High annual mileage on Commandos anyone?

I probably average 15,000 to 20,000 miles a year (that's 24,000 to 32,000 kilometers for some folks) on 2 wheels - of which only a small portion (say 3,000 to 4,000 is on my Commando).

when I do long trips (a few days and 2,000+ miles) it just makes sense to ride my Harley or Beemer, with saddlebags, windshield, comfortable seat and seating position, etc.

But I'm wondering ---- although most of the posts on this forum are about things that go on in the garage --- there must be some of us who are out there riding more often than tinkering with their bikes,right?

Anybody put 5,000 miles (or KM equiv) on a Commando in 2008? 10,000 miles? Who is the high mileage long-distance champ on the forum?

Who has big mileage plans for 2009?

A buddy just asked me today if I would do a cross country with him this summer. My first thought was "of course!" but I imagined doing it on my fairly new Harley.

Then I got to thinking - why not on the Commando???

thoughts?? why not ride these bikes hard and long?!?!

Keith

I have done four 650 mile days on my commando and on most Saturday or Sunday rides it is 150 + miles.

I've been putting in around 400 to 500Kms on a Sunday for about 5 years now with the occassional no ride weekend. Did 1,800Kms in 3 days with a fellow Commando and 69 Rocket 3 a couple of years ago. My 850 Roadsters only limitations in Australia is the relatively long gap between gas stations. get around 220kms with the single Mikuni at the max range.

Hi Keith — good that you like riding your Norton. I can't match some people here, but I did three 300-400 mile trips last year last year and I'm usually out for a spin at the weekend. There's a lot of discussion about fitting, repairs, modifications, etc on this forum but we do this so they won't piss oil, break down or handle like drunken camels. I couldn't resist taking the old thing out today for a 100 mile snort through County Wicklow with a mate on an Africa Twin. The Norton is able to keep up with modern bikes on minor roads, but it's those hours spent tweaking in the workshop that allows us to do this!

I'd love to do a bike trip through California some time.

Dave

I just checked my mileage for the last two years on the MKIII and last year put 7300 miles on it and in 2007 6900 miles. Quite a bit of it was with a fellow Commando rider who put in nearly as many miles. Nearly as many miles on a beemer too.

miles

I put 2500 miles on my bike over a 6 week period in the summer and about 1800 miles from 15 sept to 20 of October so 4300 miles in 2008 I did no driving in the spring or early summer I was away from home for several months or I most likely would have more miles.

My years vary between around 1000 and 5000 miles depending on how much time the Norton spends with parts off waiting for tlc. Plus i do between 10,000 and 20,000km on my Duc - just back from a 10 day 6000km ride.

Nelson
you need to come up to blowing rock in mid may for the three state ride or just come up to shady valley for a week end jaunt.

I don't do high mileage on any of my bikes, but I rode my 750 Commando more than any of the other bikes last year - about 2500 miles. It's logged about 6500 miles since the restoration.

For me, 200 miles on a motorcycle is about the limit. I tire easily. I've done 150 mile rides on the Norton and it's done fine.

Debby

Windy,

I was at the 3-state ride last year for the first time. I hope to make it again this year but I'd have to trailer this time as I'll have to come just for the day of the ride.

Since October, 2008, I've put 4500 miles on the Commando. Longest single day ride was about 520 miles, to Daytona and back. If the odometer is correct, I've put more miles on it than had been done in the previous 35 years (now reads about 08250). I'm hoping to bring it up to BIBR in June, though I'll probably bring it to Georgia in the back of my pickup with the Speed Triple.

I normally alternate riding the Norton and the Triumph, usually odd days for the Norton and even days for the Triumph.

Here in the deep south, its ALWAYS riding season, except most of the roads are flat and straight.

I bought a 75 MKIII new in 77 and rode it quite alot, 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year, it went on two saddlesore 1000 mile events in the early 80's, and we finished both events, with the lights working all the way. I still have the machine, it has 72,000 miles on it, it dosen't get alot of miles any more, 2 to 3,000 miles a year, British bike events etc. It always seems to start and run even after sitting in the shop for months.

Ken G.

Ken -

You are by far the winner!!

72,000 miles on your Commando! Congrats.

At 10,000 to 12,000 miles per year it sounds like you are the annual Commando mileage champ, and with the accumulated mileage you might be the cummulative winner too.

Keep on riding!

(I have a Mark III as well, though it's a virgin compared to yours, with only 18,000 miles on it).

I'd love to see a photo of a Commando with 72K miles. Can you post one>

Keith

Keith, I'll see what I can do, my wife is the owner of one of those magic cameras. The old relic looks pretty much standard, black cap mufflers and all. I put a 18" rear wheel on it some years ago so I could use more modern tires, and I installed euro Interstate bars 30 years ago. I switch between Interstate and rosdster dress depending on my mood and how far I'm going to go. And it hasen't gone 72,000 milles without alittle attention, but it has allways been relible.

I was in Death Valley a few years ago with my Norton and two friends, we stoped for gas at Stove Pipe Wells, and there was a group there on Harleys, there was the typical comments and where was the sag wagon, These guys all roared off down the road, and guess who was broke down half way between Stove Pipe and Lone pine, yep it was the one with the big mouth. The carburetor was about to fall off, and none of them had any parts so I dug through my tool kit and came up with a nut and bolt and got him going again, Alittle more humble now, rescued by a guy on a old Norton. I'll bet his buddys had fun with that story when they got home.

Ken G.

I use my Commando for long distance tours, it always put's a smile on my face despite the "unplanned maintenance" stops. Last year I took it to Romania I think it was 13 countries & 4000 miles in 3 weeks. I'm lucky enough to have several bikes (4 Commandos) but my old faithful gets more miles on it than any other probably average 6 - 7000 miles a year on it. Story here on the Romania trip if your bored http://www.tayvalley.nortonownersclub.org/news/Romania.htm

Gino Rondelli said:

I use my Commando for long distance tours, it always put's a smile on my face despite the "unplanned maintenance" stops. Last year I took it to Romania I think it was 13 countries & 4000 miles in 3 weeks. I'm lucky enough to have several bikes (4 Commandos) but my old faithful gets more miles on it than any other probably average 6 - 7000 miles a year on it. Story here on the Romania trip if your bored http://www.tayvalley.nortonownersclub.org/news/Romania.htm

Click to expand...

Great trip, it is good to see these bikes getting a good outing. Slightly off topic but one of our club members rode his international to our NZ NOC rally earlier this year - 2500km round trip without a hiccup.