Commando history review

cool photo's of versions seldom seen anymore.

http://southsiders-mc.blogspot.com/2009 ... story.html

I tried to post a comment on the Southsiders blog, but don't have the necessary accounts to be "verified". I'll post it here instead.

Overall a very interesting article. Two minor errors are in it. First off, the "Dominators" came in 500 and 600cc models. When the 650 was developed, the name of the bike was changed to "650SS", still using the Featherbed Frame. My ride-to-work bike was a rather tired company 650 SS. I think it was a 1963 model, and in 1967, it had over 100,000 miles on it. Still ran very well.

The second error pertains tio the street where the Wolverhampton factory was located. It was on Marston Road and was the site of Villers Engines, who made all the small two0strokes that powered so many of the small British bikes in the 50s and early 60s.

Hey Frank, interesting model trivia and impressive reliable Norton tale.
What attracted me to post this was the daily duty police bikes fully equipped.
I've noted your posts in other threads and wanted to pick you mind but don't know what on. About only thing I can think to ask on Commando history is if rod links were ever considered in the full isolastic concept as newer Harleys use.
Oh yeah maybe how much City of London financial policy had to do with bike industry demise on tpp of the well reviewed management and labor issues.

Steve in Arkansas, hobot online.

frankdamp said:

I tried to post a comment on the Southsiders blog, but don't have the necessary accounts to be "verified". I'll post it here instead.

Overall a very interesting article. Two minor errors are in it. First off, the "Dominators" came in 500 and 600cc models. When the 650 was developed, the name of the bike was changed to "650SS", still using the Featherbed Frame. My ride-to-work bike was a rather tired company 650 SS. I think it was a 1963 model, and in 1967, it had over 100,000 miles on it. Still ran very well.

The second error pertains tio the street where the Wolverhampton factory was located. It was on Marston Road and was the site of Villers Engines, who made all the small two0strokes that powered so many of the small British bikes in the 50s and early 60s.

Click to expand...

Hi Frank,

...or Manxman or Mercury for 650s sold to the US.

Steve:

My time at N-V was limited and covered the start of the development testing of the Commando (riginally nicknamed the "Atlas III"). I started there in February of 1967 and left to emigrate to the US in June 68.

The only development to the Isolastic system that I saw was to weld a flat washer on each end of the spacer tube in the aft mount when we discovered that the thin-wall tube was going slightly bell-mouthed under load an opening up the clearance on the side-play limiting polyurethane disks.

After the vibratory sensations you got on the 650SS and Atlas, the isos were so smooth that you were a bit mesmerised by the experience. I don't think we pushed the performance envelope as hard as riders familiar with more modern bikes do - the brakes were so bad, it was too dangerous!

Also, the test team at Wolverhampton consisted of me and one of the shop mechanics, with the odd ride by the boss, Peter Inchley. We tended to do the high speed tests at an industry test track and did the endurance tests at more modest speeds on public roads.

After the vibratory sensations you got on the 650SS and Atlas, the isos were so smooth that you were a bit mesmerised by the experience. I don't think we pushed the performance envelope as hard as riders familiar with more modern bikes do - the brakes were so bad, it was too dangerous!

Also, the test team at Wolverhampton consisted of me and one of the shop mechanics, with the odd ride by the boss, Peter Inchley. We tended to do the high speed tests at an industry test track and did the endurance tests at more modest speeds on public roads.

Click to expand...

Pretty cool to think of getting paid to test new Atla III's.
The rear iso weakness detail is intriguing to me to ponder more, thanks.
More than anything else its the Commando disappearing act that addicts me most.
1968 Cheetah 45 - P11 Ranger was my intro to cycles and Nortons, ain't been right since.

frankdamp said:

Overall a very interesting article. Two minor errors are in it. First off, the "Dominators" came in 500 and 600cc models. When the 650 was developed, the name of the bike was changed to "650SS", still using the Featherbed Frame.

Click to expand...

I don't think it is an error Frank, as the 650 "SS" was originally known as the "Norton Dominator 650 Sports Special".

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf




Two errors?

The original model, called the 'Fastback' was joined by the production racer 'S Type' which had a high level left-side exhaust and a 2.5 gallon petrol tank.

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The original model was a Commando, the term Fastrback was only applied to it later on?
The 'S type' wasn't the 'Production racer'

Error.

In January 1973 the ‘Mk.5 Fastback’ was launched

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There wasn't any 'MkV' Fastback version,


Error.

Norton Commando Interstate Mk3

Click to expand...

That's not an 850 MkIII.

The range of models was reduced to just two machines, the ‘Mk.3 Interstate’ and the ‘Roadster’, both with a left side gear change,

Click to expand...

There were MkIII Hi-Riders also.

Frank is a member of this forum and he's aware of this thread. Hopefully he'll update his blog.

L.A.B - I live and learn. After I left N-V in June 68, I was so immersed in my new life in the US and new job at Boeing, I didn't keep in touch with what happened with Norton until they'd gone TU. I was aware of the move to Andover, but not much else.

I'd never seen that reference to the "Dominator 650 Super Sport". There was still a bit of a risk, even in the 60's, of giving anything an "SS" name.