Commando Top Speed? (2010)
- Thread starter highdesert
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If Hobot owned a Sportster, then no doubt his would wheelie in 5th..............lol
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mike996 said:The internet does not operate using the same physical laws that govern things in the known universe. Therefore, virtual Norton Commandos are quite capable of out-performing motorcycles that, in the real world, have more power, better brakes, better tires, better suspensions, etc. But since real world specifications/capability does not apply within the internet, anything can be claimed to occur.
Bars and motorcycle shops share the same time space continuum as the internet it seems :mrgreen:
Jean
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JimC said:
You've seen the famous "bathing suit" photo of Rollie Free on the Vincent Black Lightning that did +150 mph at Bonneville, in Sept 1948 ?
Those stories of Vincents that did 150 mph were true !!
Although it was a pretty special Vincent - and rider - that did it.
There were even songs about it.
And the massive speedo on a Vincent went to 150 mph (were they 5" ) so it must be true ...
Although they are worth a heck of a price now, the Black Lightning wasn't all that far removed from the Black Shadow - although everything that moved was improved....
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Rohan said:
Nortons too had 150mph speedos. Small story about exagerations; one of my managers who had completed and passed an electronics curriculum bought a 15 watt per channel booster for his car, it had a graphics equaliser with sliders graduated with up to 15db of boost in 5 bands. His 15 watt booster turned into a 240 watts per channel when he slid the controls to maximum on the premise that each 3db would double the power output :!:
Why is there a red line at 7000 rpm on a Norton when the tach goes all the way to 9000 rpm :?:
Rollie Free was probably the only one who made it to 150 on a Vincent
Jean
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If Hobut owned any early Sportster I would take money on the fact that it would have a 6 speed gearbox, and 170mph top speed..................lol
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Carbonfibre said:
The FACTORY Harley KR racers, which are a sidevalve (and based on the sidevalve ancestor of the sportster), with a full fairing were doing over 150 mph at Daytona. Which ain't slow, for an engine design that came out about 1905. (Not that HD had anything to do with that back then...)
Carbonfibre, if you have nothing to contribute...... ??
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Jeandr said:
Not in 1948 they didn't !!!
In fact. 120 mph speedos were optional then, for a few years yet.
Hey, JPN Commando Racers were reported as doing 160+ mph at Daytona in the early 1970s, which considering the speed of some of the opposition, was none too shabby - Commandos weren't that far behind.
Jeandr said:
Didn't someone get 180 mph out of a Vincent in NZ not too much later. ?
With a sidecar it did 150+ mph. 2 way official speeds too.
Fully faired, of course (Rollie Frees bike was naked - and so nearly was he !)
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I was not kicked out of Code's school though I almost broke it apart when his instructors almost walked out when Keith kept putting me back out. I mean steaming eye ball to eye ball stare down of will power and judgment. Kieth and I had a long talk that only reason I would pay is to learn about LOSS OF TRACTION ON TARMAC - and he'd agree'd but apparently did not inform instructors. It was 1st time on a real sports bike besides wimpy SV but by 2nd day was ignoring the X marks for 'best' apexes, so asked about other lines and what happens if pulling wheelie with fairing scrapping or about high siding bike up and out so it air time let chassis settle down before landings... No answer, so then asked why the X's put so far out? That shut class down and he told instructor, - you put em there show him why! Just the 2 of us, yikes! And this was one who pulled me off a lot so had a grudge. W/o warning he shot out to his X I waited to make sure he was committed half dozen lengths head start, I nailed it faceted that tight sweeper into 3 short hi power sprints broken up by 3 lo to hi side skip rounds, snicked 3rd while leaned ran up to 13,000 and sat up covered brakes and looked back to make sure I wasn't about to get in his way to see him just finishing his apex,... waited expecting we match speed for next X marked 200 yd away, he just flashed past, which distracted me "- hey is that anyway to treat a student", so snicked 4th as hit WOT and dang Ninja wheelied as my hand dragged on brake and on touch down it tripped out horrible to hi side on my head almost killed me. Red line in 3rd is about 120.
I detest wheelies. A great storm hit and class ended I drove home and some weeks later got my Graduation Notice. I can bet how the company vote went when they reviewed my case : )
Main philosophical difference between me and Code is he used to preach front wheel turns the bike - even created the Hands Off Bike to prove it - but I know better its the rear that rules the roost. I see he's more in my camp by recent articles on how to use loss of traction to have more fun safely. For a time that Ninja flinging was best turns I knew, now I have very little respect for it, or regular Commandos' to show I'm not biased when it comes best fun there is to me. Hands Off Bike has grips mounted to fixed fairing with throttle set and a steering damper, well duh if front is still in traction and low power it can over come the weak rear action - but when its free to dolly wheelie - body English alone and tip rear to aim bike. If rear thrust enough front lifts out of traction, then what ya gonna do, nothing just hang on the power and ride the rear like a unicycle till front touches again and it better be in agreement with where the rear is still thrusting or SPLAT!. That's what took me down because not expecting a wheeelie I was not damping bars to hit aligned.
I think I got Ninja to ~140 before end straight, mine was only one to arrive with fan blowing and then not shut off for many minutes. I got to inspect instructors tires and Codes joy ride tires and like my tire evidence better.
Instructors melted, Code's abraded, mine smeared out edges. All were scrubbed to the rim. If there is room for a knee down then ya ain't at the bike's capacity to turn sharper.
Kieth Code is a master in many ways and a very brave man to keep his word with me. i learned what I paid for and will last me rest of my life. My tool of choice to take turns is my tri- linked isolastic not any modern wonder appliance. I want direct emotional contact and control with my ride and I have found it in a Norton Commando. I can't stand the buzz of valve trains at a billzion rpm, i want my ride to flat disappear out found under except for sense of CoG on the rear patch up to my brain stem with a sense of God's turbofan hand shoving my ass into the future. Whats it like for you?
I detest wheelies. A great storm hit and class ended I drove home and some weeks later got my Graduation Notice. I can bet how the company vote went when they reviewed my case : )
Main philosophical difference between me and Code is he used to preach front wheel turns the bike - even created the Hands Off Bike to prove it - but I know better its the rear that rules the roost. I see he's more in my camp by recent articles on how to use loss of traction to have more fun safely. For a time that Ninja flinging was best turns I knew, now I have very little respect for it, or regular Commandos' to show I'm not biased when it comes best fun there is to me. Hands Off Bike has grips mounted to fixed fairing with throttle set and a steering damper, well duh if front is still in traction and low power it can over come the weak rear action - but when its free to dolly wheelie - body English alone and tip rear to aim bike. If rear thrust enough front lifts out of traction, then what ya gonna do, nothing just hang on the power and ride the rear like a unicycle till front touches again and it better be in agreement with where the rear is still thrusting or SPLAT!. That's what took me down because not expecting a wheeelie I was not damping bars to hit aligned.
I think I got Ninja to ~140 before end straight, mine was only one to arrive with fan blowing and then not shut off for many minutes. I got to inspect instructors tires and Codes joy ride tires and like my tire evidence better.
Instructors melted, Code's abraded, mine smeared out edges. All were scrubbed to the rim. If there is room for a knee down then ya ain't at the bike's capacity to turn sharper.
Kieth Code is a master in many ways and a very brave man to keep his word with me. i learned what I paid for and will last me rest of my life. My tool of choice to take turns is my tri- linked isolastic not any modern wonder appliance. I want direct emotional contact and control with my ride and I have found it in a Norton Commando. I can't stand the buzz of valve trains at a billzion rpm, i want my ride to flat disappear out found under except for sense of CoG on the rear patch up to my brain stem with a sense of God's turbofan hand shoving my ass into the future. Whats it like for you?
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hobot said:36 crank/72 clutch 2:1, 1:1 4th, 21T-42 rear 2:1, 120x80 tyre circumf. 82"= 6'10"
@ 6100? I swear I felt tire expand right before top out, few more mph needled but not rpm? Must try foam against tire to see if or how much it does for sure.
Peel's new variable gear rear, plenty potential to reduce teeth # upping tire rpm.
Any chance you could post some pics of how you highspeed rear hub has been done
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