How silly can you get!

Decided to fit "Vincent" bars, to my '54 Dommy, as per my teenage years. At the same time, it seemed a good idea to replace the rubber bushes, and washers on the handlerbar mounts. Got everything back together, and went for a run. Slight probem, couldn't read the speedo from 40 to 80 m.p.h.! Who put the bar mounts back on 180 degrees out?!! O.K. maybe I am getting senile!

hello well fitting Vincent straight will not make your domie 54 go any faster, you only end up with arm ach and your shoulder killing you with pain . that why I like my Norton Manxman a Nice Fast lay back cruiser and you can ride all day without back ach or your arms dropping off or your shoulder in pain, the seat real nice a comfortable and a nice comfortable ride you can have all your caferacers you like but my Manxman is made for comfort , a real lady's machine , with grunt yours anna j

Silly? I did a top end overhaul and couldn't get the bike to start. Then I noticed the pushrods lying on the bench. And that was before senility was a possibility. Gordon.

Previously John Shorter wrote:

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously John Shorter wrote:

Decided to fit "Vincent" bars, to my '54 Dommy, as per my teenage years. At the same time, it seemed a good idea to replace the rubber bushes, and washers on the handlerbar mounts. Got everything back together, and went for a run. Slight probem, couldn't read the speedo from 40 to 80 m.p.h.! Who put the bar mounts back on 180 degrees out?!! O.K. maybe I am getting senile!

hello well fitting Vincent straight will not make your domie 54 go any faster, you only end up with arm ach and your shoulder killing you with pain . that why I like my Norton Manxman a Nice Fast lay back cruiser and you can ride all day without back ach or your arms dropping off or your shoulder in pain, the seat real nice a comfortable and a nice comfortable ride you can have all your caferacers you like but my Manxman is made for comfort , a real lady's machine , with grunt yours anna j

Anna, I was riding a, almost identical, Dominator in the 50's. I KNOW which bars I prefer! I never get back ache, and my arms are not dropping off. All depends on the stature of the rider, and personal preference. I would not be seen dead on a Manxman!

I agree John. I have had flat "Vincent" type bars on my 650SS for 30 years now. No aches even when riding 400 miles in a day. Better than being buffeted by the wind.

regards, Ian

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously John Shorter wrote:

Decided to fit "Vincent" bars, to my '54 Dommy, as per my teenage years. At the same time, it seemed a good idea to replace the rubber bushes, and washers on the handlerbar mounts. Got everything back together, and went for a run. Slight probem, couldn't read the speedo from 40 to 80 m.p.h.! Who put the bar mounts back on 180 degrees out?!! O.K. maybe I am getting senile!

hello well fitting Vincent straight will not make your domie 54 go any faster, you only end up with arm ach and your shoulder killing you with pain . that why I like my Norton Manxman a Nice Fast lay back cruiser and you can ride all day without back ach or your arms dropping off or your shoulder in pain, the seat real nice a comfortable and a nice comfortable ride you can have all your caferacers you like but my Manxman is made for comfort , a real lady's machine , with grunt yours anna j

Anna, I was riding a, almost identical, Dominator in the 50's. I KNOW which bars I prefer! I never get back ache, and my arms are not dropping off. All depends on the stature of the rider, and personal preference. I would not be seen dead on a Manxman!

well the Manxman is to much a machine for you and I have a 54 Domie And there Not as Comfortable as the Manxman And The Domie has 3 inch raised bars As Standard , And The Manxman as 52bhp The Domie has 29bhp and the Manxman Handel's better at any speed , and there not much of any buffeting from the wind and its a Cool looking bike, and hard to find,

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously John Shorter wrote:

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously John Shorter wrote:

Decided to fit "Vincent" bars, to my '54 Dommy, as per my teenage years. At the same time, it seemed a good idea to replace the rubber bushes, and washers on the handlerbar mounts. Got everything back together, and went for a run. Slight probem, couldn't read the speedo from 40 to 80 m.p.h.! Who put the bar mounts back on 180 degrees out?!! O.K. maybe I am getting senile!

hello well fitting Vincent straight will not make your domie 54 go any faster, you only end up with arm ach and your shoulder killing you with pain . that why I like my Norton Manxman a Nice Fast lay back cruiser and you can ride all day without back ach or your arms dropping off or your shoulder in pain, the seat real nice a comfortable and a nice comfortable ride you can have all your caferacers you like but my Manxman is made for comfort , a real lady's machine , with grunt yours anna j

Anna, I was riding a, almost identical, Dominator in the 50's. I KNOW which bars I prefer! I never get back ache, and my arms are not dropping off. All depends on the stature of the rider, and personal preference. I would not be seen dead on a Manxman!

well the Manxman is to much a machine for you and I have a 54 Domie And there Not as Comfortable as the Manxman And The Domie has 3 inch raised bars As Standard , And The Manxman as 52bhp The Domie has 29bhp and the Manxman Handel's better at any speed , and there not much of any buffeting from the wind and its a Cool looking bike, and hard to find,

Hello Anna,

I know how much you love your Manxman from your very many posts

referring to it , but just what is the point of getting into a slanging match over it.As long as it's a Norton what does it matter about the individuals choice of handlebar.

When I aquired my first Norton in the early 50s it was a 1951 "88" fitted with flat bars, within a very short time I, as an apprentice machine shop engineer made and fitted clip ons and I loved them.

A fairly major accident in1960 took the "88" of the road, never to be rebuilt (yet).

Other Nortons came along, I still have themall.

At the age of 77 I hope, within the next year to finally rebuild LOV 271to the wayI remember it, and yes, initially it will still have the clipons fitted so I can briefly remember what it was like and then maybe I shall revert to the flats.

But please Anna don't chide us for our personal choices just because they don't meet with your approval.

At the end of the day we all dote on our Nortons and if we didn't where would they all now be.

Yours, with regards, Ian S Hay.

Around 15 to 20 years ago, Channel 4 used to show production motorcyle racing from the Australian circuits. The rules were very simple.....the internals could be tuned to the 'Nth' degree as long as the machine looked showroom standard. The result was big engined bikes, belting round the circuitswith riders hanging onto high wide bars. There were sparks galore as mainstands and silencers grounded and loads of high speed wobbles with gear changes and braking. Great stuff at the time.

John I have come (along with many others) to the conclusion, that your sillyness is not caused by old age but simplydue tothe facts that you are not a woman, were never a marine engineer and don't own a manxman.

Let's get real......the only bars that you and I have an interest in ...........onlyserve drinks. Is it your round???

Around 15 to 20 years ago, Channel 4 used to show production motorcyle racing from the Australian circuits. The rules were very simple.....the internals could be tuned to the 'Nth' degree as long as the machine looked showroom standard. The result was big engined bikes, belting round the circuitswith riders hanging onto high wide bars. There were sparks galore as mainstands and silencers grounded and loads of high speed wobbles with gear changes and braking. Great stuff at the time.

John I have come (along with many others) to the conclusion, that your sillyness is not caused by old age but simplydue tothe facts that you are not a woman, were never a marine engineer and don't own a manxman.

Let's get real......the only bars that you and I have an interest in ...........onlyserve drinks. Is it your round???

hello I pay for that one as is me than like getting these lot wound up, but all in fun your anna j

Now I've got to stop the search for a Manxman, give up my ambition to potter with spanners in the bowels of a ship and cancel the sex change. Ho hum.

Re: Gordon leaving out the push rods.

What a good idea! I think I might try it. Then trailer the bike to the top of a hill and coast down in gear. Then I'll find out if the rattles are from pistons or valve gear...

Now I've got to stop the search for a Manxman, give up my ambition to potter with spanners in the bowels of a ship and cancel the sex change. Ho hum.

hello I am really glad you changed you mind on the sex change As I been told it really hurts long after its been done in more ways than one!

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously Gordon Johnston wrote:

Now I've got to stop the search for a Manxman, give up my ambition to potter with spanners in the bowels of a ship and cancel the sex change. Ho hum.

hello I am really glad you changed you mind on the sex change As I been told it really hurts long after its been done in more ways than one!

Uh.......I'm just a yank from California (British and Scottish ancestors) and perhaps don't fully understand British culture, but is the acrimonious bantor between Anna and others meant to be humor or are people just rude to each other on this message forum?

Hello Norman, it's an ancient custom known as slagging each other off. A trait of most if not all online fora. I think you will find that Anna and I have considerable respect for each others abilities and dedication to the marque, but we would never admit it in public - oh damn, what have I gone and done? Gordon.

How's this for silliness then? A couple of years ago, I had cause to rebuild my Commando gearbox. Replaced everything with new parts except layshaft itself, put it all back together - went together easily. Right, just stick gear lever on and test it on bench before re-installing it on the bike; won't select any gears. Bother! Took it apart again, checked everything, put it back together, still no gears. Did this 4 times before the penny dropped. My bike has rearsets on, and I was using just the short splined part of the lever to check. It was to short for me to get enough purchase to throw the gears in. Installed box to bike, worked perfectly!