Commando vs. Bonneville

swooshdave · Jan 17, 2014

Salt Flats that is… :mrgreen:

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/class ... x?PageId=1

Great story! Click the link for more!

The backstory

I received an email from the North Texas Norton Owners Association. NTNOA member Randy Johnson was looking for a volunteer to help with his 1972 Norton Commando land speed record effort in Bonneville during the Bonneville Speed Week in August 2013. After thinking about it for two minutes, I was that volunteer.

Randy’s regular crew chief, Steve Adkins of Big D Cycle in Dallas, couldn’t make the run. In 2012, Randy Johnson and Steve set the record in the 750cc Production Pushrod class at 126.434mph. The yellow 1972 Norton Commando also ran an unofficial speed of 129mph. Randy was out to break his own record, with a goal of 130mph.

It would be my first time at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and I was prepared to learn a lot in a short amount of time. I met Randy for the first time when he picked me up on Saturday to begin the 24-hour drive from Dallas to Bonneville. Speed Week begins on Saturday, but Randy prefers to get there on Sunday to avoid the opening day crowds.

pete.v · Jan 17, 2014

Great story, great bike, wrong color.

Diablouph · Jan 17, 2014

pete.v said:
Great story, great bike, wrong color.

Them's fighten words.

ILLF8ED · Jan 17, 2014

pete.v said:
Great story, great bike, wrong color.

You tell them Pete. Red is Right.

Hobot · Jan 17, 2014

bite thou tongue petie, or we will let the Yellow Peril loose on ya and someday swooh will finish his paint job just to spite ya. That land speeder hobby sure is challenging no matter the paint or none at all.
Do not look in here. https://www.google.com/search?q=yellow+ ... 83&bih=391

birdman · Jan 18, 2014

Thanks for the story,I bought my 73 Roadster from the guys at Big D a couple of years ago as somewhat of a "barn find".

acotrel · Jan 18, 2014

Wasn't yellow a Suzuki racing colour ? American racers were orange, black and white.

Hobot · Jan 18, 2014

Thank the folks of Big D in Texas for getting comnoz into Nortons and now a must do mecca annually, so glad their name and value is keep in the news. They have had Rollie's Vincent there and expert detailing its mods and how Rollie got all lined up to air, and the Golf dual engine 270+ mph Norton, both brought back to life by Big D. I will try to have them dyno my special then later Jim to see comparison of climates and dyno's. I don't know if I could stand the tension of loosing control way over the ton as is know to happen but have been kept awake a bit feeling what must be like to feel rear spinning in over powered salt traction and mainly the air flow and CoG keepping the tires in line...

swooshdave · Jan 18, 2014

acotrel said:
Wasn't yellow a Suzuki racing colour ? American racers were orange, black and white.

No. Yellow was a Norton color.

This isn't a race bike, it's the production class. You even have to have production colors. :mrgreen:

Larso1 · Jan 18, 2014

swooshdave said:
acotrel said:

Wasn't yellow a Suzuki racing colour ? American racers were orange, black and white.

Click to expand...

No. Yellow was a Norton color.

"This isn't a race bike, it's the production class. You even have to have production colors. :mrgreen:

Umm, I'm pretty sure Yellow was the Yamaha Racing color, even back to at least '75 like this Kenny Roberts dirt tracker and '80 road racer... etc. etc. At least that's what I remember.

Matt Spencer · Jan 19, 2014

Er Yuk .

Wheres the Ear Plugs .