John Player and other racing Nortons

grandpaul

grandpaul

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There is some great discussion by some of the racers of the time, as well as many others who were there and have original photographs & videos.

If you are not a member on fecebook, sorry.

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John Player Norton | Facebook

This group is dedicated to the collection and dissemination of facts and details specific to the John Player Norton Commandos, and to members photos,...
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As long as you answer at least one of the challenge questions to become a member (with a coherent answer having to do with JPNs & racing Nortons), I will approve your membership straight away.
 
The historical photos are worth it.

The historical context that is given in conversation is worth it.

Really nice folks.
 
A new member who is a photographer, has been posting a nice batch of race event photos from "back in the day", really nice stuff...
 
I have been reading Paul Dunstall's tuining stuff. It is interesting but very dated. He says that with a Norton race bike, the motor should be just slightly over-revving on the fastest part of the race circuit. My experience has been, you need to keep the Commando motor pulling hard to get the most out of it. At peak revs, it goes nowhere fast. My motor will pull right up though the top of the usable rev range and on to oblivion - but if the gearing is higher, the bike is faster. It is the difference between torque and horsepower. I use very high overall gearing but close ratios to keep the motor on the boil.
 
Last edited:
acotrel said:
I have been reading Paul Dunstall's tuining stuff. It is interesting but very dated. He says that with a Norton race bike, the motor should be just slightly over-revving on the fastest part of the race circuit. My experience has been, you need to keep the Commando motor pulling hard to get the most out of it. At peak revs, it goes nowhere fast. My motor will pull right up though the top of the usable rev range and on to oblivion - but if the gearing is higher, the bike is faster. It is the difference between torque and horsepower. I use very high overall gearing but close ratios to keep the motor on the boil.
Click to expand...

Well, you're in a minority of one
 
acotrel said:
I have been reading Paul Dunstall's tuining stuff. It is interesting but very dated. He says that with a Norton race bike, the motor should be just slightly over-revving on the fastest part of the race circuit. My experience has been, you need to keep the Commando motor pulling hard to get the most out of it. At peak revs, it goes nowhere fast. My motor will pull right up though the top of the usable rev range and on to oblivion - but if the gearing is higher, the bike is faster. It is the difference between torque and horsepower. I use very high overall gearing but close ratios to keep the motor on the boil.
Click to expand...
If you geared a racing Norton, any Norton like that in the UK , you will find at least half the field zooming past you down the longest straight . . .
 
What do you do ? Do you keep the bike slightly under-geared in top and rev it. Or do you keep it pulling at the ends of the straights ? - We are probably talking about one tooth on one sprocket ?
 
acotrel said:
What do you do ? Do you keep the bike slightly under-geared in top and rev it. Or do you keep it pulling at the ends of the straights ? - We are probably talking about one tooth on one sprocket ?
Click to expand...

Gear properly, so it pulls about 7500 at the end of a long straight. At Snetterton, that's over 145MPH on my gearing

and no, I lose NOTHING coming out of the corners
 
Last edited:
A racer has no excuse but to gear properly, there should be a assortment range of sprockets in his/her toolbox. Its not rocket science to gear the bike to pull maximum revs at the end of the fastest straight.
 
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