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Broaden your horizons - Norton for sale

2K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  GrandPaulZ 
#1 ·
#12 · (Edited)
These days????......Dude, the engine is 50yrs old & anyone who does even a small amount of research (which obviously you didn't) will find out that the standard Combat engine was something to keep away from unless you have the expertise of Leo Goff as the OP kindly went into detail about just for your benefit.

PaulZ, l have a couple of overseas trips & a ride on my Tiger to Colorado for a weeks' high vista viewing, so if it doesn't sell, pop me a PM will you, but l'll try to keep up to speed with your progress.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Original Combats had inadequate main bearings - Leo Goff replaced these with new *** Superblends - the proper cure.

Combats have shaved heads, but the pushrods were not originally shortened to coexist properly, resulting in improper valve actuation geometry - Leo Goff shortened these appropriately - again, the proper cure.

Early Commandos, including Combat spec units, had dreaded "grenade" pistons with hardly an inch of actual continuous skirt on each side of the pistons between the oil ring and the piston pin (a large SLOT across the front and rear of the inner skirt behind the oil ring), resulting in numerous catastrophic failures - Leo Goff replaced these with proper late spec "full skirt" pistons - the proper cure.

Combats were known to starve the oil pump at sustained higher speeds due to the poor design of the oil weir at the rear of the cases, in conjunction with excess oil being expelled by the inferior design of the breather - Leo Goff remedied both of these situations in the manner recognized by a majority of Norton experts to be the "best" cure (there are more than one proper cures).

So, as far as THIS Combat engine, it should be among the best performing near-stock Combat spec engines running today, and will be running quite well for MANY thousands of miles (as long as it is properly serviced and maintained, and not abused by some disrespectful rider that doesn't know that classic bikes don't have rev limiters like modern ones).
 
#16 ·
I agree with Truck, get a title when you can. It really helps with the confidence in the sale. If you're looking at a bike with no title you have to consider the possibility something could be hinky. I've done it but only when the price is too good to pass up . The thing I think about is if I apply for title, and it's stolen, do they take the bike ? Do they throw me in jail ? Being married to a cop makes me paranoid, I guess.
 
#20 ·
I bought it many years ago on a Bill of Sale from a good friend that sold me 3 Commandos, a Bonneville, and 2 BSAs over the years.

I have no cause to be concerned about it's legitimacy, I just never took the time to register it as I only ever used it as a toy to zip around like a hooligan then slip it quietly back in the garage, and to take to various bike shows, where it won at least one trophy (maybe two).

I changed the listing to include the VT registration which I'm now working on.
 
#21 ·
Just for the record I researched Combat engine years ago and decided there is nothing there what can't be repaired / improved on now.
This is why I asked:)
However not super moderator with superpowers like GP, I too had a feeling of change of tone in the second Britmick's post that Combat engine should be avoided. Not true, my friend uses a Commando with Combat engine without any problems at all.
All those engines are as good ( or bad ) as the last guy who rebuild them.
 
#22 ·
You too must have some sort of supernatural powers to detect a "change of tone" (a tone is a sound BTW!) in how someone types!....................Bloody amazing actually!!!:nerd:

Also, your last sentence of wise words "All those engines are as good ( or bad ) as the last guy who rebuild them."
proves that any Combat engine DID need a rebuild from new, hence why l asked the tonally different question about them!

PS, Paul, sorry for all this tittle-tattle that we sometimes allow ourselves to indulge in, but did you manage to sell the 'bike my friend?
 
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