Cycle World Editors dig Commandos.

Sept `12 issue of C.W. has Mark Hoyer & Peter Egan describing enjoyment of the Commando.
Hoyer writes, "I`d had a great weekend...rode the 850 on tour with more than 100 other fantastic bikes, then got 3 laps around M.R. Laguna Seca with 6,800 rpm upshifts, dragging hard parts & experiencing headshake entering the Corkscrew. All this without one adjustment or bit of tuning, not even tyre pressure."
& on his way home, " The sun was warm , the air was cool, the bike was on song like it never had been. My confidence was swelling as I sped toward that place where my accomplishment as a mechanic, tuner & rider all harmonised on the road...the freeway its own kind of satisfaction since the bike [running 24T output sprocket] was cruising easily at 80mph & delivering 55mpg."
& then... The bike shuddered in a deep & disturbing way...then made the horrible sound of a machine trying to eat itself..."
The alternator rotor had disintegrated, but he fixed it up himself to get moving again, made it home on the battery & fixed it, " In fact I`ve put hundreds of miles on the bike".
P. Egan describes touring on a Honda CB 550, " ..as an all purpose tourer, the Honda is a sweet bike, [after relating a DNF Commando tour] but its not quite,well ,BAD enough to be continuously entertaining on a cross-country trip. It occured to me this is exactly why I`d bought my Commando back in `75. It was bad, in the best sense of the word. & if you ride one now ,it still is.

The Hoyer article was good. Was trying to explain it to someone at work today. There are still a lot of people who struggle to understand why a person would own a "project" bike.

Jim H.

6800 rpm UPSHIFTS?

ON AN 850?

are they nuts?

what possible reason is there for running a heavier piston 850 OVER red line?

or am I wrong? I have an 850 and have always thought maximum rpm was a little over 6000, and that it had run out of poof horsepower by 6K anyway so shift it!

with the Norton manual saying continuous rpm around 5700 if I recall?

although I personally think that is insane to cruise all day at 5700rpm

Please qualify "insane" remark re hi-speed cruise, is it because of current draconian law sanctions?
Back in the day it was a mark of pride in ones machine to do long distances at a higher average speed than any other road user, stopping only for necessaries, but I `spose the autobahn or Nurburgring is about the only place you can do that kind of thing nowadays?

David Edwards is an even bigger fan of the Commando.

1up3down said:

6800 rpm UPSHIFTS?

ON AN 850?

are they nuts?

what possible reason is there for running a heavier piston 850 OVER red line?

or am I wrong? I have an 850 and have always thought maximum rpm was a little over 6000, and that it had run out of poof horsepower by 6K anyway so shift it!

with the Norton manual saying continuous rpm around 5700 if I recall?

although I personally think that is insane to cruise all day at 5700rpm

Click to expand...

I have cruised my MK3 850 all day at 6500 rpm. Nuts- probably but the bike didn't complain. That was with a stock engine. Now it's an 880 and the rev limiter is set at 7200. I bounce it off the limiter regularly. Jim

I bounce it off the limiter regularly. Jim[/quote]

I bounced mine off the curb once .
I blame the Continentals . :shock: :lol:

Once? I must`ve told you a million times - do not minimise... oh sorry, if by 'mine' you meant bonce...L.O.L.

The next stage in the proceedings was the front tyre snapping a 4 x 4 in half and snapping the stainless straps that held it to the concrete lampost at about
four feet altitude . The Bell Helmet was all right , I had it on my elbow . The old hardboard / leather vintage lid was on my head . Just as well I landed on my feet.

Wasnt inclined to repeat this one . Read recently , Continental designed the rear ( tyre ) with a lower coefficent of friction than the front . To give more feel .
Not sure this was what they had in mind . Can I sue them . Not to worry , was able to ride off , Mustve been 60 ft twixt kerb and lampost , and machine ended
half again beyond . Repeat after me ; ' I must pay attewntion to what I am doing .

Yea , maybe 7.5000 is safe for a well built tricked out stocker . Fancy valve springs , etc , and everything ' Just So ' . An old worn one with excessive clearances
might be a differant story .

Did you here about the two blokes who got on each others Honda outside the hamburger joint ?

They never even noticed .

:lol: 8)

Yeah, one of those runny feeling Contis put me off [literally] never felt like trying another on a bike I owned..

Wonder whose rpms rates are the most memorable [yet not damaging Matt]. A weak Lucas part not Norton let em down. It took me a long time to understand why front air better be a bit lower than the rear, so the rear can rule the Roost. Not many Commandos with rev limiters I only know of 2 so far. Some of us like crave rpms to feel like a turbo fan propulsion.

In 1977, on my first Commando- bog standard, off the shelf, new 850Mk3- I ran 7000rpm regularly when accelerating on the open road, or racing round the Contidrom (Conti Tires) handling course inside their high speed oval. No complaints from the engine even then.

Today, with a hand-built engine, I'd expect no problems at all.

24 tooth, now that's highway gearing.

I have cruised my MK3 850 all day at 6500 rpm. Nuts- probably but the bike didn't complain. That was with a stock engine. Now it's an 880 and the rev limiter is set at 7200. I bounce it off the limiter regularly. Jim

Click to expand...

ok Jim, then I stand corrected

Never would I have guessed that the air cooled long stroke Commando motor could have survived all day at 6500rpm

I just can't imagine holding it at that RPM hour after hour after hour all day on the interstate

damn, these things are capable of a LOT more than I thought

It is pretty incredible to think they can do it. 6500 rpm means the pistons are at TDC over 100 times per second. And they live through it. Jim

Norton rpm is a sore subject to me. There's a hand full of weaknesses lurking but if everything manufactured and assembled as designed Nortons up to 7000 is livable. Cast iron flywheel is fracture prone, crank shaft is prone to jump rope distorting, which strains flywheel and end bearings, then comma oil hole pistons and other pistons are jerk down acceleration fracture prone, then the stock valve train can float and clash and then the points float for misfire rev limiter. A good Commando below redline is not distorting or over heating enough to injure it as its best conditions for oil surfing and air flow. WOT throttle racing ain't same as just holding somewhat below redline a long time, fuel burning heat wise. I don't believe a mostly stock Commando can pull redline with 24 T sprocket on level section. Having CHT, EGT and oil temp sure eases ones mind keeping the fuel flow up. Remember early Commandos won endurance events.

I want to run 920 Peel up to 8000 at times, but have paid extra for that ticket.

comnoz said:

It is pretty incredible to think they can do it. 6500 rpm means the pistons are at TDC over 100 times per second. And they live through it. Jim

Click to expand...

Makes a fella scared to rev! The first time I held a car crankshaft ('71 Triumph TR6 when I was 18) I couldn't believe that this big, heavy thing was spinning around so fast in the engine.

Miracles.

Funny, on P.86 that same issue, C.W. give a full page to reviewing the T.C./Hogslayer video doco.
Those guys didn`t spare the horses - as such..

Oct`12 Cycle World Editorial : Re New Commando;
"Get on with it gents, the faithful are, well, losing faith."