As for the wet sump in my opinion it is not a problem. If the bike has sat for a week or more between rides I just drain the oil and put it back in the tank. Only takes a few minutes and it just part of the charm of owning one. I have a copy of the September 1969 issue of Cycle magazine and on the cover is a Commando "S" the headline states Norton's Superbike. That term gets thrown about quite a bit by the motorcycle media but for 1970 I would agree. My "S" is fast, smooth, handles great and attracts attention when I park it. In my opinion it has what Peter Egan called the XKE factor. If you park it and as you walk away have to turn around just to look at it then it has it. As for the breed gets better with age discussion I have a friend who has an 850 and we traded bikes. The 850 felt heavy and lumbering to me and he commented on how my 750 felt light and quick to him. It's all a matter of opinion and with all the things you can do to them it is what you make of it.
Commando strengths & weaknesses
- Thread starter Old Scratcher
- Start date
- Status
DogT
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2009
- Messages
- 7,391
84ok said:sounds like dude is a youngun, entirely diff world that they have and live in
aaah ..chicks indeed
No, I'm 71, but Middleburg, VA is only about 30 miles away and there's lots of thin nosed rich blondes there, horse country. Lots of harleys roll through there on Rt. 50 during the weekends, but I tend not to ride weekends, too much traffic.
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2014
- Messages
- 2,260
depends what you are after, forget heavyweight long distance 2 up touring if that's what you are after,
i'd say overall physical size comes into the picture for big/tall folks,
from what i've seen, parts availability is superlative,
tons of way cheaper alternatives and options out there, that offer plenty more bang for the buck in the ' 2 wheels' ride game,
then again, nothing else offers what norton does, iconic and legendary with very deep roots and history, it also offers a one of a kind deal all around including the isolastics,
bummer that in the end, it all came down to one, do it all frame and motor, rather than a range of sizes, models and options,
for what it is and does, there are no other alternatives, a one of a kind and 'unapproachable' deal, to this day
i'd say overall physical size comes into the picture for big/tall folks,
from what i've seen, parts availability is superlative,
tons of way cheaper alternatives and options out there, that offer plenty more bang for the buck in the ' 2 wheels' ride game,
then again, nothing else offers what norton does, iconic and legendary with very deep roots and history, it also offers a one of a kind deal all around including the isolastics,
bummer that in the end, it all came down to one, do it all frame and motor, rather than a range of sizes, models and options,
for what it is and does, there are no other alternatives, a one of a kind and 'unapproachable' deal, to this day
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2014
- Messages
- 2,260
DogT said:84ok said:sounds like dude is a youngun, entirely diff world that they have and live in
aaah ..chicks indeed
No, I'm 71, but Middleburg, VA is only about 30 miles away and there's lots of thin nosed rich blondes there, horse country. Lots of harleys roll through there on Rt. 50 during the weekends, but I tend not to ride weekends, too much traffic.
that is waaay better, that then certainly at the very least makes you young at heart
I'd say it's a pretty good machine when at 40 years of age it can make the owner of a new $20,000 BMW get all enthusiastic after taking the Commando for a 50 mile ride down a twisty road.
He was surprised at the amount of power (sluggish MK3!), loved the handling, sound and smoothness. All of a sudden the power windshield and heated seat of the BMW weren't quite as important any more.
Motorcycling really comes down to two wheels, some suspension, a frame and a great motor, which the Commando has.
Glen
He was surprised at the amount of power (sluggish MK3!), loved the handling, sound and smoothness. All of a sudden the power windshield and heated seat of the BMW weren't quite as important any more.
Motorcycling really comes down to two wheels, some suspension, a frame and a great motor, which the Commando has.
Glen
My commando is still essentially stock. Stock points, Amals, clutch plates, primary drive, all stock brakes (nothing modified), stock style Dunlop 19" tires, stock style iso's but adjusted properly. Actually everything is original except the tires (oh and I put the Amal Premier anodized slides in) believe it or not.
The bike works perfect except for dry sumping. Probably would be ok if I rode it more than once every 3 months or so. But in the 8 years I've had this bike since I brought it back to life from 20 years in a barn, it has NEVER failed to start in the first few kicks. It goes down the road 75mph as nice as any other bike I own. I can't fault the bike in any way shape or form to be honest. But then It's not a DD, nor do I do multi hundred mile days on it. It's a Sunday vintage gathering ride of around 100 miles type bike.
And there are few bikes that just look as good as a Commando. It's all in how that motor looks. The forward cant, those valve covers, the pipes. It all just looks so perfect. And it's 42 friggin years old for crying outloud. Show me a single one of the new bikes that are sold now days, how they will perform in 42 years, if you can even keep them running for that long. Talk about strength, I think that speaks for itself.
The bike works perfect except for dry sumping. Probably would be ok if I rode it more than once every 3 months or so. But in the 8 years I've had this bike since I brought it back to life from 20 years in a barn, it has NEVER failed to start in the first few kicks. It goes down the road 75mph as nice as any other bike I own. I can't fault the bike in any way shape or form to be honest. But then It's not a DD, nor do I do multi hundred mile days on it. It's a Sunday vintage gathering ride of around 100 miles type bike.
And there are few bikes that just look as good as a Commando. It's all in how that motor looks. The forward cant, those valve covers, the pipes. It all just looks so perfect. And it's 42 friggin years old for crying outloud. Show me a single one of the new bikes that are sold now days, how they will perform in 42 years, if you can even keep them running for that long. Talk about strength, I think that speaks for itself.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2006
- Messages
- 1,151
circle jerk!! :shock:
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2006
- Messages
- 1,151
and that coming from a hippy in oregon means a lot! :shock:
Snorton74 said:
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2015
- Messages
- 76
Thanks All for your fantastic contributions. This is just the kind if discussion I was hoping to encourage, & I've learned more, both about the bikes, & the the kind of people who love them too. They must truly be a special machine to have such a large dedicated following, & a thriving after market industry. I know they're not the only old bike to enjoy a cult following, but I think the Commando's is especially well deserved.
What I'd now like to know is what are the benefits of making a bike as close to factory perfect as it could be made vs scrapping the known problems (Lucas Electrics, Amal Carbs etc,) for the fixes that many opt for? I'm told that even the Prince of Darkness can be made to be uber-reliable, when properly installed & maintained. I've always believed that any half decent bike can be made reliable, if ridden & maintained within it's manufacturers recommendations. & I don't think the Commando's any different. In fact it's such a well designed package, with a laser-guided focus of purpose throughout the design, I think the Commando is a great argument for keeping it as original as possible. Though I do like having the luxury of owning two bikes, one modded one original, as I can have fun chasing performance on my Cafe'd bike, while keeping the mileage low on my matching numbers bike, which keeps it's investment potential healthy. That really is the best of both worlds.
So just how does one civilise the Black Prince? What is the dark art of keeping Lucas Electrics in good working order?
What I'd now like to know is what are the benefits of making a bike as close to factory perfect as it could be made vs scrapping the known problems (Lucas Electrics, Amal Carbs etc,) for the fixes that many opt for? I'm told that even the Prince of Darkness can be made to be uber-reliable, when properly installed & maintained. I've always believed that any half decent bike can be made reliable, if ridden & maintained within it's manufacturers recommendations. & I don't think the Commando's any different. In fact it's such a well designed package, with a laser-guided focus of purpose throughout the design, I think the Commando is a great argument for keeping it as original as possible. Though I do like having the luxury of owning two bikes, one modded one original, as I can have fun chasing performance on my Cafe'd bike, while keeping the mileage low on my matching numbers bike, which keeps it's investment potential healthy. That really is the best of both worlds.
So just how does one civilise the Black Prince? What is the dark art of keeping Lucas Electrics in good working order?
I have a 73 Commando, 70 Tiger 650, and 71 Trophy 650, and 53 MG TD. So I know Mr. Lucas quite well. Total years of ownership on these brit vehicles is almost 38 years and I have NEVER had an electrical breakdown. This with original electrics, harnesses, points, etc. on all these machines. If prepped well and proper precautions taken when restoring, there is nothing wrong with Lucas. biggest problem can be related to PO's I believe.
yes, I could probably make my Commando stop quicker, but it's already better than any of my other similar period bikes. I could make it go faster but it already can out do all my other same period bikes, and show quite respectably against my newer bikes.
If I really want to go fast, do a stoppie, a wheelie, or really carve the corners, I'll get on my newer Ducati, that's what it was designed for.
yes, I could probably make my Commando stop quicker, but it's already better than any of my other similar period bikes. I could make it go faster but it already can out do all my other same period bikes, and show quite respectably against my newer bikes.
If I really want to go fast, do a stoppie, a wheelie, or really carve the corners, I'll get on my newer Ducati, that's what it was designed for.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2015
- Messages
- 76
That's why I called this thread Strengths & Weaknesses, as I didn't just want the horror stories.Bernhard said:
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2012
- Messages
- 14,890
If you have owned other old British twins, the strengths and weaknesses of the commando engine are pretty obvious. I love mine, it has loads of torque without getting nasty. It's fast but gentle. The weaknesses are not as great as those in a big Triumph , BSA , Matchless or Enfield twin. Comparing Commandos with Japanese four cylinder bikes or two strokes is a pointless exercise. Some Ducatis, Laverdas and Guzzis might be better if you need a bike which makes the hair grow on your chest.
- Status
