It is important to use the correct value fuses and cables when you are working on your bike.

Fuses

I recommend using automotive blade type fuses – these are great, as blade fuses are available in every garage, and are very resilient to vibration.

You can use a 15 amp fuse for most Commandos, unless you’ve got something fancy like heated clothing, or a Lucas RITA electronic ignition (which can be quite power hungry)

Fuse values are important, and watch out with the old style fuses.

Our workshop manual specifies a 35-amp fuse:

This was written in the 70s for a 70s british bike

It did not take into consideration that a US fuse is rated in a different way!

The British standard was to show the blow value on the fuse, and in the manual – not it’s continuous rating.

The US standard (which was subsequently adopted internationally) is to show the continuous rating value on the fuse, and in the manual.

Some fuses, back in the day showed BOTH their continuous rating value AND their blow value, but this was certainly not always the case.

To this end, I see MANY bikes fitted with the wrong value fuse – a 35-amp continuous rated fuse will blow at 70 amps… a long time after every cable on the bike has melted.

Modern blade type fuses are labelled and referred to by their continuous rating. Everywhere. Worldwide.

So, you know where you are, and there are no nasty surprises.