Nortons and BMWs

72Combat · Feb 19, 2012

The Combat was my most recent venture into British bikes, brought up on Jappers. Bought my first airhead in Sydney in 1985 and a few months later a Ducati Darmah. ....both of which I still have. The Beemer sadly is in boxes awaiting its turn.
Over the last few weekends I have been racing a R90 at local classic meets, with a bit of work you can get them to handle and go pretty well....got a few scrapes on the rocker covers and thats with a raised engine.
Managed to see off two BSA Gold Stars and a Dunstall Commando in one race (based on riders average weekend times)....and win.
I posted a couple of pics on the other bike section.

JimC · Feb 19, 2012

I find it interesting that the hot rod kids of today are trading off their Suzuki 1000 GSXers for BMW S1000 RRs. No longer is the BMW of the staid bike for nerds image. Although, I saw some pictures of Steve Jobs in his earlier years mounted up on an airhead.

Hobot · Feb 19, 2012

Lovely to follow but ya know I dying to do "Norton and Harleys" as kissing cousins.

Matt Spencer · May 5, 2014

Put this rubbish here , as I cant find the Two wheels B & S trash ;

http://www.whitehorsegear.com/media/pdfs/bmwrm.pdf the ace tuner . Udo Gietl .

March 79 ' Cycle ' artical ; http://www.omnilex.com/public/bmw78/kotb.pdf

B M W stuff , of course . Pity R R didnt do a motasickle . :wink: :lol:

acotrel · May 5, 2014

I think that if I was going to buy another road bike, it would be a BMW R series. These days nobody can really use a fast sports bike, the BMW is completely adequate and much less stressful. Years ago I rode a new R69S. I didn't like the way it did not dive in the front end under brakes, it felt wrong. (The brake plate was secured to the swing arm of the leading link forks instead of floating, so the front end tended to rise under braking. ) Apart from that it was a lovely smooth comfortable ride. I had it up to about 105 MPH on an airstrip and it was much more stable than most of the bikes that I rode back then.

72Combat · May 5, 2014

You'd better be quick as prices are on the up, spoked wheel 70's models are hard to find, 80's mag wheel ones less so.
Currently I have an R90s, R80st mono, R90/6 and a 900 becoming a 1000 this week race bike.
R80st

R90s first one sold in NZ with original owner

R90/6 racer and R90/6

One for every occasion...other than being a hoon, thats where the Norton comes in. Missus prefers the R 90/6 BMW for two up riding.
The R80ST is a nice bit of kit, awesome on a twisty road, on a beach...or gravel....even a 4x4 track. Only sold in 82-84.
Bargain at under 4k.

Hobot · May 5, 2014

Wow Matt thanks for this
March 79 ' Cycle ' artical ; http://www.omnilex.com/public/bmw78/kotb.pdf

Its got many of Ms Peel's against the grain features-decision points I now have some risk taking inovating air cooled race mechanics to back me up. Anywho left my head spinning in a good high way. yum. Commando won some endurance races but in general your best long term two wheel truck appliances have Boxer engines.

72Combat · May 5, 2014

hobot said:
Wow Matt thanks for this
March 79 ' Cycle ' artical ; http://www.omnilex.com/public/bmw78/kotb.pdf

Its got many of Ms Peel's against the grain features-decision points I now have some risk taking inovating air cooled race mechanics to back me up. Anywho left my head spinning in a good high way. yum. Commando won some endurance races but in general your best long term two wheel truck appliances have Boxer engines.

Not surprising as its based on a BMW 6 cylinder engine bottom end, in fact the 2002 big ends will fit.
Have just finished off making one good 1000 cc engine using 800 'D' smaller port heads, shortened by 3mm cylinders, squish band machined into the pistons to give 1.5mm/60 thou.Got rid of the fancy cam and trying out the stock onebreathing thru a set of 36mm Dells. Burt would be pleases as spent bugger all and done on a vintage lathe in a shed with a lemon tree out back.
My engineer mate :

Might be able to give Mike a run for his Commando money :lol:

Hobot · May 5, 2014

That's so uplifting to read you BMW joys spending for all ya worth on it. Magical times for us all even it we don't know it yet. Go use it up to get some pay back.

Onder · May 5, 2014

Hmmmm. Rode a 90s for five years. They can eat up the miles. Great engine. Not so great brakes. Lousy handling.
Real lousy compared to brit bikes. Sold it and quit biking at age 48.
Wish I hadnt sold it.
Retired now, returned to biking 3 years ago. Have Commando and a Trident.
I guess Im older but not wiser!

acotrel · May 6, 2014

Is that you with the Konig T shirt ? Do you own the Konig engineg Windle that migrated from Australia to NZ in the 80s ?
I've often thought an R100 done up to look like a Rennsport racer might be a fun thing to own. You couldn't own something like that unless it had the leading link forks.

72Combat · May 6, 2014

acotrel said:
Is that you with the Konig T shirt ? Do you own the Konig engineg Windle that migrated from Australia to NZ in the 80s ?
I've often thought an R100 done up to look like a Rennsport racer might be a fun thing to own. You couldn't own something like that unless it had the leading link forks.

No, he was the original owner back in 1974, I think he had something to do with the book. I tried reading the book but its hard going.
I don't know of any Konig powered bikes or sidecars here, I'll ask the sidecar guys.

commando6868 · May 6, 2014

I never has any experience with the old airhead reliability, BMW may have been good back in the day, but not anymore:

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/22/cons ... ty-report/

I have a 2007 R1200RT, just in the dealer last week for it's third recall. The mechanic said the output shaft seal on the transmission is staring to leak. $$$$$$$$$$$, 59,000 miles. Don't know if I can fix this myself. I like the way it rides and handles, great fuel economy, but I see NO advantage to shaft drive. Many final drives have failed, early. I will take a chain drive if I had a choice on the BMW.

MF

Hobot · May 6, 2014

The classic ughly duckling truck like 750 BMW holds a special place in my heart though never rode one nor care too, but in the JImmy Hindrix and Timmie Leary daze our friendly local dealer bought one and had one the best paint jobs done, deep purple so dark it was mind twitching not to see it as black then layers of clear coat with silver and gold dust then more layers of clear with rainbow distraction dust, so ya non chalantly peered into it the sparks and flashes to deeper and deeper narrowing down view till about falling into tank was a trip to behold. He'd never kicked up heels or made much a show riding, for couple good reasons. OH yeah this kid had a mean step father which was one reason to stay away from home so when this kid got married and all his favorite heads invited to quaint church yard, he'd spiked the punch with LSD, which his step dad had a good bit of and I'll tell you what everyone was so impressed how nice and flowing and loving and understanding he became and more or less retained that state from then on. An impressive event like heaven on Earth with Beatles music and a BMW with cans dangling/clanging on their joyous honey moon escape.

ILLF8ED · May 6, 2014

Got passed the BMW and Ducati phases...still have the Commando roadster. Others got boring after time. Latest new machine 1200 Sportster, my first Harley. It's a roadster....hmm, maybe some connection. Not a keeper like the Commando, but fun for now. How many of you start on small Japanese then graduate to a Norton? That's my story. Switched at age 20, never went back to a Japanese street bike....a few Yamaha and Honda dirt bikes. Have had a couple of Triumphs and same for BSA. They don't come up to the standard of Norton. Hey, what do you expect....this is a Commando forum.

marc · May 7, 2014

i used to have an r1200 gsa but the bike was kind of boring.

now i have a ducati monster s4rs which is a wild beast. but i still prefer my commando.

Torontonian · May 7, 2014

96 R1100RT for me , but I like to switch back and forth to Crazy Combat depending on 1.Distances planned that year or not. 2. Number of Norton or Britbike events upcoming year. Looks like this may be the year. :wink:

gtsun · May 7, 2014

When I was a kid a older guy down the street had many Brit bikes & BMWs including 1950's singles, small twins & a R100rt. He did a lot of cross country trips, In the mid 1980's I foolishly sold my 72 combat & 67 Fastback and looked for a R100rs so I could go long distance riding with him. I ended up with a K100rs and was never so board on a bike before, not the bikes fault I just wasn't ready for something so modern & all hi-tech. If I had bought a R100rs I may have kept it all these years but I sold the K bike for Guzzi sport models & a small Ducati street single. Now I live a few houses down from a guy who is in the "Airheads" BMW club & he has everything from a 1941 twin, a mid 50's twin with one of those amazing sidecars and many newer R & K bikes. Sometimes there are 40 to 50 of them at his place for meets. Today I would rather have a Guzzi Le Mans then a R100 but the Norton BMW comparison seems normal to me, both overhead valve pushrods, simple (sort of) and very reliable to my thinking. Glenn.

jaydee75 · May 7, 2014

Re: Nortons and BMWs, Perf measures:

I went for a ride with my brother on a BMW F650GS last Friday. I always liked his thumper and wondered how the Nort stacks up against it. We had occasion to roll on from 5 to 70 or so several times and I beat him every time. He couldn't believe it, so we went home and got his KLR650. The KLR was faster than the BMW, but the Nort still beat it. I'm proud of my old bike holding it's own against the moderns in a straight line. I knew it would beat them on the curves.
Jaydee

commando6868 · May 7, 2014

Re: Nortons and BMWs, Perf measures:

jaydee75 said:
I went for a ride with my brother on a BMW F650GS last Friday. I always liked his thumper and wondered how the Nort stacks up against it. We had occasion to roll on from 5 to 70 or so several times and I beat him every time. He couldn't believe it, so we went home and got his KLR650. The KLR was faster than the BMW, but the Nort still beat it. I'm proud of my old bike holding it's own against the moderns in a straight line. I knew it would beat them on the curves.
Jaydee

My son has a KLR650, he found out his lump could not compete with 68 Commando off the line. 19 tooth sprocket up front.
Been telling him for years the old man was faster!
Now stopping, that's another story.........

Nortons and BMWs

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