Starting Your Commando

[@np1663]

That sound is incredible. A grail bike for me.

[@brucebear1]

Tom, you're missing something important! Do you know what you DON'T have that many Commando owners have? You don't have spark plugs that foul with carbon after you've ridden for 150 miles. You are missing the wonderful opportunity to argue whether Champions, or NGKs, or Iridium-plated plugs are better. Yeah, you're missing all that fun because you've kept your chokes and properly tuned your Commando to start and idle properly from cold using the chokes. You've also set the correct mixture to start easily with the twistgrip closed. Most of the people who complain about Commandos being hard to kick over don't realize that keeping the throttle closed reduces the force needed to kick a 750 or 850 over by something like 30% -- because with the throttle closed, you're creating a partial vacuum in the cylinders and you're not fighting compression as you kick it over. That also allows the idle circuit on the carburetors to do their job of accurately metering the mixture for startup. (Some people think that they have to over-tickle the carbs and then open the twistgrip wide to provide enough to gulp in enough air to give a good starting mixture and prevent flooding the engine; that has the double-bad effect of making necessary to guess if the mixture is right --- and it's always going to be a stab in the dark -- plus the issue that they're making it harder to kick the motorcycle over against compression.) It looks to me that you're doing everything right. All the people who spend their time b*tching about "Oh, the Norton designers didn't know what they were doing" and "Amal carbs are ancient technology" and "they're too hard to start because of bad quality control" etc. could learn a lot from what you're doing. Good job! To the nit-pickers, yes, starting on the centrestand puts a lot of stress on the stand and I've seen a number that have cracked or broken. In my opinion, it's much more important to have a stable base for the motorcycle when you're starting it. If I had a centrestand on my Commando (I can't run one on my PR because the tucked-in exhaust doesn't leave room for one but IF I did ...), I'd use it and inspect it every spring. Is it optimum? No, but it's a good alternative and it allows the force you put on the kickstarter to be used to turn the engine over not wobble the bike around on its suspension. On the other hand, if someone has the skill to hold the motorcycle upright and correctly direct their kicking force onto the kickstarter, I completely respect their decision to do it that way -- I just won't quarrel with someone who chooses to start on the centrestand. And yes, the Commando clutch can be sticky since it runs in an oil bath. Running the light-weight "Ford type" ATF in the primary and "freeing" the clutch before you start it is a good idea. This is what I've learned in 54 continuous years of owning a Commando. Armchair cowboys are free to disagree.

[@ridingonabudget]

Thanks for the great comment. I agree completely. When I recommissioned this bike it only took three kicks and it started right up. Most folks who have ridden "other" brands of bikes think the choke lever operates opposite the way Norton intended. I cringe every time I see a Commando startup video where the owner twists the choke slide lever all the way open. Then has to kick and kick and kick to start a cold engine without the benefit of the chokes being lowered like they were intended. Thanks for following, I am going to begin producing a few videos that address the high cost of motorcycling and offer some options to stay within a budget. Ride Safe and we will see ya down the road.

[@tonyshortland8812]

How can the throttle position have any bearing on compression, when all the valves are closed on compression stroke..???...???...???

[@johnwilcox4078]

​@@tonyshortland8812 brucebear1 already explained why it is easier to kick with the throttle closed, read it again. Same reason why you hold the throttle wide open when checking compression with a gauge.

[@johnwilcox4078]

Both side and center stands put stress on the frame when kick starting. Another's good reason to have a first kick bike! I have found Commandos easy to start, even high compression Combat engines, long as the carbs are clean and turned, let the choke and idle jet circuit do it's thing!

[@tonyshortland8812]

I stand by my original comment, the 30% reduced effort he mentioned, is on inlet/suck stroke. How can throttle position effect compression stroke, when all the valves are closed..! I'd like to agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong. Best wishes

[@pandoralechat780]

I had a 68 750 Commando. The only issue was keeping those concentric carbs running correctly. It was a great bike, very comfortable to ride.

[@mikem597]

Yeah I had an 850. really a fun bike to ride. Once you figured out all its nuances it was a great bike

[@SISU889]

Lovely bike ! Sounds great !

[@ridingonabudget]

Thanks!

[@HTS888]

start it on the wheels not the stand ;) nice bike

[@charlienairn783]

Why? Either is fine so long as you’re astride. NEVER try standing beside the bike - that’s super-and-insanely DANGEROUS!

[@holgerlubotzki3469]

@@charlienairn783 No. He's right. You shouldn't start a Norton Commando on the main stand. If one of the two bolts mounting the main stand shears (they do wear) then the bike will fall to one side and the remaining bolt will twist one of the two steel plates mounting the gearbox.

[@ridingonabudget]

If you ever see Commandos parked on the side stand, look closely at how far they lean over. Notice many owners put a board under their stands to prop the bike up straighter. This is because someone made a habit of starting the bike while on the kick stand and it bent the mounting brackets which are welded onto the frame. Many Commandos kick stand are so bent they cant even hold the bike up any longer.

[@JoshuaRoberts-kq9cs]

That's the biggest pile of shit i've ever read.What a profit of doom you are.​@@holgerlubotzki3469

[@ashleyhoward8926]

@@charlienairn783 I bought my commando 750 in 1976, then my commando 850 in 1977 & I still have it. Sit astride & kick it over. Can be done on centre stand, but if starts well usually, sitting is easiest & safe. Checking centre stand bolts is routine maintenance.

[@neiljarvis8911]

Sounds really nice... the reward for the starting procedure?

[@57eleven1]

Those are the best looking bikes. I bought my 2013 Triumph T-100 new with black and chrome because of that look. I should surpass 80,000 miles on it this year. I hope to own a Norton like that someday. I’d probably just look at it all the time tho 😜

[@michaelbailey8729]

Thing of beauty. Thanks mate.

[@richardstevens801]

I own a 71 750 with a switched oil valve that is on the hot lead of the ignition. Bike won’t start unless oil valve is turned on. Simple wet sumping fix.

[@markthomasson5077]

As a youngster, my first big bike was an 850 Interpol, fairing and all. Electric start was a joke. If you stalled at the lights, leaping into the air with the bike balanced for a 140lb guy was sort of nerve wracking

[@jasonjordan1936]

nice bike dude

[@ridingonabudget]

Thanks

[@aaronturner5409]

Mine keeps wet sumping, seriously thinking of doing that With the valve and the horn,

[@ridingonabudget]

Its not that difficult to do, just make sure the horn is reliable and the wiring connections are solid.

[@danielshacham9290]

nice !!

[@JR-bj3uf]

I free up the clutch on mine so it doesn't lurch when I put it into gear.

[@holgerlubotzki3469]

Regular Commando maintenance is pull the clutch and clean the plates in gasoline. It is supposed to be a dry clutch. Toothed belt primary drive fixes that up for good.

[@ashleyhoward8926]

@@holgerlubotzki3469 It was never dry at all, it is a wet oiled clutch from the factory. Regular removal of clutch plates for cleaning is a simple part of routine maintenance.

[@holgerlubotzki3469]

@@ashleyhoward8926 My 1974 Mk2A Commando has been running a dry clutch for 45 years. Now that I have a toothed belt primary I don't need to clean it every few thousand miles.

[@davidhayter8516]

With a Japanese bike you turn on the ignition and press the starter. Job done.

[@davidsnow2420]

Amazing. When did you discover that? "With a car you turn a key. Job done." LOL

[@ridingonabudget]

Yes that is very true. Newer riders who have only ridden modern bikes really don't realize what it was like to start and ride one of these 1960 - 70s bikes. Particularly, the British offerings like a BSA Gold Star. In those days a well maintained bike would start first kick, provided you knew and used the proper starting procedure. Starting your bike was a measure of how good a motorcyclist you were. Its kind of a lost art today and few modern riders "get" the ethos that surrounds it.

[@ashleyhoward8926]

In 1970's shops sold tee shirts stating "Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha. From the people who brought you ....Pearl harbour".

[@np1663]

@@ashleyhoward8926🤣🤣🤣

[@brucebear1]

@@ridingonabudget "Modern riders" are used to motorcycles that I call "Frigidaire bikes", they're just appliances that sit there until you push the button, then do their thing and quit when it's over. "Job done" - Hoo - humm.

[@grahamseward1388]

Should be freeing up the clutch before you do any of that ! Crazy risking your engine with the anti wet sump valve

[@holgerlubotzki3469]

Commandos have a dry clutch. One of the best you'll ever use.

[@ashleyhoward8926]

Commando's have a wet clutch, but it has nothing to do with engine oil, the clutch is on the primary chaincase with it's own SAE 30 oil supply, not the engine.

[@davidellis7081]

I'm newly retired with time on my hands and am willing to take any old Norton Commando off the hands of any poor soul who finds his bike hard to start, a cracked center stand, worn-out seat foam, or just the wrong color.

[@ridingonabudget]

Join the Norton Owners Facebook group )

[@kengreenwalt6470]

Ive got a 72 combat commando I'm gonna sell soon, beautiful restored bike

[@davidatkinson3887]

your weight on those frame tubes whilst on the centre or side stand are not doing the bottom rails any favours .Whats wrong with straddling the bike with c/stand up to start ?.

[@ridingonabudget]

I have a right hip degeneration and my Doc says no more kick starting (

[@zoranjankovic2492]

😂

[@theislerider9513]

Hi, please reinforce your front seat.. you are pretty much overweighted and the seat is.. done.. Look at it in your video..

[@ridingonabudget]

Yep, good catch, the seat could use new foam.