Norton Commando Upgrades
For those more interested in rideability than originality, there are many sensible upgrades for classic Norton Commando motorcycles. None of these are permanent changes, and your bike can be returned to original at any time.
Dual Carb to Single Carb
Although it's actually a performance downgrade, switching from two carburetors to one will save you a lot of maintenance. A bit of top-end will be lost, but be honest, how often do you run wide-open-throttle?
As an offset to losing a little performance, start-up, low-end, and midrange power are improved.
Mikuni Carb Kit
To change from two carbs to one, the intake manifold needs to be replaced, and the air box either replaced or modified. Sudco International offers Mikuni conversion kits in 34, 36 and 38mm sizes.
A 34mm would be for more the main street cruiser, more stop-light to stop-light action, while a 38mm is better suited for more highway-type riding. Best all-around size would be a 36mm.
Amal Carb Upgrade
For those running stock carburetors, Andover Norton offers Amal carb rebuild kits that have Ethanol-resistant floats.
For more info about these kits click here.
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Hydraulic Clutch
For those who have never ridden an old British Twin, the clutch lever pull is quite hard by today's standards. Adding a hydraulic clutch will give a much easier pull than the stock mechanical style.
Offered by Colorado Norton Works, this hydraulic clutch kit is designed to work on all-year Commando transmissions. The slave cylinder is mounted inside the outer transmission cover for an uncluttered look.
Aside from the easier pull, other benefits include more positive clutch engagement and less cable wear and breakage.
NOTE: The CNW hydraulic clutch kit is not always in stock.
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Electric Start
Based in Brittany France, Alton offers a range of products for British motorcycles, including generators and electric starter kits. This starter kit comes with all you need for assembly, including an installation guide.
No modifications are required, and your bike can be returned to stock condition if so desired. The kick starter stays in place and remains fully functional.
The Alton electric start kit will work with pre-1975 models (except very early models with ignition at the rear of the timing cover). A higher output battery is recommended.
Alton electric start kits are available from Classic Bike Experience.
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MK3 Isolastics
Later model MkIII models have adjustable isolastics, early models do not. Adjusting and shimming the stock isolastics on early (pre-1974) bikes require a bit of skill and a lot of patience. There are two ways to upgrade.
You can install the later 850 MkIII kit, which will require the front tube to be either shortened or replaced with the MkIII front mounting.
A second alternative is to buy a complete vernier conversion kit, which directly fits pre-MkIII models without any modifications.
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Short vs Long Gaiters
The purpose of 'accordion' rubber fork gaiters is to protect the bare stanchions from dirt, dust, rocks, and other harmful debris. Most U.S. bound bikes received short stiff gaiters that offer no protection.
Consider switching to long gaiters the next time you're replacing fork seals.
Read: Front Forks Overhaul
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Wheel/Tire Sizes and Gearing
All classic Norton Commandos left the factory with 19" wheels. Problem is, in today's market, there are limited tire choices in that size. Swapping to 18" wheels will allow many more tire choices.
Replacing the factory 19-tooth front sprocket to a 21- or 22-tooth sprocket will bring engine revs down at highway speeds without affecting the bike's power band.
This 19 tooth front sprocket was purchased from British Bike Connection.
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There are several other worthwhile upgrades for classic Norton Commandos. Here's a few others:
Front Brake Drum to Disc
No doubt, the twin leading shoe front drum on early models is impressive looking, but there's a level of skill needed to set it up effectively. Swapping from drum to disc has been a common swap for decades.
Due to the caliper mounting, swapping from front drum to disc requires using later-model front forks. There are several brands of brake conversion kits readily available.
Other brake upgrades include re-sleeving the original disc master cylinder down to 13mm to get better pressure. Replacing the front rubber brake line with a steel braided line is another popular upgrade.
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Electrical
On older or high mileage vehicles, wear in the distributor usually affects the engine timing, which leads to a falling away of performance. Because electronic ignition has no moving parts, it does not wear, saving maintenance.
Electronic conversion kits are available from several reputable companies, including Boyer Bransden.
Positive to Negative Ground
When re-wiring an entire bike, some builders have switched from positive ground to negative ground. There's no performance difference, but it does makes it easier for us 'Yankees' to troubleshoot the electrical system!
Another electrical upgrade is removing the two 6-volt coils and installing one 12-volt coil.
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SAE vs Whitworth Hardware
Many British motorcycles, including Norton, continued using Whitworth-sized nuts and bolts into the 1970's. To make things confusing, some models have a combination of SAE (American) and Whitworth nuts and bolts. To compound this problem, a previous owner may have likely changed (or damaged) some of the original hardware while removing them.
If you don't own them already, consider investing in a set of Whitworth tools for your classic British motorcycle.
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