Commando Choppers please

DonOR · Jul 6, 2010

Sorry but everyone of them is a butt ugly "look at me pose" 2 wheeled barf bike. Merely my opinion but surely there is a law against chopping a Norton.

sorry to hear of your delay in gettin outta there brother.
even sorrier to say there is no law (that I know of) protecting classic machinery.
my own thoughts on this one; its a free country, the bikes shown in this thread sure make my 'never ending project look
s-w-e-e-t

Rich_j · Jul 6, 2010

OK its not really a chopper and it's been posted before but it's still an incredible piece of work

Flo · Jul 6, 2010

I, for one, would like to build another chopper. I built one donkeys years ago & enjoyed doing it. A lot of engineering & welding. Wouldn't do another one though as they are so out of date & would look stupid on one at my age.
I do apreciate the work that has gone into some of them. Bit like Tritons, some are lovely, some are badly thought out & end up looking like a bodged up back end of a Pig with a wooden leg.

britbike220 · Jul 6, 2010

my god Paul that first one is one Ugleeee bike. Coco, the twin motor chop is an exceptional piece of work and obviously not a home brew. You have to admit most home chop jobs are fabulous feats in poor judgment and taste.............To each his or her own, but I still think chopping a great classic is sinful.

grandpaul · Jul 6, 2010

britbike220 said:
my god Paul that first one is one Ugleeee bike...

No worries, that's what it looked like when I BOUGHT it.

It looked like THIS when I sold it-

britbike220 · Jul 6, 2010

grandpaul said:
No worries, that's what it looked like when I BOUGHT it.

It looked like THIS when I sold it-

Ahhhh a reprieve from the madness..........

Coco · Jul 7, 2010

britbike220 said:
my god Paul that first one is one Ugleeee bike. Coco, the twin motor chop is an exceptional piece of work and obviously not a home brew. You have to admit most home chop jobs are fabulous feats in poor judgment and taste.............To each his or her own, but I still think chopping a great classic is sinful.

I would not cut up a perfectly good classic with matching numbers. My Triumph chop is a frame from a 1970 T120, an engine from a 1973 T140, a bolt on hardtail I had custom made ect ect but I see where you're going with this. There are cobbled up pieces of shit and there are works of art coming out of some guys home garages. I for one don't enjoy driving a death trap and my chop will have a big 11" disc out front to actually stop the bike. No spool front hubs for me.

That twin motor bike is from Flyrite. They make real high quality aftermarket chopper frames and some parts. I would really love to hear that thing run.

willh · Jul 7, 2010

I didn't see this one posted. Not a fan of long front ends, but the rest is interesting in the spirit of the thread.

willh · Jul 7, 2010

The Isos make finding a suitable chassis difficult. Rubber mounted engine-tranny with solid mounted rear axle may prove problematic.
I think that a Norton would probably fit nicely solid mounted in a rigid sportster frame. Chain run clearance might be an issue but not deal ending. Skinny 18 in the back 21 in the front with shaved sportster front end- 2", mid controls, sprung bates, minimal rear fender, Z or T bars, etc.
There are tons of Commandos around. Tons of wrecked and non matching numbers to chop.

Hobot · Jul 7, 2010

Oh man Will this last one did me in, just bad to the boner in public!!!
BAD BAD BAD YES YES YES
Now that's what I'm talking about - oh my what a flavor!
Its a new icon I'll be loosing sleep over.
That 'Commando' would flat stop a big twin custom show in its tracks
all photographers and wild women magnetized and helpless
to resist..

hobot but heck, I've stopped customs shows parking my hard
ridden Combat many yards away to see jaw dropping HD
and Japan customizers watch whole troop of photographers
and bike connoisseurs surround the Commando like it was
the last of its kind still kicking. But yo'all know that ain't
much bragging rights to Commando riders.

willh · Jul 7, 2010

hobot,
Makes you wonder how they set up the rear Iso on that one eh. Still the question remains, what happens with the wheel sprocket and tranny sprocket distance changing all the time. Snatch, possibly to the detriment of the tranny. How big a problem could this pose? Don't big twin H-D run similar setups or are the swing arms mounted in the rear of the transmission cases.?

Hobot · Jul 7, 2010

Huh, what?
I ain't given any of that a thought, would spoil my mood
right now.

BTW I've two stories of Ozarks locals ordering up hot 750 engines
for their extended chopper 'Commandos' then hunting down
sports bike to drag race em. Apparently front reach helps
prevent wheelies. They both said that they would just
rev up in 4th drop the clutch and hang on. Both lost their wonders
trying to take the game to dirt bikes on THE Gravel.

I think I could ride extend raked out front across THE G
taking it easy and steering rear around a bit to ease turns.
Might break frame after a time though.

hobot

DogT · Jul 7, 2010

hobot said:
Oh man Will this last one did me in, just bad to the boner in public!!!

hobot, you have such a way with words!!

Dave
69S

kraakevik · Jul 8, 2010

PostingID: 1821785878

Here's the posting for my two choppers on Craigslist in Chicago.

Tim Kraakevik
kraakevik@voyager.net
Three Commandos

Jeandr · Jul 8, 2010

Found this funny picture...

Jean

willh · Jul 8, 2010

Jean,
I assume from your photos that you live on the south shore. Is the chopper scene on the south shore still alive?
I found negotiating the old neighbor hood a pain with the roads marked no motorcycle on my last visit. Back when I was a kid in the seventies on Lafayette boulevard the sound of straight pipes and sirens was pretty normal. Seems quiet now.

Coco · Jul 8, 2010

willh said:
The Isos make finding a suitable chassis difficult. Rubber mounted engine-tranny with solid mounted rear axle may prove problematic.
I think that a Norton would probably fit nicely solid mounted in a rigid sportster frame. Chain run clearance might be an issue but not deal ending. Skinny 18 in the back 21 in the front with shaved sportster front end- 2", mid controls, sprung bates, minimal rear fender, Z or T bars, etc.
There are tons of Commandos around. Tons of wrecked and non matching numbers to chop.

I like where you're going with this. Commando motor in an ironhead frame would be pretty cool.

willh · Jul 8, 2010

Coco said:
willh said:

The Isos make finding a suitable chassis difficult. Rubber mounted engine-tranny with solid mounted rear axle may prove problematic.
I think that a Norton would probably fit nicely solid mounted in a rigid sportster frame. Chain run clearance might be an issue but not deal ending. Skinny 18 in the back 21 in the front with shaved sportster front end- 2", mid controls, sprung bates, minimal rear fender, Z or T bars, etc.
There are tons of Commandos around. Tons of wrecked and non matching numbers to chop.

Click to expand...

I like where you're going with this. Commando motor in an ironhead frame would be pretty cool.

Yeah, I built it in my head and it was cool.
If it was easier to get around Quebec laws I might have built it for real. I dig the look and feel of it. Sadly don't have the money, space, time, etc. I'll concentrate on my P11. When it's finished we'll see what's next. Have to thin the heard to make cash and room.
If I lived out west where the laws are lax and the plates cheap, I'd have a bevy of bikes, one for every whim. Why do I live in Quebec again....

willh · Jul 8, 2010

hobot said:
Excluding the factory version,
anyone got some nice rebellious against the grain righteous isolastic choppers to show ?
Molded frame would be extra icing on the cake to me.
No front brake extra points on style and flippant attitude statement.

hobot

I remember seeing a 850 Commando chopped with a plunger rear end in Iron Horse in the David Snow days. Was blue, Mustang tank, molding, and kept the Isos. I'll see if I can find the article.

Coco · Jul 8, 2010

willh said:
Coco said:

willh said:

The Isos make finding a suitable chassis difficult. Rubber mounted engine-tranny with solid mounted rear axle may prove problematic.
I think that a Norton would probably fit nicely solid mounted in a rigid sportster frame. Chain run clearance might be an issue but not deal ending. Skinny 18 in the back 21 in the front with shaved sportster front end- 2", mid controls, sprung bates, minimal rear fender, Z or T bars, etc.
There are tons of Commandos around. Tons of wrecked and non matching numbers to chop.

Click to expand...

I like where you're going with this. Commando motor in an ironhead frame would be pretty cool.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I built it in my head and it was cool.
If it was easier to get around Quebec laws I might have built it for real. I dig the look and feel of it. Sadly don't have the money, space, time, etc. I'll concentrate on my P11. When it's finished we'll see what's next. Have to thin the heard to make cash and room.
If I lived out west where the laws are lax and the plates cheap, I'd have a bevy of bikes, one for every whim. Why do I live in Quebec again....

Here in Sask things are indeed lax. I imported a 1973 Triumph engine and 1970 frame. Local provincial insurance said I should have no problem as long as I have bills of sale which I do, from a legit shop. I'm just unsure if they'll go from engine or frame numbers.

Commando Choppers please

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