Jim, I cam understand how people simply want to make their Commando the best, but I don't understand why they do it with a road bike. Yesterday I was driving through our town and parked by the side of the road was a very lovely and close to original 850 Commando which I would love to own and cherish. But at all costs, I would preserve it's originality because that is here the value is in an old bike. I am now 78 - I had my first bikes when I was 15. However when I was 14, I had gone with my uncle who had a Triumph Thunderbird, to watch Geoff Duke race the Gilera at Fishermans' Bend in Melbourne. My whole live has involved motorcycles, they even helped me fail most of my year twelve exams, which resulted me in studying part-time while working to become a scientist. I started with a Model 741 Indian and a 250cc T6 Triumph, progressed through many hotted-up Triumph 650s, then went road racing when I started having too many near misses on publis roads. These days my motorcycle keeps me alive. What I am about is improving my Seeley Commando 850 and proving it by racing. When you improve a road bike, you cannot really use it in the way nature intended.
I really like the work you do. However have you ever thought of building a race bike and finding a good rider for it? When you achieve through racing, you are competing against other dedicated guys. If you come out in front, you have really done something. In Australia, we have one guy Jerry Kooistra who owns an engineering business. He raced small capacity Honda twins with a girl as rider. He has done what he set out to do and now has given the game away. We have Ken Horner who is doing similar with the Irving Vincents. I think the work you are doing is excellent but 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'.
