Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:37 am Post subject: New Owner, Tire question
I just bought a 72 Commando Interstate which runs very well (had a rebuild about 2 yrs ago, and has Boyer and single Mikuni). Actually, it starts on the first kick and idles quite nicely. I'll be doing some cosmetic work and sorting out the electrics. Everything works OK, just want to clean up the wiring.
This bike has the (original spec) Dunlop K81 4.10 X 19 front and rear. Rear has not much tread and the front has side damage. I see that Klempf in (MN?) has the K81's for sale. What other options for this size? What are people fitting? Avon? Where / how much?
Stuart Ostroff, Phila
(also BMW K1200LT, Iron Butt Assoc member)
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:40 am Post subject: BTW
Forgot to mention that I had another Norton. 35 years ago I went to London and bought a Dunstall (Atlas) 750 - fantastic machine, but I wish they had Boyer /Mikuni back then! Brought it back to States, had it for about a year, sold to a guy in CT.
I guess I must have a "Norton gene"
Almost forgot what it was like to ride a REAL motorcycle! My K1200LT is so damn refined, but it sure can eat those miles. Have done 46,000 mi in the last 24 months.
Stuart,
Your tire options for the 19 inch front and rear are the 4.10H-19 K-81 Dunlop (now made in Japan), the Avon Roadrunner in 4.10H-19 and the Avon SuperVenom in 100/90-19. The K-81 and Roadrunner are "traditional" OEM tires, while the Supervenom is a modern design.
Not necessarily. The construction of the Supervenom is the more rounded, lower profile than the K81 and Roadrunner. The rubber is probably the same. If you have non-modified suspension, i.e. Girling shocks and standard Roadholders, you probably will see little or no difference in handling. However, if you have upgraded the suspension, properly shimmed the isolastics, added a Norvil-type headsteady, progressive front springs, modified the damper tubes, etc. You may find the Supervenom more confidence inspiring.
I run K81's on my bikes with stock suspension and find the suspension more of a limit than the tires. On my cafe racer, it gets modern rubber (18" rear) and I'm tweaking the suspension more and more.
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At the end of 1967 the Norton Commando was announced.
The Norton Commando was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism because on first sight the commando appeared to comprise of the old Norton Dominator twin cylinder engine mounted at an inclined angle in a set of new cylinder parts.
It was not realized that the new Norton Commando Isolastic method of engine suspension damped out all engine vibration and produced a machine which had uncanny smoothness for a vertical twin. In due course the critics were silenced and the Norton Commando had the distinction of being regarded as the first of todays so called superbikes. There can be little doubt that the original design concept of the Norton Commando has proved correct, since comparatively few modifications of any real consequence have been made since production commenced during 1968.
Now nearly 40 years later Norton Commando riders like us are a breed of our own, and as far as we are concerned its still more fun to go for a blat on the old Norton Commando, and fast. As a Norton Commando owner and enthusiast, my goal here is to promote and give credit to those who keep the Norton name going.
It is more deserving to give credit to the Commando itself, for after all these years it continues to be respected. The original Commando designers like John Favill are those who deserve the credit for developing this incredible motorcycle.
The Norton Commando Roadster and Interstate of the late seventies, never died. Although the Norton Villiers factory dispersed the tradition lived on. Today Kenny Dreer in the USA is developing the new 952 CC Norton. What a great looking bike this is, and its engineering is still based on the original layout. It will be interesting to see how the new 952CC Norton does in todays tough motorcycle market. One thing is for sure, I would own one if I could afford it.
