corbin Gunfighter seat (re-padded with softer foam), some sort of very sharp quarter fairing, clubman bars, and hidden lighting. To top it off, I'm going to have a set of pipes fabricated to look like the ones on the New Norton 951 prototype mockups. Very nice TT style tuck-ins that flare out and up at the back into a pair of peashooters.
I already had the frame, tank, sidecovers, seat, and a bunch of the cycle parts sitting on my shelf. So, I talked Kenny into making me a deal on most of the core engine components he had in stock including modified cases, sleeved & bored cylinders, new pistons & rings, and a really nice flowed & ported head with oversize valves. I also just won a 750 crank on e-bay for just over $100. way back on a dusty shelf, I also had a complete belt drive primary kit that I had traded for a Triumph 10-bolt head a couple of years ago.
I'm going down to look at a front end on a bike that has a blown engine; basically just need to source a hot cam and disc brake (Norton) rear wheel, and fab up the pipes, and I can mock the sucker up!
Note larger diameter studs on the lower (left) half, right half will be matched
This is the modified left half with mountings for outrigger crank bearing
Check out the provision for the degree'ed cam mounting with roller bearing
Sleeved and bored to 880
Dished VR880 High-compression pistons with rings & pins
My dream:
I've been talking to Kenny Dreer (the guy that almost resurrected Norton) for a couple of years, on and off, and he told me about some leftover VR880 stuff he had that he was thinking about clearing out to make room for a couple of projects he's got going. One thing led to another and my brain started whirling till smoke came out of my ears.
I came up with a plan to build my own version of the "modern" Commando. What I envision is as near the latest VR880 tech as I can get in the engine department, and mount it in a mostly stock late model frame with a complete dual disc front end from a fairly modern bike, and a beefed up VR880 swingarm and rear disc from '75, maybe converted to monoshock. Probably standard tank & sidecovers, with a Corbin Gunfighter seat (re-padded with softer foam), some sort of very sharp quarter fairing, clubman bars, and hidden lighting. To top it off, I'm going to have a set of pipes fabricated to look like the ones on the New Norton 951 prototype mockups. Very nice TT style tuck-ins that flare out and up at the back into a pair of peashooters.
I already had the frame, tank, sidecovers, seat, and a bunch of the cycle parts sitting on my shelf. So, I talked Kenny into making me a deal on most of the core engine components he had in stock including modified cases, sleeved & bored cylinders, new pistons & rings, and a really nice flowed & ported head with oversize valves. I also just won a 750 crank on e-bay for just over $100. way back on a dusty shelf, I also had a complete belt drive primary kit that I had traded for a Triumph 10-bolt head a couple of years ago.
I'm going down to look at a front end on a bike that has a blown engine; basically just need to source a hot cam and disc brake (Norton) rear wheel, and fab up the pipes, and I can mock the sucker up!
Note larger diameter studs on the lower (left) half, right half will be matched
This is the modified left half with mountings for outrigger crank bearing
Check out the provision for the degree'ed cam mounting with roller bearing
Sleeved and bored to 880
Dished VR880 High-compression pistons with rings & pins
My dream:
