Interesting Experimental bike

Found this in a Motorcycle encyclopedia at the library

The isolastic B50 is in all the 'Norton' history books.
Another last-ditch effort to produce something different - a solution looking for a problem ??

Probably be a nice bike - if somewhat heavy ?

Same problem with the isolastics, but for some reason I really like it.

Theres that Bandit / Fury ; tri / Bsa FRAME . A c t u a l l y . With Iso Lastics . which arnt a bad idea at all .
a certain American V0Twin even uses them these days .

As usual , the captions not quite on the mark . A BSA book rants a load of tripe on thje fuery / Bandit . A confused missrepresentation of the facts
to the point that its absolutely innacurate , combined with the autors prejudices and lack of comprehension . Ive got three fairly comprehensive tests
of the d o h c 350 . Hard to believe theyre the same machine refered to . Noteably the one where he actually rides one is where hes most impressed .
Even Then a few of the facts are confused . Though his observation that bored to 500 it wouldnt be to bad at all is also valid .

A Iso B-50 Bandit framed machine would be quite a Hot rod . A B50 MX spec motor in clubmans trim ( rorty muffler 0 would do near 120 mph .

Not the plethoria of big rice burner singles these days . Some of them are even lacking Electric Starters , obviously obsolete anachronisms . :?: :? :wink:

Its the P-92 . 8)



" The experimental P92 was a product of Norton Villiers Triumph’s development facility in Kitt’s Green, Birmingham during the period following the formation of NVT out of BSA, Norton Villiers and Triumph in mid-1973. The aim was to produce a smooth-running single, using existing components. The essentials are a slightly modified BSA 500cc ohv B50 engine, the frame from the abortive 1971 Triumph Bandit and BSA Fury, plus Isolastic anti-vibration engine mounts from the Norton Commando.

Each prototype was slightly different. This machine has a one-into-two exhaust with twin annular silencers, as fitted to NVT’s Commando and Triumph Trident T160. The seat and rear wheel are Norton, the front fork and brake BSA/Triumph, while the front mudguard is a BSA Rocket 3 item. A cross-over mechanism switches the gear change to the left to comply with US regulations.

Sadly, nothing became of the sure-handling 100mph single because NVT fell into receivership during 1975. This version was restored with BSA badging at the request of its former owner. "

http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co. ... type-/118/

Sad trying to compete with big fourstroke singles when the opposition is producing twin cylinder two strokes. The Brits might have been better to continue making bikes with soul which had a strong racing heritage, and concentrating on getting the design really right , and then move towards the top end of the motorcycle market with fewer sales but higher price . It is where BMW went, and the Brits would probably do it better. No mercedes has the same amount of bling value as a roller or even an Aston.

Don Morley (photographer and bike writer extrordinaire) rates the unit B50 "goldy' the best BSA dirt single ever produced - and that was without the isolastics. They still have quite a loyal following these days...

Didn't it go on to become the CCM ?

The isolastics on a bike of the s ize could be quite a good idea. It wouldn't have enough power to do much nasty with the rear end, and the bike seems intended to be a commuter anyway. The reason I'm apprehensive about isolastics on the commando is that the designers seem to be trying to make the bike fill two conflicting roles. - commuter and sports bike.

acotrel said:

The reason I'm apprehensive about isolastics on the commando is that the designers seem to be trying to make the bike fill two conflicting roles. - commuter and sports bike.

Click to expand...

We think you may be a little bit late in the worrying here ?!!!!
These bikes went out of production, what, 45 years ago ?!
After VERY successful production runs of a series of Commando models, it must be said.
And still a good bike in good fettle, all these years later.

Although Harley did take up the patent on the rubber mount thingies, and implemented it in how many 100 of 000s of bikes...

One HUGE difference:

HD doesn't mount the swingarm to the engine assembly.

HUGE difference.

My Buell Blast does, I think the sportsters do to. Very Commando like.

The blast has one front upper iso and one rear mid iso. The swingarm pivots on the back of the transmission case.
They are more solid blocks of rubber used.

" The reason I'm apprehensive about isolastics on the commando is that the designers seem to be trying to make the bike fill two conflicting roles. - commuter and sports bike. "



APPREHENSIVE !? Why , pray tell ! :lol: more a Grand Tourting machine ! comuteing city to city perhaps ? ' GT ' or ' GTS ' mayve been more appropriat . Who tours State to State .

Provideing the alignment is good so the Iso faces are parrallel rather than askew , theres NOTHING WRONG with the Isolastics . Though maybe the frames a bit light when you consider the
powertrain isnt integral with the tubework to add its ridgidity to the dimensional stabilty of said tube frame . Inherantly the princible is as good as anything of its time ,
and virtually undeveloped since . some of it was world leading , in fact .

Pity the coustomers didnt get to see it at the retailers .
Obviously Twins were obsolete by then , like the singles . Before they even made them .
ACCORDING to the ' PRESS ' .

Now if theyed called it Akai , or Tokaido , they could have ranted about how good it was , between free lunches .

Matt Spencer said:

Now if theyed called it Akai , or Tokaido , they could have ranted about how good it was , between free lunches .

Click to expand...

Now ain't that the truth.
But then some here would have nothing to whine about...

Monocoque looks like the early? version - no windows to remove the spark plugs - so they have to drop the engine from the frame just to change them. ?

Isn't that spaceframe a dogs breakfast of tubing - but with no real structure to it.
Trying to calculate where the stresses are going would have even the computer throwing up its hands in horror.
Looks like some tubes were placed more where the fairing mounts needed to be ??
Great pic Matty, not seen that before. We digress from isolastic B50's though....