peter williams

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acotrel

acotrel

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I read somewhere that when PW did a 107 mph lap of the IOM on the monocoque it was the fastest up to that time. Is there anything published about how he achieved it? I cannot believe it was done on horsepower. Did the monocoque have isolastics ?
 
Sometimes you just have to say enough is enough.
Goodbye and hello to pleasurable reading once again.. :lol:

peter williams
 
Happy reading over on the wheelchair forum, we are sure.
No-one there to disagree with anything silly U say.... ?
 
Before I rode (or looked closely) at a Commando I thought that isolastics were a crazy idea. How could anyone fit a rubber mounted swinging arm for God's sake? But of course I didn't understand that isolastics only allowed the engine/swinging arm to only move in a vertical plane ( when correctly adjusted) and any lateral movement in the iso is far exceeded by flex in the frame, forks, wheels etc.
 
pommie john said:
OK, well take my word for it, I've ridden a few, including a monocoque.
Click to expand...
Now this is interesting John.
Any chance of putting a few lines together for us mere mortals who've only ever got chance to look at a monocoque? What was the handling like compared to a Commando? What would be the closest comparison? Etc.
Rgds,
FE.
 
I must confess I only rode the monocoque around the pits at Brands Hatch but it was clearly very stiff and there was a sharpness to the steering that I only found again when I rode an RGV 250 Suzuki ( which was far and away the best handling bike I've ever ridden).

I did ride the '72 JPN at full speed at Goodwood when I tested it for Classic Racer. It was really nice. It felt light and crisp but as I recall it had a little shimmy on the bars at about 30 mph on a closed throttle just like my old Mk 3 did.
 
pommie john said:
I must confess I only rode the monocoque around the pits at Brands Hatch but it was clearly very stiff and there was a sharpness to the steering that I only found again when I rode an RGV 250 Suzuki ( which was far and away the best handling bike I've ever ridden).

I did ride the '72 JPN at full speed at Goodwood when I tested it for Classic Racer. It was really nice. It felt light and crisp but as I recall it had a little shimmy on the bars at about 30 mph on a closed throttle just like my old Mk 3 did.
Click to expand...
The '72 panniers tank bike? Ala Norman White?
I raced against Norman in BHR on various Dresda machines, and his was a fast machine indeed. And always so beautifully prepared.
Shame he doesn't air it more often these days!
 
acotrel said:
I read somewhere that when PW did a 107 mph lap of the IOM on the monocoque it was the fastest up to that time. Is there anything published about how he achieved it? I cannot believe it was done on horsepower. Did the monocoque have isolastics ?
Click to expand...

He had a bike which apparently handled and steered very well. I've also read he could have quite happily have done the distance again because the bike was so comfy, that'll be partly due to the ISOLASTICS reducing transmitted engine vibration. I think the bike was giving away about 30 bhp to the favoured Suzuki's. PW was aware of this and is one reason he spent so much time developing as small a frontal area as possible to reduce drag. He was also a top rider.

I know I'm repeating myself but, Commando's which handle and steer poorly when the iso's are set correctly (even 30mph handlebar shimmies) have wheel and frame alignment problems. Swingarm axis needs to be checked it is square to steering head axis and wheels need to be aligned to frame centre line. This applies to any bike, not just Commando's. The iso's are not the problem.
 
Al-otment said:
The iso's are not the problem.
Click to expand...

+1

Anyone who has ridden a properly set up Commando would know this in an instant. I had the opportunity to race one of Herb Becker's Commandos and it was like a magic carpet and sure footed. Rider fatigue is such a big factor in the riders performance.
 
pommie john said:
peter williams


This one. I can't remember who built it now. I'll have to dig the magazine out to remind myself.
Click to expand...
Well, I've just bought a used copy on eBay! Look forward to reading your article John.
 
I think you have answered my question - it was set up to be quick steering and nimble rather than stable and slow steering like a Ducati 900 ? Was it pulling a lot of gearing, or allowed to rev out down the straightaways ? In other words was it's advantage in the corners or in the way it wound out ? It sounds as though the isolastics were set up to be fairly firm. I don't doubt that PW was an excellent rider, however so are many others. The important thing is usually how the bike is set up, and whether it suits your style and mentality. I cannot imagine somebody scratching on the IOM. It could be that the isolastics were the important ingredient if the bike was being ridden really hard in every corner over such a long distance.
 
Dances with Shrapnel said:
Al-otment said:
The iso's are not the problem.
Click to expand...

+1

Anyone who has ridden a properly set up Commando would know this in an instant. I had the opportunity to race one of Herb Becker's Commandos and it was like a magic carpet and sure footed. Rider fatigue is such a big factor in the riders performance.
Click to expand...

+2

And if the bike is sweet and smooth- the rider is happy and fast.
 
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