Commando Board track racer

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jseng1

jseng1

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A customer sent me this drawing of a project he has underway. The goal is a minimal frame featherweight - akin to the old board track racers and other early styling reminders. Its more than just a fantasy. He's already invested in ultra lightweight reciprocating engine parts to keep the vibes down - especially important with such a light solid frame that won't absorb the vibes and the all out 8000+ RPM 850 he's designing with a smoothish 90 degree crank among other things. Its going to have some remarkable acceleration potential. Not for the faint of heart.

Commando Board track racer
 
Put some road tyres on it and way you go, anyway it looks like a great design, be interesting to see how it goes it might surprise you.

Ashley
 
It's a true minimalist's concept.
I hope it gets built so we can see the actual execution.
Just shows how this ancient mill can still inspire all manner of creativity.
 
BritTwit said:
It's a true minimalist's concept.
I hope it gets built so we can see the actual execution.
Just shows how this ancient mill can still inspire all manner of creativity.
Click to expand...
+1
 
I can smell some patent infringement action with that rear suspension already ?!
 
Rohan said:
I can smell some patent infringement action with that rear suspension already ?!
Click to expand...

Never mind Mr P C Vincent's patent, its expired and frankly if you look closely there is no suspension.
 
ML said:
Rohan said:
I can smell some patent infringement action with that rear suspension already ?!
Click to expand...

Never mind Mr P C Vincent's patent, its expired and frankly if you look closely there is no suspension.
Click to expand...
just looked closely ,not sure what you mean about no suspension you can see a radiused lug on the top of bottom cantilever rail with a pivot point at the engine plates ,also two shocks under the seat how would it not have suspension? cheers
 
You have to hand it to Vincent. They're the ones who actually invented the monoshock layout - only there weren't any available monoshocks so they paired them up. It was marketed by Suzuki on their motocross bikes many years later (the american who set up the 1st monoshock for Suzuki never got a cent).
 
I think we will find that the 'monoshock/cantilever' idea is as old as the hills - a company called ASL (Air Springs Limited) had something along these lines circa 1910, only using air rather than hydraulic damping.
Apparently it was very effective, but they were a small maker, and it didn't catch on.
And WW1 rather stifled the leisure business.

And Yamaha had something like 30 (?) patents around this idea, more recently.
I'd be surprised if they have let them lapse ?
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2010/02/a ... monoshock/
 
jseng1 said:
You have to hand it to Vincent. They're the ones who actually invented the monoshock layout - only there weren't any available monoshocks so they paired them up. It was marketed by Suzuki on their motocross bikes many years later (the american who set up the 1st monoshock for Suzuki never got a cent).
Click to expand...
Ahem, YAMAHA Monocross was thefirst of the Jap dirt bikes to appear.


1975 YZ250

Talking about innovation... Yamaha created the very first single-shock, production motocross bike ever. This was the beginning of the Yamaha Monocross machines that changed motocross forever. The YZs of this time were near replicas of "Works Bikes" with their aluminum fuel tanks and light weight, lacking only magnesium engine cases and a few titanium pieces.
 
concours said:
jseng1 said:
You have to hand it to Vincent. They're the ones who actually invented the monoshock layout - only there weren't any available monoshocks so they paired them up. It was marketed by Suzuki on their motocross bikes many years later (the american who set up the 1st monoshock for Suzuki never got a cent).
Click to expand...
Ahem, YAMAHA Monocross was thefirst of the Jap dirt bikes to appear.


1975 YZ250

Talking about innovation... Yamaha created the very first single-shock, production motocross bike ever. This was the beginning of the Yamaha Monocross machines that changed motocross forever. The YZs of this time were near replicas of "Works Bikes" with their aluminum fuel tanks and light weight, lacking only magnesium engine cases and a few titanium pieces.
Click to expand...

No - it was Suzuki back in 1971/72 that was the 1st to incorporate the monoshock onto their dirt bikes with the help of Champion rider Rodger DeCoster. The man who deserves the most credit is Lucien Tilkiem - he built the 1st dirt bike monoshock in 1971 and changed the motorcycle world forever - his son Guy was the 1st to race it. Lucien Tilkiem was from Belgium (not America - sorry) and it looks like he negotiated some compensation for it but I remember a story in the very beginning that they tried to snake him out of the deal because Lucien did some work for Suzuki and so whatever he invented belonged to Suzuki and that really pissed him off. Yamaha picked up the slack and was the 1st to market it in 73.

Read the fascinating article at:
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2010/02/a ... monoshock/

"Guy Tilkiens reported favorably on the chassis and all through the 1972 season, work progressed on the new design. Having all the right contacts, Mr Tilkiens was able to get truly expert input and took his bike to the Mol circuit where Suzuki factory riders Roger DeCoster and Sylvain Geboers tested it."
 
Hanging the pivot off the plates at the rear of the gearbox is good ? On a standard commando the ends of the spindle are shimmed to stop sideways movement and it is still a poor design.
 
acotrel said:
Hanging the pivot off the plates at the rear of the gearbox is good ? On a standard commando the ends of the spindle are shimmed to stop sideways movement and it is still a poor design.
Click to expand...
Yes it's a poor design but it works superbly!!
 
I don't recall any "shimming on the end of the spindle" ??

Is Alan now inventing new insults against the Commando ?
 
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