Allen Millyard Norton Nemesis rebuild

[HenryDorsetCase]

I take it that we are all avidly watching this - I know I am.

Basically Allen Millyard is a mechanical genius and builds stuff like a V12 engine out of two KZ1300 motors, adds extra cylinders to various old Kwakas and built an amazing tribute to the Honda 250/6 (he calls it the RC374 I think). Unassuming, quietly spoken total god level skill set.

The National Motorcycle Museum said to him "Oi, can you please look at this one of one prototype 1500cc V8 that the remnants of Norton made". Allen is rebuilding it and this week we saw the motor go back together for good.

Youtube is my new TV.

https://www.youtube.com/@AllenMillyard

That link is to his Youtube channel

This is to the Nemesis playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBwMn1ookQE&list=PLtfrk2n6JWsI-78FY_gF9PjZh71V_-Nlw

[R650R]

He’s a legend alright. I like how he looked through various other manufacturers to find a similar size big end bearing shell then machined off however many thou to make the width correct.

The Honda gold wing rebuild is quite good too. Total nightmare to pull apart to get to anything.

All done in probably the world’s smallest shed.

His overhaul on the dodge v10 bike before he took it to another recent event mad meticulous also.

[Grumph]

Just a short watch of part one made me shudder. Those discs retained by plain allen screws when they should be shoulder bolts.
And it was supposedly designed for 200mph.

One decent hard stop from that and I'd doubt you'd have a front brake.

And that's only an easy bit to pick on. Plenty more.

[F5 Dave]

Thanks HDC, I'll watch that over a while. Just through 2nd episode

There's a special place in Hell for those people who use preinsulated terminals.

Located next to anodised fittings installers.
But they are already in the UK, so. . .

[pete376403]

Many things on that Norton were second rate - the rear exhaust was appalling, or the water manifolds on the head. Seems Norton could have done a lot worse than doing a deal with Suzuki and making the V8 out of a couple of GSX-R 750s. Millyard is doing a very nice (he loves that word) job yet I question some of the things he does - cam cap bolts for example, I would have expected hardened steel washers under the screw heads to prevent the heads from digging in to the soft aluminium and possibly loosening in service. But it's not like it's going to be racking up any sort of mileage.

[Laava]

All the castings look a bit "fifties" to me…

[jellywrestler]

All the castings look a bit "fifties" to me…

that's the british way, in 1938 they introduced the triumph speed twin, a pre unit engine of 500cc
They then banged it out to 650
they then made it unit construction
they then banged it out to 750cc
they then added a cylinder to make the trident
they then added a cylinder to that to make the quadrant,
they never started with a clean sheet of paper when designing crankcases along the way, always a rehash of a rehash.

take a look at an 888 ducati, there's provision on the side for a kick starter

In i think 1979 when they built the air cooled 2 valve belt driven pantah 500 they had a kick starter option,
those cases were rehashed to make the 600, then water cooling and four valves per cylinder all the way to 888
I think the first of the next generation crankcases was the 916, no wonder they would replace the WSBK engines almost every meeting.....

[husaberg]

I think the first of the next generation crankcases was the 916, no wonder they would replace the WSBK engines almost every meeting.....

back in the Roche to foggy era it was 3 engines a meeting, one for each leg and another for practice qualifying;)

[F5 Dave]

I was flagging when Roche's one had 'an electrical fault' (cloud) in front of our station, then carried back to the pits leaving an incriminating trail of black electricity behind him.

And you forgot to mention the fable of Irving's 500 blueprint/s to Vtwin story.

[husaberg]

I was flagging when Roche's one had 'an electrical fault' (cloud) in front of our station, then carried back to the pits leaving an incriminating trail of black electricity behind him.

And you forgot to mention the fable of Irving's 500 blueprint/s to Vtwin story.

I watched it on the net the other day. not as great as being there and not as dramatic as I remember it from the telly on the day, He put on a master class in those few laps he decided to put on a show. it was probably the only time he gave it the full nuts all season, as they had to win as slowly as needed to avoid any rule change.
I could have mentioned the mains in the 888 were much like the super blend bearings in the Commando which started out as a 500 and ended up a 830


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2s0PdE0dD0
iT was amazing how tight his lines were...
also how long he oiled up the track.
what I never realised at the time was the Ducati it seems had a slipper clutch I know the ZXR and the RC30 had one, but it looks like the duke had one also...
The 888 was my fav 4T

[jellywrestler]

And you forgot to mention the fable of Irving's 500 blueprint/s to Vtwin story.

not familiar with that one

[pete376403]

not familiar with that one

Apparently he by chance overlaid two 500 engine layout prints on transparent paper and noticed it would be quite easy to make a v-twin utilising the same cam drives (or summat like that)

[pete376403]

I watched it on the net the other day. not as great as being there and not as dramatic as I remember it from the telly on the day, He put on a master class in those few laps he decided to put on a show. it was probably the only time he gave it the full nuts all season, as they had to win as slowly as needed to avoid any rule change.
I could have mentioned the mains in the 888 were much like the super blend bearings in the Commando which started out as a 500 and ended up a 830


iT was amazing how tight his lines were...
also how long he oiled up the track.
what I never realised at the time was the Ducati it seems had a slipper clutch I know the ZXR and the RC30 had one, but it looks like the duke had one also...
The 888 was my fav 4T

Look at the size of the crowd (which I was part of)

[Grumph]

I remember that weekend at Manfield quite well. Just prior to the second leg, Mark Taylor had won F3 on my Kawasaki. Interviewed and asked who was going to win leg 2 he said "Syph will walk it" Good prediction.
Rob Lewis riding a ZX7 which I'd built the engine for managed a finish inside the top10 Which was gratifying.

Does anyone else remember the very short but gorgeous bird the Diesel Jeans rep had with him ? Race day jeans painted on.....

[jellywrestler]

Apparently he by chance overlaid two 500 engine layout prints on transparent paper and noticed it would be quite easy to make a v-twin utilising the same cam drives (or summat like that)

the cams are near closer to the heads than the crankshaft so it wouldn't have been hard at all to drive ten off the one drive i reckon?

[pete376403]

the cams are near closer to the heads than the crankshaft so it wouldn't have been hard at all to drive ten off the one drive i reckon?
Dunno - this is as close as I have ever been to a Vincent (Godet replica in Greytown a few years ago) but I can see what you mean)

[pritch]

Youtube is my new TV.



Me too. At 6.00PM TV goes on, at 7.00PM TV goes off, YouTube, Netflix, etc, take over.

[F5 Dave]

Apparently he by chance overlaid two 500 engine layout prints on transparent paper and noticed it would be quite easy to make a v-twin utilising the same cam drives (or summat like that)

Thanks for answering that. I felt as if I was walking into some sort of trap. Only one of us on the thread has likely owned one, and it's certainly not me.

Actually reflecting, I've never owned anything V format. Although I considered making a 100 out of two RG50s. Briefly.

[Kickaha]

Dunno - this is as close as I have ever been to a Vincent (Godet replica in Greytown a few years ago) but I can see what you mean)

Saw a guy on an Egli replica Vincent in Cheviot two weekends ago, first Vincent I've seen on the road in twenty + years

[pete376403]

Thanks for answering that. I felt as if I was walking into some sort of trap. Only one of us on the thread has likely owned one, and it's certainly not me.

Actually reflecting, I've never owned anything V format. Although I considered making a 100 out of two RG50s. Briefly.


1936 Series A Rapide
Main article: Vincent Rapide

Vincent Series 'A' Rapide
Whilst working in his office at Stevenage in 1936, Phil Irving noticed that two drawings of the Vincent HRD engine lay on top of each other in a "V" formation. He set them out on the drawing board as a v-twin engine in a frame Vincents had made for a record attempt by Eric Fernihough, who no longer required it. When Phil Vincent saw the drawing he was immediately enthusiastic, and a few weeks later the first Vincent thousand had been made, with Meteor upper engine parts mounted on new crankcases.[14] The Vincent V-twin motorcycle incorporated a number of new and innovative ideas, some of which were more successful than others.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Motorcycles [14] Harper, Roy (1975), The Vincent HRD Story; Volume 2 of The Authorised record of the HRD and Vincent era, Vincent Publishing Company, pp. 93–94, ISBN 978-0950418650

[F5 Dave]

Yeah I reread that old story in a Classic Bike mag last week.

Last time I saw a Vincent was in jellys garage about 15 years ago, so I'm thinking, did I spell the name wrong? What? Waiting for the retort like Damocles sword hovering.

[jellywrestler]

1936 Series A Rapide
Main article: Vincent Rapide

Vincent Series 'A' Rapide
Whilst working in his office at Stevenage in 1936, Phil Irving noticed that two drawings of the Vincent HRD engine lay on top of each other in a "V" formation. He set them out on the drawing board as a v-twin engine in a frame Vincents had made for a record attempt by Eric Fernihough, who no longer required it. When Phil Vincent saw the drawing he was immediately enthusiastic, and a few weeks later the first Vincent thousand had been made, with Meteor upper engine parts mounted on new crankcases.[14] The Vincent V-twin motorcycle incorporated a number of new and innovative ideas, some of which were more successful than others.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Motorcycles [14] Harper, Roy (1975), The Vincent HRD Story; Volume 2 of The Authorised record of the HRD and Vincent era, Vincent Publishing Company, pp. 93–94, ISBN 978-0950418650

the following model V Twin was designed with funding from the military to power a target drone from memory, the engine was called a Picador, and postwar got a gearbox added to make the B. C then D series bikes.

[F5 Dave]

Well I'm still enjoying it, he's obviously working with what he has in front of him.

The rods running on each other without thrust washers makes no sense to this 2 stroke boy, then again I don't understand wet liners. That said, the original ones didn't last what would have been virtually no miles.

The ports look like cavernous holes that won't be helpful.

I'm using the double tap to fast forward 10sec to shorten the boring bits all the time.

[Grumph]

Well I'm still enjoying it, he's obviously working with what he has in front of him.

The rods running on each other without thrust washers makes no sense to this 2 stroke boy,

The relative motion is small and comparitively slow. Honda made Ti rods work like that simply by coating them.
After Ti, steel's a piece of piss. Plus unlike a 2T there's pressure fed oil in the gap.

Only ridden a Vin as a pillion. Saw 100mph looking over my brother's shoulder on a test ride.
The old man used to do Vin clutches for Whiting and Waltho in ChCh. Not economic for the shop.
And of course they had to be tested. Sadly I was too young and by the time I was old enough
there were no Vins needing clutches. They didn't do enough mileage.

[F5 Dave]

Well I'm to 13 but no 14 yet it seems.

That old manifold looked like I welded it. The water pipes were dreadful, no wonder it overheated. His conversations made better sense.

Hmm, Googles abranet cloth. . .

[actungbaby]

Yeah I reread that old story in a Classic Bike mag last week.

Last time I saw a Vincent was in jellys garage about 15 years ago, so I'm thinking, did I spell the name wrong? What? Waiting for the retort like Damocles sword hovering.Have u read phill Irving book he did the Vincent engine he be long gone know a
Austrian. He had very strong views
On modern designs being well wrong.
I Aa Guessing on mean piston speeds.
I have Got say to say the older designs got alot speed out of small horses.
Be kinda cool ride one. The St 1100 got
That heavyer crank fly wheel vib.
But with not much engine braking werid.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[actungbaby]

I just think fuel injection looks primitive.
With the pressure u assiciate with efi.,the way the injectors are held onto
Litterly a rail or pipe is that it.
I have never seen fuel injection system.
But seem have carb like housing.
I reckon he should use gsx 750 system.
I can't see it being very fast just seems
Bit under cooked.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[actungbaby]

Saw a guy on an Egli replica Vincent in Cheviot two weekends ago, first Vincent I've seen on the road in twenty + yearsI have to say as young guy as i once was, I thought back then looked way cool. Yamaha kinda copyed back suspension on early xv v twin cruisers. All ahead its time
No telescopic front end. I know girder forks
The norm but there primitive in comparison.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[jellywrestler]

I have to say as young guy as i once was, I thought back then looked way cool. Yamaha kinda copyed back suspension on early xv v twin cruisers. All ahead its time
No telescopic front end. I know girder forks
The norm but there primitive in comparison.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

and vincent copied it off the flying merkel https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=flying+merkel#vhid=7crGpczEt1NR-M&vssid=_-xdwZ_KAPdHG4-EPs8mH2AU_36

[1/32 man]

I have seen a few Norton episodes but in random order not sequential unfortunately.
I like Allan Millyards understated style.

I remember the front guard getting some attention.....two piece and cast????
....it was bloody rough cast with the two sides hardly matching each other.

[husaberg]

Well I'm still enjoying it, he's obviously working with what he has in front of him.

The rods running on each other without thrust washers makes no sense to this 2 stroke boy, then again I don't understand wet liners. That said, the original ones didn't last what would have been virtually no miles.

The ports look like cavernous holes that won't be helpful.

I'm using the double tap to fast forward 10sec to shorten the boring bits all the time.

What's interesting to a 2T fan is how he cleans the plugs in episode 16
Why the fuck did I never do that? To be fair though blow torch's were not as cheap then as now.
I just looked at a catalog I found in a pile of books the other day a benzotorch was $$300 back in arround 2000.
Now they are $146 at M10 or about $60 for a peri one.
I know I earn well over 2x if not 3x as much per hour now than I did in 2000

[F5 Dave]

I wish i earned $436 er hour . Hardly 2/3rds.

[husaberg]

I wish i earned $436 er hour . Hardly 2/3rds.
So do I.... but it should say ....as i did in 2000....

[F5 Dave]

Well k used to earn 2000 ph hour, but you can't keep up:love:

[husaberg]

Well k used to earn 2000 ph hour, but you can't keep up:love:
Had you seen that method of plug cleaning?