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Norton 99 1959

Submitted by barry_robinson1 on Sun, 29/05/2016
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Nortons - General

Just introducing myself as a recently joined member. Have acquired a Dominator from a relative who owned it over 30 years. Last on the road 1991. Hope to ride as is this summer and think about whether or not to restore. very original machine with only two previous owners but painted a military green sometime in its past.

Attachments norton-resize-6-jpg

Submitted by les_howard on Mon, 30/05/2016

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Hi Barry ....definitely ride it as it is for now, until the winter arrives and then decide. The biggest problem of renovating a bike is the worry you carry around after you finish it and it's back on the road...all shiny and perfect, hundreds of hours invested and possibly thousands of pounds of money too. If you're a bit like me, I'm too worried to leaveany of my bikesanywhere, even locked up, always expecting some nasty person to scratch it up or nick something off it or all of it...(yes...I've had that happen) . At the moment, your bike still looks good enough but will attract less attention and should the worst happen then it's not going to be the end of the world.....Les

Submitted by barry_robinson1 on Mon, 30/05/2016

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Thanks Les, that's definitely my way of thinking at the moment. I've got her running but with a couple of issues to be sorted yet before I can get out on the open road. Barry

PS judging by the sound it makes and the heap of red dust that came out I think the baffles in the silencer have rusted away!

Submitted by les_howard on Mon, 30/05/2016

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Be careful with that rusty exhaust.... perhaps take it off and shake the rust out. When an engine runs, some exhaust gas is always sucked back in pulses into the cylinder often with a very strong suction. If you have rusty debris in the exhaust system this is going to be pulled back in too,,, maybe scratching the bore ...this might not matter if you have a rebore but then again it might have recently had one...you probably don't know. Another place it could get trapped is under the exhaust valve seat so be careful....Les

PS....Your bike looks lovely and very original as it is apart from the more recent paint job.

Submitted by barry_robinson1 on Mon, 30/05/2016

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Thanks Les, yes I have just taken the silencers off and a proper heap of rust has fallen out.

Re the paint job, this was done 40 years ago in government establishment when things were a bit quiet! Actually they did a good job, its lasted all these years, mind you I painted the front mudguard and the chaincase and battery cover with an aerosol can. The latter two had been chromed and had pickled up quite bad. Barry.

Submitted by michael_sullivan on Tue, 31/05/2016

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Barry:

You had better check the tires. Do you know, or does the relative know, when the tires were changed last?

They might be hard and slippery.

Mike

Submitted by barry_robinson1 on Tue, 31/05/2016

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Yes I'm changing them, they are K70s. Thinking of putting a 325 on the front as the 300 looks so narrow.

Submitted by david_cooper on Wed, 01/06/2016

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I see you have the rare full chain case. Alleged in Bacon's books to pick up water although my friend had one and it never caused him problems. Is it one of those stories started years ago by a journalist and has just been repeated I wonder?David

Submitted by gordon_johnston on Wed, 01/06/2016

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There's a reason your bike has a 3.00 on the front - a 3.25 will be too wide to fit between the forks. K70s aren't particularly good in my experience. They combine high wear rate with less than outstanding grip.

Submitted by barry_robinson1 on Wed, 01/06/2016

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Previously David Cooper wrote:
I see you have the rare full chain case. Alleged in Bacon's books to pick up water although my friend had one and it never caused him problems. Is it one of those stories started years ago by a journalist and has just been repeated I wonder?David
I was looking at the little hole in the bottom of the chaincase wondering why it was there, then the penny dropped, it's to let the water out !

Submitted by tom_mcewen on Wed, 06/07/2016

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Keep your Dommi in oily rag condition, fit LED lights from Classic Dynamo Regulators and just enjoy riding it! I have had a Dommi 99 for 48 years, and the handling is a joy. Armours do silencers and pipes for the 99. Good riding!

Submitted by john_shorter on Wed, 06/07/2016

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I fitted an Avon Speedmaster 3.25/19 front tyre, on my '54 Dominator, there was no problem with clearance. However, there was no improvement in handling. I went up a size, as my weight has increased somewhat since the 50's! This year, I have gone back to the 300/19. Maybe it is imagination, but, the steering seems lighter, and more precise.

 


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