Do Commando scare you?

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I run with 18"s back and front and prefer the improved ability to change line and reduced tendency to chop out and run wide at the front. I still have my standard sized (but Akront rimmed) 19" set and have attempted to do 'back to back' tests, allowing of course for the time spent swapping wheels and discs over.

To be honest, I can't feel a difference in high speed straight line stability. Whether the Commando handles on a given day is more down to me than the bike. In that respect it's a more sensitive machine to rider input than some others. A long day in the saddle with stiff shoulders can mean that the last bumpy sweeper on the way home will turn into a real thrupenny-bitter.

Nortons always swore by 19" wheels, even on Dommies but it didn't stop them fitting an 18" rear to the Atlas and no-one complained.

The fashion in the 1970s was for tall, 'monkey on a stick' motorcycles and as far as I'm concerned, the insistence on 19" wheels was just part of that image.

The only tank slappers that I've had were also with 19" wheels and fitted with Craven panniers and occurred under braking. Not pleasant if the cars in front are hard on the brakes as a handful of throttle is a scary option. On the other hand, I had a front tyre valve tear out on the sweeper between the M6 and the M1 at about 80 MPH and the thing didn't chuck me off (it tried hard though) so something must be right :)
 
hobot said:
kommando,

But even on your TT service road course - you'd be besides your self,
like me, at the added secure sense of the rump rod and helpers.
That's best conditions where rods make phase 2 steering so boring
you get invited into phase 3, rear slide to 'back into apex'
using slide to both slow vector and jerk a sharper turn right at the
edge > no fear, if you KNOW what tire will take and slide to stop.
Go at it a good bit faster yet and the slide becomes
a low side that is saved at last instant by a hi side into
new line, with more open straight than counter steering
can allow. Go at it even harsher and you can't turn forks
or toss bike fastest enough to aim by human power/speed,
so throttle can trip out bike and let off at apex leaps bike
upright into the next turn just right fully hooking up thrust.


hobot
Click to expand...

I tried putting this in a language translator and converted it to Dutch, then converted it back to English and got

"But even on your TT course of the dienstweg - you' D is the safe meaning of the rump bar and tending press, added beside your himself, as me, at. That' s best conditions where phase 2 sending this way it confirm drilling of you become are invited which at stage 3, achterdia to ' to make; in apex' dia using to both slow vector and jolt sharper draairecht at the edge > no apprehension, if you WEET which link will take and will slide to stop. More rapidly still go at a good smattering and the dia becomes a low side which is kept at previous moment by a hello party in new line, with more open right than tegenleiding can permit. Go at still harsher and you can' t turn forks or litter bicycle fastest enough to strive human power/speed, thus can the accelerator bicycle from persuade and gone at the bicycle of top jumps leave rechtop in the next turn convalescence omhoog complete only hitching duw. "

Strangely, I understand both equally well :mrgreen:
 
7900. Anyone that rides out a front blow out in leaned state
is awesome rider to me. I've kinda done it but not sure
it was really me that saved us.

Its hard to reveal what's best to each bike and rider, as there is
a great over lap of adequate handling in many combos, till
the very extremes are reached. Sometimes I feel my
scooter is best thing going, till reaching its limits, then
any good motorcycle can whomp it. At one point they outlawed
scooters with smaller size wheels in races events, they had such
advantage. Similar to the Ferrari guys in past saying that 'iF
God had meant a Mini Copper to go around them so fast
> he'd given them bigger tires : )

My Strong Personal opinion now
is that about anyone on a tri-linked normal wheel Commando can
mop up all the rest of the pack - up to what ever speed
their pulling power allows. My Known fact is my tri-linked
Commando can do it before even entering its other
3 phases of faster turning. Solitude > the funnest
state on a tri-linked Commando, simply refreshing not wearing.

hobot
 
Only done 90 on the norton,,,but 170+ 0n the Blackbird, and 70 off road on the honda,,,fractured spine for my stupidity!,,Now my real buzz was in a RS 500, next to a she devil!! Boy that was hairy.... 140 down a narrow country lane...thats moving some. :!: O and a bleedin huge tank slapper on a Laverda jota at about 75.
hobot said:
Curious if any one really ever has opportunity to ride to limits
of various bikes, Commando in particular and if any thing
encountered that scared ya to back out and note the limit
to avoid?
Accident avoidance counts but mostly I'm interested
in the full pilot controlled states that get out of hand.

Has anyone run Commando in long hi powered sweeper into
the hinged antics?

Has anyone ever had a Commando tank slap on them?
Did ya save it or loose it?

Can't blame anyone if not, as I will never again, either
on un-tamed Commandos or un-tamed sports bikes.

Do you get left behind after the very sharp chicanes
when speed reach over 90 mph?
Does it depress ya any or too worn and wise to care?

hobot
Click to expand...
 
I have a Honda ST1300 V4 that will cruise all day in velvet smooth comfort at 100mph, it is a magnificent sport tourer.


However, my Commando never sees 75mph, mostly 65mph at 4000rpm on the back roads.
I do not hot rod it, or red line, or full throttle gear slamming accelerations.
I admit it, I baby it. I love it just the way it is, and save any high speed needs for the big Honda.

I would sell the Honda if need be, but my Commando will be mine right to my end.

I LOVE MY NORTON!
 
no :roll: (close up those iso's!)

done the ton on my 850 so many times on it - seems modern compared to my BSA a10 and triumph 62 duplex (now the ton on them is an experience)
 
Geeze Louise guys 140 in county lanes to 170 anywhere, dang impressive.
Big block cruiser bruisers are in my sights too to exceed comfort
and cargo and range, but they ain't an example of fine flinging
cornering on and off road like a good ole Commando can do.
A fella got ticketed going 182 on two lane straight an hour
ride from here.

I'm only crazy up to a point unless a crisis
so its always a life death decision to me when to open
er up a while. Past 750 Peel was good to 135 naked. Allowed me
to keep on heels of fastest riders here, but not prevent
them from over taking me after leaving em back a ways
in the twisties.

Will later open an engine calculator thread to plug in
various known or imaginary engine set ups.
As conservative as can enter Peels data she will
have over 100 ft lb on tap. so if not top end to reach
180, she should get to over 160 dang quick with nose
lower an inch before stock.

Gear box is weakest link, kinda tired of busting them up
on mere 750 so don't know what ratio Peel can get away with
or top speed to limit her-me too. I think might be able
with fairing to reach 170?

Game plan if Peel works out is some objective track
times myself or lend bike to race licensed pilot
impressions and E.T.s Peel will conform to race
safety inspection just no race class to fit into but
Pike Peak or Texas Mile evetns.

Still regardless of tri-linked extreme handling capacity which
is only for intermittent life risking events, the constant delights
of Huge Massive Monolithic Inertial stability is simply
uncanny merely lugging and looping along.

hobot
 
Re the 140 (and hgher) speed figures being tossed around... Are they MPH or KPH? If MPH, I'm wondering if some serious speedometer repairs are in order... ;)
 
There's always a faster bike than yours, so why bother beating up a Norton! Back in the 80s I had a BMW K100RS going 145 mph all tucked in, bumping the rev limiter and my buddy flew by on a GSXR 1100 :shock: . The K100RS was comfortable cruising at 130 mph, but the Norton's just fine at 60 mph with 19 tooth sprocket. And yes there's roads near me where those speeds are safe! :wink:
 
Hobot,

I can't say for sure how many years I have read your posts on various forums, but you seem to literally beat the mechanical life out of your Norton's year after year and I always wonder 1: how you are still alive and 2: why you just don't go and buy a cheap used modern sport bike to beat the snot out of? It would be a lot less frustrating, possibly less dangerous and certainly a lot cheaper than continually abusing and rebuilding a broken Norton. I have an 06 triumph 955 daytona I bought new that will do anything I want for as long as I want and certainly out does my capabilities as well as my Norton's quickly, it costs nothing more than an oil change and set of tires per season to maintain, has 34K miles on the clock runs as good as new and is actually fun to ride, just a thought..........My commando is an awesome bike and does not scare me as long as I ride it within it's 37 year old limits.
 
You know, I have a couple of Nortons. Some other stuff and a couple of modern sportbikes.
I'm a farm kid. I was taught (OK, had it beat into my head) not to abuse equipment. So, I tend to not beat on my older bikes. I ride them to enjoy them but I'll on occasion get a bit carried away, in the heat of the moment. But I have other things that are more appropreate and certainly more capable to blast down a country lane...
But I do enjoy hunting down liter bikes on my motard...
 
Well britbike220,
I expect if try to correct your hobot opinion, you would not believe me,
and if ya did, then i'd have to kill ya to preserve my reputation : )

hobot
I couldn't quite hit the mother but ingrained reflexes made me
just miss collecting the slower small one. Cuteness has
huge survival factor. Wife going oh ah etc, all the while I'm
resisting choking it dead before it matures to a deadly foe.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2801 ... 1179qErYDu
Do Commando scare you?


http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1287209 ... 1179sVhghA
Do Commando scare you?
 
Rich_j said:
mike996 said:
"

When I got my Commando it had 120 x18 on the rear, 100 x18 on the front. The front tire was almost 2" dia less than the rear. .
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

My first Commando was a 1970, they came from new with a ribbed front tire that was about 2" less than the K81 on the rear.
 
Let me put my perspective on this.
When I bought my Norton, it was because I was having a hard time keeping up with my friends on my Super Rocket.
My Super Rocket was tuned enough to keep up with a Mk3 Spitfire.
I used to thrash my Norton a lot & still do when I get the oppertunity. Too much traffic now.
My point is, if I can't use it, what is the point.
And I polish it a lot as well!
 
I also had a 1970, that first set of tires didn't last very long. I might have gotten two seasons out of that ribbed front but the rear was lucky to give a summer.
 
Naw, the point is that even if riding a safe and calms as possible,
one can still encounter wind-storm gusts in carefully ridden
sweepers that onset the hibbie-gibbies, especially if
loaded and some round surface unevenness.
The full linkage and likely just a front link can make is
a lot less attention getting.
Flat is areas no where to pull off, which usually means
twisties in scenic locals, linkages make a lot less pilot
tasks.
Obviously Commandos and pilots have gotten along pretty
darn good for 3 decades w/o linkages, but
they sure seem to 'mature' a Commando into completely
competent and refined craft.

I am not linking my factory Trixie, plenty refined enough
if ridden maturely into any sane thrills.

But for those who seek fantasy levels before they age
or die, you just can't top what a Commando offers, even if
you can't believe yet. When I want to wipe the sneers
off them anger insect bikes, my tr-linked Commando is
my tool of choice. That's my story and sticking to it.

hobot
 
I'd give them that. Our young girls in customer service are quite amused on my antique bikes I ride to work. I think they figure both me and the scooters are antiques. A friend told me they said my 64 Norton was a bike from the 80s as that is as far back as they can imagine.
 

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