Ideed . So why have they DROPPED It . Is it still a Commando ? ?
More concerned with the plastic and bling , not to mention the weight , something the Japanese were never very good at .
TWINS ! This is why theyve doubled up the V twin for a V four , better tourque and response with a V engine .
You want Vibration ? try a Bonniville at 8.000 rpm , but then , it does have its phases , and smooth out at times .
Tweaked up , the pre unit started running straight at about 80 mph . But on the Gravle , it wasnt a worry . unlike a
Katana 1100. The amplitude of the ossilation increaseing to about 20 foot side to side at 60 mph on gravle .
Might be low frequency but its unequivical . Now the Bonnie'd run 115 on fresh gravle , hands off at 100 on it .
Cant see why the fit the gearboxes in the engine cases , unless its to save money . Theyre much better of seperate .
Gee , and did you see how the Japs welded there stampings together . You could hardly call it engineering . or welding .
Try that at Triumph , and you wouldve got the sack .
The press was the biggest sabatoure of the British industry , or why are the Japs makeing all these obsolete twins and singles ?
The BRM produced either no power , or to much . with a bang . usually at the rear tyres . Gonzales was the only driver who thought it manageable or drivable ,
but that didnt stop it tearing the rear tyres to pieces , possibly the only driver fast enough to swap in the opposite lock repeatably as it atempted to swap ends.
The design evolution had more to do with the old boy network , and class system ( dont talk back , youre just the draftsman etc ) than reason .
The proverbial camel . Look where Williams and Crighton got . Shoulderd out untill desperation feel in , then expected to alleviate ( good word that , no approach to sort things out ) it .
Nevertheless , raceing improves the breed . Untill certain people get their prototypes evelated under race or endurance race conditions , they arnt proven for that use.
Once , motorists were expected to have a degree of mechanical sympathy , and a degree of mechanical copetance & understanding . Vehicals were a privlage . The Coachman became the Cheufer , whos job was to maintain the vehical. Factory Trained , in the case of Rolls Royce . Times have changed .
Anyone who thinks the reliability of older british machines is other than a reflection of the mechanics and riders competance is better to stick to mass produced consumer appliances . If theyre svcared of a bit of maintanance , the normal schedules for the era they were produced , in that part of the world anyway.
If you wanted something ultairian , you bought a old slugger , like a M 20 etc , or a oriental wonder .
The improvements werte more in the line off production engineering ( volume ) emenateing from the rebuild plan of the vanquished axis industry and the exhaustion and anhilation of the British workforce and
small industry. Triumphs factory was flattened in the Covetry Blitz. At that stage the largest bombing offence in History . And Mariden and any investment in the British industry was directly war related . Vis W.D.
bullet proff dungers . Unfortunately not cannon shell proof .The uncle still rode Nortons dspite the schrapnel .
To sugest the wonderous japanese devises were superior , other than in servicability and oiltightness is ludicrist .After the British industrys demise , the Japanese produced there big 1000 cc road burners .
Superior for a comutor or travler to A Laverda triple , but a embarasment if you met one in the mountains .
Eight out off ten triumphs in N.Z. in the late 70s didnt run as well as they might , as parts were scare and mechanics at best indiferant , or gone with the Jap stuff for secure employment ,
or some idiot had left the baffles in the mufflers , though the 71 BSA mufflers worked O.K.
:shock: :lol: :lol:
1970 in Aus. the Bonneville blew of the Honda 750 in the Castrol 6 hour.Next year they insisted he fit unworn footrests, which stumped him. A more resourceful bloke wouldve reworn them to half length in the first 1/2 hour , and got underway .Or fitted the hinged US market ones .Thus a dealership / importer ovcersight .
Much later at Bathurst the Commando wouldve got it , against these wonderous japanese contrivances , other that ' the team ' neglected to fit new disc pads for the race, and landed on their ear. Looseing the equvilant of the laps ( 8 ) fitting replacements.
The TX 750s all blew asunder in there first 6 Hr. Next year it was only 8 out of 11 ,as the three that finished centuries behind were instructed to tour to finish . Having had to back off in a 1951 Rover 75
at 70 mph in a downhill bend to avoid running over the top of a XT750 snakeing through it, and generally forced to use the late 70s era japanese machines as chicanes , youre only respect as far as roadholding went lay with the Italian machineary , through the grim evadance.
Any Jap rider of the 70s , except the learbned or ralistic , thought the italian machinary a bigger p.o.s. than the British , with the exception of the Laverda Triple , which as yet , hadnt reached the shores .
A machine that STEERS, and DOESNT leak oil , AND its reliable . Whatever Next .Side Stand Lights . :lol: :roll: :wink:
The best 650 Bonniville , is still a 650 Bonneville , But its Obvious its the 1961 model . :lol:
Now , THOSE Nortons . . . yes . . .
:mrgreen: