Here's wishing you all in the Northern hemisphere a great season. Hi dynodave and andersonj. I'm having a great time with Atlas. Thanks for your help a few years back. My concentic MK II 930's have about had it and I'm looking for some 932s. It seems MK I's are readily available, but not MK II's. I've also heard that the MK II's are OK for racing, but on the street, they are a compromise. Anyone have any thoughts? Cheers, Angus

No message

Hi Angus Glad you're fully unbugged. Wish I had something put together to ride, other than the turn-key ducati. Oh well I'll have to suffer. MKII's, I was surprised to see norvil no longer carries them. However, IIRC Jim Schmidt did a flow bench study and MKII flowed better than the same sized mic. Maybe a 79or 80? triumph MKII carb take-off would work? I don't know if they are 30 or 32mm. You could always pick up a pair of flea market MKI 32mm bodies and have the slides sleeved. all the rest of your stuff would then bolt right on. Dave

Hi Angus, This is the old andersonj here. I have had a few moves in the past 6 months. I moved companies, cities, jobs, e mail addresses and got bluffed by the site changes which didnt like me any more. On the subject of carbs. Sounds like you do not want to go Mikuni. I have bought the concentric book from this chap and it seems very comprehensive. He publishes them himself and has some editing errors and seems to have lost a page in printing but it is the best concentric guide I have seen. He also has a Mikuni book which I have not seen. I would be serously tempted to try a Mikuni if I was going for a new carb. -or buy new MK 1 bodies and change the bits over. I hear you have to clean the new Amal bodies carefully as they are full of aluminium dust. http://victorylibrary.com/brit/MIK-BT.htm http://victorylibrary.com/brit/CONC.htm I spent last weekend at a race meeting in Taupo New Zealand with my old Dommie. Rained all day but the bike goes very well. Cannot say the same for the rider, but I was still upright at the end of the day. Got beat in one race by a rigid BSA which was a bit embarassing but the rider was keen and crazy!! My biggest Norton excitment for the past year has been the visit to New Zealand by Peter Williams and Norman White. I was one of a goup of guys who got together to sponser them down here. I was lucky enough to go to dinner with them with only two others and was able to talk with Peter for a couple of hours. He told me all about the John Player bikes, the monoque, riding in the TT, the Arter Matchless, Daytona, the trans Atlantic races. He also talked about the PW3 cam. I hadn't realised he also designed the 4 S cam as well. He did all the sums for the 4 s on a hand held calculator but used a computer at one of the UK universities for the PW 3 cam. Often the very top riders are unpleasant and pushy type of persons but these guys were really great. Peter is an English gentlemen. Almost academic. You would never pick him as putting a Commando round the TT at 107 mph 30 years ago !!! This is the web site that was set up for their visit. http://www.nortonracing.co.nz/ We had a dinner for them at a local hotel. They bought Norman's John Player production bike down to NZ. The first time one had ever been here. The dinner was on the third floor and the bike wouldnt fit in the lift so we carried it up and down the stairs. So not only have I sat on a genuine works JP I have carried one as well !!! It was a really great visit and I think they were surprised at all the number of people who remembered them. regards John

Nice to hear from you guys! Thanks for the tips. John, I've ordered the concentric booklet. Great story about carrying the JP!

Hi waspfarmer. My name is Michael, from Israel. I run a 1970 Fastback 750 which was fitted with a 32mm Amal MK2 about 5 years ago.The fuel consumption is much better, and up to 5000 rpm the performance is much the same.I buy my parts from RGM motors in the UK and they still list the Mk2 in their current catalogue.the carb never goes out of tune, and the bike is ridden on club runs weekly, right through the year reliable. If you are in a hot climate like the middle east, i found that fitting an iol cooler and filter helps as the iol temp is noticebly lower than other british iron under similar conditions. The bike has lots of other mods and is a real trteat to ride.

michael c

Thanks for your input mopam! I've been reading up. I'm gonna go MKI 32's soon (give me a 12 month grace). Mark I's came on this bike orriginally (930's ran them). Here's my setup: Commando 750 flattops (stock-9.5/1), Black Diamond valves (standard size) on a "5600nr megacycle grind" cam. thats a standard profile with extra lift. Advance = 0, by the book. (not that Dunstal stuff Dyno-Dave mentions.) Mopam, I'm essentially running a standard Commando with a mildly raised cam.... What's your slide 3" 3.5"..?', Altidude and main jet size? I ask as I am at sea mostly, to 5,000' occasionaly. Appreciated, Angus

Sorry mopam, you're running a single carb?

Hi Angus, Talking to a friend last night who runs a quick and successful race bike down here. He did a back to back dyno test with Amal Mk1 versus smoothbored Mk11s and got a 5 % peak hp increase. (on a well set up bike) Cheers John

Hi Angus (again.) Just noticed you are using Black Diamond valves. Are you also using alloy Black Diamond valve spring retainers? They sell a lighter "race" set of retainers. These alloy retainers have failed and dropped a valve in racing conditions and I would not advise using them. I use titanium retainers in my bike but unless you are racing I would not bother and just use the steel originals. If you do use titanium retainers carefully inspect your valve collets with a magnifying glass and smooth off any sharp edges with a stone. If they have sharp edges with use the collets fret into the titanium retainers and it can be really really difficult to take them out. I fought with one valve all afternoon before finally getting the collets out !! John

Thanks for the info, John. I'm using the steel orriginals. Angus