Up-dated pics of the Norton Chop

Here are some (not very good) pics of my Norton chopper taken yesterday afternoon. These are my most current pictures of this bike. I need to take better ones outside in the sunlight. I also notice I need to wash off the blue on the rear whitewalls. In any case, these pics show the LaPera seat. Once I change out the in-line fule filter, I'm pretty much good to fire the beast up.

Right side view from front. 

Left side view from side. The stain on the garage floor is not current. It's a left-over drom my brake bleeding. 

Left side view from front 

Spring Tech Day, Norton Colorado

April 16 was Norton Colorado's annual spring tech day. It was held at Gary Bolduc's house in Thornton. About 20 Norton Colorado members showed up, maybe more. Some rode Nortons, some rode Triumphs, and some rode BMWs. I don't think I saw anything else. Gary has a collection of bikes, including several Nortons in various stages of repair/running, a Trump, and a Harley. One of Gary's bikes is a Norton Commando chopper. His chopper is much more basic than mine and is not currently street legal. He's got a very long and kicked-out girder front end, no font brake, straight pipes, and sheet metal seat. Like mine, it's a work in progress. We hope to go riding some time soon. I did get lots of complements on my bike. People thought I did a pretty good job. Gary also has a mechanically very well equipped garage. Plenty of Norton parts, seats, gas tanks, pipes. You name it, it seemed like Gary had it. Doesn't look like this garage sees much storage of cars.

It looked like there were four or five different projects being worked on by various members, including one bike that had been caught in a fire and completely destroyed. Looked like the owner was going to try and rebuild. If so, he's got a long row to hoe. Gary helped me finally figure out what was wrong with my clutch. I had figured out my problems stemmed from the fact that I was trying to mate an Atlas tranny to a Commando primary. However, I had not taken into account that an Atlas clutch rod may be a different length than an Atlas one. Turns out that was what I was missing. The Atlas rod I had was a quarter inch too short. Happily, Gary had a spare that I could use. Given that and some kibbitzing from other members, we got the thing working just fine. I would'a tried starting the puppy up, but my gas line leaked -- wrong size in-line filter (or wrong size line). So I still have that little fix.

Gary has a dedicated keg fridge in his garage with O'Dell's 90 Shillings on tap and chilled glasses in the freezer. A nice treat. Gary's wife served a great lunch of barbacued pork sandwichs with all the fixins, and there was a club meeting after lunch. People talked about a club project bike to a raffled off as well as the next meeting, a club ride on May 7th starting from Lafayette. All in all, a very enjoyable, communitarian, and profitable (for me at least) way to spend Easter morning.

Gary Bolduc's Norton Commando chopper. Very cool, very basic. 

One crispy critter. A member's bike that was destroyed in a fire. Looks like he intends to rebuild. Good on him. I don't know I'd have the heart. 

Members at work inside Gary Bolduc's garage. 

Some of the bike's outside Gary Bolduc's garage. 

Older member showing a younger member something. Maybe the other way 'round. Who knows? 

Bitchn Stitchn Review

Honora and I rode up to Bitchn Stitchn in Loveland, CO this morning. Honora wanted an inch or so shaved from the seat of her new Bonneville so she could flat-foot the bike. We were given Bitchn Sttichn's name from Erico Motorsports down in Denver where Honora bought the bike. The guys at Bitchn Stitchn took off Honora's seat and shaved it down in no time. They kept fitting the seat to Honora sitting on the bike until it was just the way she wanted it. Then they recovered the seat with the OEM cover stretched to fit the new profile. Looks good and feels good too. They accomplished this in one hour while we waited. Even better, it cost only $80. The guys were real pleasant to talk to and obviously know what they are doing. I heartily recommend them to anyone on the Front Range who has motorcycle seat needs. While we were there, they were also building a new steel pan for a custom bike. They had a shit-load of various types of leather, including exotic snake and reptile skins, and they do fancy stitching, embossing, tooling, and metal repousse inserts. They also do memory foam, gel inserts, studs, fringe, and hand lacing. Give e'm a try. You won't be disappointed.

Daniel Ballard, Prop.
970-203-0164
www.bitchnstitchninc.com

Other side of Honora's new Bonnie. 

Honora's new Triumph Bonneville 2006. 

Ol’ Skool Norton Commando-powered Chopper Tech Sheet

Power train

Engine: 1969 Norton 750cc Commando; rebuilt by Jim Dallarosa, Vintage Motorcycles
ID # 20MB/131181
Transmission: Matchless/AJS/Norton (probably a Norton Atlas); rebuilt by Jim Dallarosa, Vintage Motorcycles
Primary: Lytedrive; 30mm belt; 32-tooth alloy drive pulley, 68-tooth alloy clutch sprocket

Frame

Year: 2004
Builder: Randy Horton, Horton Customs
Type: Rigid
Rake: 38°
Neck gusset: Fab Kevin
Neck: Twisted Metal Machining

Accessories

Bars: 7/8" drag
Risers: 6.5" pullback, forged aluminum
Levers: Pazzo Racing
Forward controls: ‘57-74 H-D Sportster
Fenders:
Front: N/a
Rear: Chica, ribbed
Headlight: 6.5" diameter, repo ‘36-54 H-D Knucklehead Springer
Taillight: ‘59 Cadillac repo
Electrics: Boyar-Bransden MKIII electronic ignition
Wiring: Len @ Frontline Cycles
Battery: Yausa MF YTR9-BS, sealed, 12 volt
Gas tank: Peanut, 2.5 gallons
Oil tank: 4 quart, round, Orange Brothers Choppers
Oil system: Side-mount external filter á la Indian Larry, stainless steel lines
Seat: Le Pera, solo metal-flake vinyl, red with white piping
Rear struts: Bob Flaws
License plate mount: Bob Flaws
Exhausts: Fishtail
Header wrap: Oz Customs

Forks

Type: Springer
Extension: +4"
Fork brace: Bob Flaws

Wheels & tires

Front: 21", 40-spoke, laced by Frontline Cycles; Avon Venom-X tire
Rear: 16", 40-spoke, laced by Frontline Cycles; Avon Venom-X tire

Brakes

Front: ‘87-90 ZX7-R dual disk calipers on 10" rotors
Rear: 2003 ZX1-200BS caliper on 10" rotor
Caliper mounts: Fab Kevin

Paint

Frame: Bob Flaws, rattle can
Rims: Bob Flaws, rattle can
Tins: Bob Flaws, rattle can
Norton tank logo: Josh Bourassa, TrueKustom.com, gold foil

Honora's New Bike

On Sunday, Honora and I went down to Erico Motorsports in LoDo in Denver to test ride some Trumps. Honora immediately fell in love with the Bonnevilles. Perhaps needless to say, she drove a brand new 2006 865cc black Bonnie home that afternoon. I will try to get pics posted of it ASAP. It's definitely sweet. Good pick-up and great handling. I think she made an excellent choice.