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Hi all, I have inherited a 98 storm that looks in VGC, I normally am only interested in very old Brit or Italian bikes and have never used a modern bike with power ,brakes and electric start,thats despite being in my 70's!! I have a lot to take in.I will be asking lots of seemingly stupid questions ,no doubt. I have dug deep and coughed up a whole tenner to add the Storm to my classic policy. I can see fuel consumption is going to test me. My popular ride can do 110mph and 70mpg at 70mph with 250 mile range on one tank.Pottering along 100mpg is possible. What bike is it?The storm has been pro serviced but looking around I'm not overly impressed.Wheels well out of line ,chassis bolts loose,silencer hitting the Swingarm etc. But itwas my nephews pride and joy ,I will remember him every time I ride it.He loved it,I will do the same.

Great intro, hope you get it in good order and get on well with it.

Welcome aboard Bob

I'm not sure what your frugal bike is, may be a 3 - 1/2 Moto Morini
Whoever the professionals are that serviced your Firestorm, it doesn't sound like they were very thorougher

Chris.

Hi Chris, The mystery bike is a well sorted Norton 600 CC. Its a very cheap ride, I threw it together 25 years ago and its just kept going. No tax, no Mot,cheap insurance tyres never wear out, brakes and chains likewise. Seems a planet away from a big Honda. I have a few issues, Spyball alarm with no instructions or cards, Probably best to remove, Orriginal cct's?,who knows,orrig Reg good stuff,Ohlins rear susp,Uprated forks, Maxtorque cans,carbon hugger/chainguard etc. tyres and chain look new ,starts and runs . Mot next move.

Bikerbob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:21 am Hi Chris, The mystery bike is a well sorted Norton 600 CC. Its a very cheap ride, I threw it together 25 years ago and its just kept going. No tax, no Mot,cheap insurance tyres never wear out, brakes and chains likewise. Seems a planet away from a big Honda. I have a few issues, Spyball alarm with no instructions or cards, Probably best to remove, Orriginal cct's?,who knows,orrig Reg good stuff,Ohlins rear susp,Uprated forks, Maxtorque cans,carbon hugger/chainguard etc. tyres and chain look new ,starts and runs . Mot next move.

Hi Bob, Interesting to hear about your Norton 600cc. I'm guessing that will be a Dommie
I like the no road tax, no mot and cheap insurance
The closest I ever got to owning a Norton was my two Tritons back in the day

Yes your CCT's need addressing. Either fit manuals or do the Stopper Mod. Spyball is probably best to remove.

How to fit manual CCT's:- http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 31&t=28583

Stopper Mod:- viewtopic.php?f=31&t=19416

Chris.

I've also come from the classic side, my Commando would do 65mpg but I'm getting used to 48mpg with the storm since I don't ride like some on here . I just like the torque and grunt it has, can't be doing with screaming 4 cyl bikes. Nearly 5k miles since Jan last Yr, about the same as the Commando. I intend to wear her out, or me in the process. Sounds like a sad story behind you inheriting the bike? Sorry to hear that.

Hi Bob from sunny New Zealand!

I too was an avid British bike fan for years (I'm an ex-pat) until a chance encounter with a Suzuki twin. It turned me Japanese and I've been there ever since.
Of all the bikes I've owned, the big Hondas have always been my stand-out favourites. Currently on my second 'Storm though I haven't ridden it yet!

Good luck. Keep us posted with your 'Storm experiences.

I have got the bike up and ready for the MOT , Fitted some DB killers , Heavy to push around, my lads ,late 40's and 50 years old think I'm a bit bonkers to be playing with a big modern bike at my age, HA!, I intend to ride well into my 80's , My first ride (to the MOT) will be in the rain ,rush hour traffic, not ideal but have to start somewhere. Then a ridesafe course with the wobblers on their 125's and me on the Storm!.

Loads of old buggers here. I get embrassed at times, having to ride with these geriatrics. But you get used to it.

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KermitLeFrog wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:03 pm Loads of old buggers here. I get embrassed at times, having to ride with these geriatrics. But you get used to it.

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lol ... Kermit is our resident granddad ... we go round the care home and take him out for the day, if we remember to bring his teeth he will also join us for lunch, otherwise he has to eat babyfood as it doesn't need chewing

Took the Storm out for a Sunday spin in kent, I could get to like the smell of burnt rubber (boots!), Love the way it goes into warp drive with a flick of the gas, have to think of something else other than half a sheep under the belly. Boy that lamp of doom comes on fast, Not mad about the clunky gearchange,but may improve with use (like a BMW) . Still not good with the stupid upside-down gears, rear brake pathetic, the old Norton would lock the wheel. Corners well and soaks up the bumps better than classic iron. Defo sound like a mangle when cruising,normal?. The pops and bangs are probably air leaks on the pipes, Fat rubber not good on gravel, skinny classic tyres cope better. Speedo hard to read. Think I could get to like it with raised bars a 2" lower seat,and another 10mpg.

Sounds familiar, in many ways the old norton was mechanically quieter, strange really given the air-cooled clearances and preunit design etc. Mine has a noisy mainshaft brg, changed over winter but back after 350 miles. Yrs could be similar, mangle noises etc. Best heard at idle, clutch out. Load the bearing with clutch lever, noise goes, Comes back in gear anyway, clutch out, normal running, just not so noticed with the other noises. I'll do it again this winter as I may have buggered it running engine with rear pot 180 out on cams, just a theory, probably baldrocks..,

Changing the Bearing, sounds like a big job, Engine out ,full strip??.

Bikerbob wrote: ↑Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:04 pm Not mad about the clunky gearchange,but may improve with use (like a BMW) .

A couple things can cause this. What RPM are you shifting at? If it is below 5K RPM then it can be a bit "clunky" and just raising the shift point can really help.

The other "usual" cause is the oil. Either it needs to be changed or the bike doesn't like what it is running.
I personally use full syn. oil for the reason that it makes the bike shift like butter.

So no the transmission will not "wear in" but can be made to work rather well once you find an oil both you and the bike like and shifting at higher RPMs (remember this bike did start its life as a "race" project so it can make sense the trans likes some revs to shift smoothly)