Commando High Speed Stability

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hobot exists 24/7 in flash backs from 70's on but mostly on my Nortons handyness and surprise saves through thick and thin yet i've so little time on motorcycle i look up to you and most everyone else here as models of surviving cycling. Best all around combo is 19" x 110 tire front and back - rotating front to rear as front wears to slab sided shape from cornering glee yet plenty of meat left in the middle. 100 size tires will detectably feel a bit more responsive and light handling until crisis need of front brake, at least in my case. There's about 1/2" OD betwix 19 or 18 so 18 can give a tad more lean clearance and increase trail enough to feel a dash more resistance to over steer when slightly over powering rear in sharper turns or on loose stuff. Peel is another creature so I think 16" rear x 5" and 19"x110 flat track tires maybe be her optimal. Hope ya find what solves any annoyance riding a Commando.
 
hobot said:
hobot exists 24/7 in flash backs from 70's on but mostly on my Nortons handyness and surprise saves through thick and thin yet i've so little time on motorcycle i look up to you and most everyone else here as models of surviving cycling. Best all around combo is 19" x 110 tire front and back - rotating front to rear as front wears to slab sided shape from cornering glee yet plenty of meat left in the middle. 100 size tires will detectably feel a bit more responsive and light handling until crisis need of front brake, at least in my case. There's about 1/2" OD betwix 19 or 18 so 18 can give a tad more lean clearance and increase trail enough to feel a dash more resistance to over steer when slightly over powering rear in sharper turns or on loose stuff. Peel is another creature so I think 16" rear x 5" and 19"x110 flat track tires maybe be her optimal. Hope ya find what solves any annoyance riding a Commando.
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Tracking the slight stability issue with the Fastback is just another project and I like projects. Having a second near identical Commando gives me a bench mark to measure against. Then there are minor issues with the Roadster for which the Fastback is a bench mark. Then there is the BMW sidecar outfit just to add further interest. I don't need a super charged Commando but that will be something further to think about. I have severe reservations about that idea but it is a future project that may or may not happen. I think, if nothing else, I'd just love the experience of feeling boost come on whilst accelerating hard on a Commando. But keeping the engine and gearbox together will be the issue. I'm going to follow Jim's billet engine project with interest (if we're both still alive on its completion) and go from there. I have loved motorcycles in general, and Nortons in particular, for well over 40 years. Most interests tend to wear thin in time. But for me, my Commando interest has done nothing but intensify over the years. At age 120 years, I can only imagine what I might be into regarding Nortons.

Phil
 
Well at least we see eye to eye that excessive obsession with Commandos is a never ending endeavor and we are not the only ones so brain decaying infected. While ordinary motorcyclers can only imagine the forward acceleration I'm thinking about it to power a full barrel roll - after learning [harshly] the horizontal CoG pivot point of piloted Commando is about the navel level.
 
hobot said:
Well at least we see eye to eye that excessive obsession with Commandos is a never ending endeavor and we are not the only ones so brain decaying infected. While ordinary motorcyclers can only imagine the forward acceleration I'm thinking about it to power a full barrel roll - after learning [harshly] the horizontal CoG pivot point of piloted Commando is about the navel level.
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A barrel roll in an aircraft is a 1G manoeuvre. We did one once in a jet airliner (no pax on board) during pilot training and the pilot standing in the cockpit doorway drinking a cup of tea never even knew he'd just been upside down, until I told him what we had just done. But on a motorcycle, I suspect maintaining 1G would result in a broken neck falling "out of the barrel" whilst upside down. If you can get the technique down pat hobot, I'll give it a go too.

Phil
 
Do you think you would ever approach golf or lawn bowls with the same intellectual intensity ? Some people cannot even rebuild a two stroke motor. I think that having an active manhood is very important.
 
acotrel said:
Do you think you would ever approach golf or lawn bowls with the same intellectual intensity ? Some people cannot even rebuild a two stroke motor. I think that having an active manhood is very important.
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No acotrel, I'd go insane with those mundane activities. Jenny is approaching the point of stopping working. Her girlfriends play tennis, bowls and darts, between endless coffee get togethers. She wants none of that. Learning to fly, deep sea fishing and motorcycling are her type of bag. I say to her…..go for it honey!!! NEVER grow old early.

Phil
 
Ho you yates , get that motorbike to buggery, you know that's not what I ment when ye said your mk 111 could turn on a postage stamp.

Commando High Speed Stability
 
auldblue said:
Ho you yates , get that motorbike to buggery, you know that's not what I ment when ye said your mk 111 could turn on a postage stamp.

Commando High Speed Stability
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Actually, I occasionally play golf too. After the day, they close the course for six months to repair it!!
I've NEVER been allowed on the same course twice!

phil
 
Coordinated turns are for corner cripples not acrobatic capable craft But still salute ya for a really cool way to handle such a large aircraft so smoothly no coffee spilled. it takes more than a G of acceleration sideways to launch a full tires over head roll which unintended didn't land on both tires right but know its entirely possible now. That stunt is way down on my list to master but Phase Four is the level of energy required and avoiding a full 360' roll is similar to bouncing on diving board to point ya got enough spring to complete a tumble but decide last instant not too so absorb the energy back instead of going on with it. Normal steering security as so praised-sought by everyone else - to Peel is like just walking off end of stiff plank kerplunk BFD. I retain some interest in your endeavors as the handling I'm into definitely involves flight time being influenced by wind gusts, fork eddies and changing centers of pressure on either side of center of Gravity and vibreation onset w/o tires to react too. Commandos are rather smoother when Earth bound than in wild blue yonder. One the most uncanny Flabbergasting thing to me is catching air off THE Gravel and waiting for its smoothness to arrive on next touch down. Every freaking thing else but Ms Peel beats the snot out of ya threatening loss of control till fast enough to hop over some the rough peaks.
 
hobot said:
Coordinated turns are for corner cripples not acrobatic capable craft But still salute ya for a really cool way to handle such a large aircraft so smoothly no coffee spilled. it takes more than a G of acceleration sideways to launch a full tires over head roll which unintended didn't land on both tires right but know its entirely possible now. That stunt is way down on my list to master but Phase Four is the level of energy required and avoiding a full 360' roll is similar to bouncing on diving board to point ya got enough spring to complete a tumble but decide last instant not too so absorb the energy back instead of going on with it. Normal steering security as so praised-sought by everyone else - to Peel is like just walking off end of stiff plank kerplunk BFD. I retain some interest in your endeavors as the handling I'm into definitely involves flight time being influenced by wind gusts, fork eddies and changing centers of pressure on either side of center of Gravity and vibreation onset w/o tires to react too. Commandos are rather smoother when Earth bound than in wild blue yonder. One the most uncanny Flabbergasting thing to me is catching air off THE Gravel and waiting for its smoothness to arrive on next touch down. Every freaking thing else but Ms Peel beats the snot out of ya threatening loss of control till fast enough to hop over some the rough peaks.
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If you really want to scare yourself, try flying through the guts of a severe thunderstorm. I've done that a couple of times when having no escape or alternative. I NEVER want to do it again!!! Absolute shear terror!

phil
 
hobot said:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoPaZ1ui61Y[/video]

https://www.google.com/#q=fate+is+the+hunter
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Jets are a piece of piss, in every sense to operate. Dodging thunderstorms becomes entertainment and flying above them drinking a cup of tea whilst watching the night light show below you was a novelty I never got used to after years flying turbo props.

At 18000ft, it is a very different story. Dodging storms in cloud on a filthy black night, praying your one and only radar is not telling lies whilst lightning flashes everywhere, the cloud outside brightens into a foul bile green colour. You are already getting thrashed around but now you know you are really in the wrong spot. Then comes the deafening roar of hail on the windscreen, the aircraft is pitching and shaking violently out of control (this is 45000lbs of machinery) and plates are smashing everywhere in the galley behind the cockpit door. Emergency failure lights are flashing on and off across the instrument panel but you can't see which because the violent shaking is causing you to see double vision. You are certain the aircraft will break up but it doesn't. The First Officer beside you starts screaming F… This!!!!! and you want to do the same but you are the Captain and are supposed to set a fearless example. In reality, you are speechless with terror. Then you suddenly burst out the other side, you are alive and want to kiss the ground but it is 18000ft below you and you have yet a return sector to do back through that horrible front of violence.

No thanks, been there done that. I just love riding Commandos and teaching Jenny to fly on a sunny day only.

phil
 
acotrel said:
Do you think you would ever approach golf or lawn bowls with the same intellectual intensity ? Some people cannot even rebuild a two stroke motor. I think that having an active manhood is very important.
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Ah those were the days, even the future wife wore a mini. doesn't now though. cute ass still. oops not a Norton topic. Maybe got my wires crossed again.. Is that the Active manhood you are referring to.
 
Darling, please don't scream and sob! You know it upsets me. And the neighbours will think something bad has happened. I swear, there WAS only one Norton under there…………last weekend!

phil
 

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That's the last time you tell ME to slow down. I wear the pants around here!!

phil
 

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Phil, why would you ride on a race circuit and not use the opportunity to have a go at another rider ? Even when I practise, I usually try to out-ride the other guys around corners.
 
acotrel said:
Phil, why would you ride on a race circuit and not use the opportunity to have a go at another rider ? Even when I practise, I usually try to out-ride the other guys around corners.
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I did acotrel. That was the only part I found interesting. But it was such a mish mash of bikes and riders, some fast and some slow, it was hard to encounter someone else at roughly your pace. I think it was a bit bloody dangerous having no rider and bike grading as you would racing. I'd enjoy a race track a lot more in a race. Ride days?? The joint was full of wankers. A few visits and I'd more than had enough.

phil
 
When I was a lad we used to go to a lot of rallies. One in 1973/4 was at Zolder, in Belgium. For 25Francs you could have a few laps, I can't remember if it was time or number of laps, but anyway I paid up and me and my Honda 500/4 sped off, panniers and all. Having a wonderful time, just blown off a 750/4 and I was feeling very chuffed, when a Yam TZ250 came past me on the banked left hander behind the pits. There I was going pretty hard, footrest just starting to fold and this guy came past around the outside at about mach 3. Talk about deflating!!
Cheers
wakeup
 
wakeup said:
When I was a lad we used to go to a lot of rallies. One in 1973/4 was at Zolder, in Belgium. For 25Francs you could have a few laps, I can't remember if it was time or number of laps, but anyway I paid up and me and my Honda 500/4 sped off, panniers and all. Having a wonderful time, just blown off a 750/4 and I was feeling very chuffed, when a Yam TZ250 came past me on the banked left hander behind the pits. There I was going pretty hard, footrest just starting to fold and this guy came past around the outside at about mach 3. Talk about deflating!!
Cheers
wakeup
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I had exactly the same experience wakeup, the smart arse of the day went round the outside of me on a left hander at what seemed to be twice my speed. I came out of the turn and there was no sign of him, like he'd vanished. Then I saw him and his bike spinning and flipping across the grass ahead. That'll teach you smart arse I thought. But back in the pits with his battered bike I heard him telling onlookers "when you ride as fast as me, you're bound to come off from time to time". Prize bloody wanker!!

I've been out riding the outfit today, practising high speed handling and cornering on narrow bumpy country roads. Getting the chair airborne doing 60mph round a bend is actually good fun, once you learn not to be scared of it. I can induce lifting the chair with a quick tug on the handlebars entering the turn and keep it airborne, almost feels more comfortable than opposite turns away from the chair, which are a lot more stable. Most difficult are low speed turns hard into the chair with negative camber, it feels like you are not going to get around the corner and pulling harder on the handlebars really gets the chair lifting. I don't know if it would tip over but it certainly feels possible. Anyone who hasn't tried riding (or is it called driving?) an outfit ought to have a go just for the sheer fun and learning experience. There are a lot of forces in play and getting to understand them is fascinating.

phil
 
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