1973 Superbike Shootout!

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swooshdave

swooshdave

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1973 Superbike Shootout!

1973 Superbike Shootout!

1973 Superbike Shootout!



1973 Superbike Shootout!


This shootout was the followup to the famous 1970 article in which the Commando S ran an astonishing quarter mile in 12.69. I had always wondered what had been done to that 750 to get it to run so fast. Luckily Brian Slart is on Facebook and responded with the answer.

He also filled in some details that the 850 in the above 1973 Shootout was pretty stock. Cycle said it had a SS cam in it. Brian said it was the stock 850 cam.
 
Was it the 850 or 750? Article references the 750.
Both were avaialble in 73.

I believe the SS cam is stock, 2S is Combat.
 
Hortons Norton said:
So who was number 1?
Click to expand...
If you look at the smaller print under the red print on the left hand page it sez "the order isn't alphabetical" I do suspect the listed the bikes in order of their preference.
I remember reading that article when it came out & knew I had to get a Duc. It took many years but I got one. Many years later I sold it (biggest bike mistake I ever made). but now I have a 850 Roadster.
 
swooshdave said:
1973 Superbike Shootout!






This shootout was the followup to the famous 1970 article in which the Commando S ran an astonishing quarter mile in 12.69. I had always wondered what had been done to that 750 to get it to run so fast. Luckily Brian Slart is on Facebook and responded with the answer.

He also filled in some details that the 850 in the above 1973 Shootout was pretty stock. Cycle said it had a SS cam in it. Brian said it was the stock 850 cam.
Click to expand...

As it says on the LH page in the second photo "Norton 750"
 
I had that magazine too. IIRC the 1000 Sportster could hardly break the rear tire loose, the Duc was loudest and the Triumph was prettiest (in their opinion). If that's the article I remember, they said the Commando "is very un-frightening to ride fast".
 
Hi Dave,
One of the confusing terms about the camshafts is the standard cam is from the dominator SS grind and often confused with combat double S grind. The combat should have had maybe a “C” code like the head. The 750 S came with a 19T gearbox sprocket while the ‘73 models came with 21T. The lower bearing gives lower ET but limits top speed.
 
The only way a Commando can beat a Z900 Kawasaki or an H2 Kawasaki with chambers is to be faster in the corners because they will always out-run you down the straights. Ducatis are at a disadvantage on tight circuits because they need to take the high line in corners and you can turn under them - on a big circuit a Ducati will burn your arse. Lowering the overall-gearing on a Commando, does not necessarily help it accelerate faster. If your Commando tends to run wide if you accelerate when cranked over, you are buggered. It needs to go the other way.
 
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