Norton Dossier

Not sure if this has been posted before but an article By Mick Duckworth from Classic Bike made a few years ago, an interesting read all the same for novices like me.


http://www.scribd.com/doc/40956741/Norton-Commando

Pretty typical article. As Mick mentions the issues were particular to the machine he was riding. Cannot image the rear brake being more effective than a front disc. Running out of steam beyond 70mph is the way I characterize the new Triumph retro twins in comparison to a Commando. My '72 750 pulls easily past 100.

illf8ed said:

Running out of steam beyond 70mph is the way I characterize the new Triumph retro twins in comparison to a Commando.

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Makes me believe you have not owned a modern Hinkley twin.

I owned one with nothing more than air injection removal and re-jetting, and it easily bested my MkIII in top tune. (and the 850 is no slouch to this day)

grandpaul said:

illf8ed said:

Running out of steam beyond 70mph is the way I characterize the new Triumph retro twins in comparison to a Commando.

Click to expand...

Makes me believe you have not owned a modern Hinkley twin.

I owned one with nothing more than air injection removal and re-jetting, and it easily bested my MkIII in top tune. (and the 850 is no slouch to this day)

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Just my observation taking test rides available annually at the local Triumph dealer on stock demos both Bonneville and Thruxton. Could also be the Triumphs weren't fully broken in. This is not typical performance for a Commando even a MkIII 850.

illf8ed said:

Just my observation taking test rides available annually at the local Triumph dealer on stock demos both Bonneville and Thruxton.

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I've been on at least a dozen (closer to 15) Triumph test rides over the course of three different dates; I was never able to get over 40, following the dealership's ride leader, even when I managed to create a bit of a gap.

That is NO WAY to compare a bike.

(those test rides are virtually useless, excepot you get to do one step further than sit on them and make vroom-vroom sounds)

I own and ride a 2007 Triumph Bonneville and a 1971 Norton Commando. The Triumph I have is carbed with the epa crap removed, the bike is no slouch. I have ridden it on the highway at 100 with more to go, I,m 64 and at this stage the bike has more balls than I do. The Commando has 1700 miles on it since a total restoration and I can say that it will out accelerate my Bonnie but I think top end would be close. I enjoy both bikes but my favorite is the Commando. Just my personal observations. Craig

Apologize, this line of discussion got off topic to the original article about an 850 Commando. I hadn't intended it to be about Triumphs. Any case the negative performance issues about the Norton in the article were limited to that particular machine as was commented by the author.