Short roadholders??

FastFred · Dec 27, 2011

I have another project that I have been told I need to get some early commando or dommie forks for. Apparently these were drum braked rounder tubes than the later oval commando disc braked ones. Are these called short roadholders? Or was there also short and long round tube drum braked versions? Thanks.

FastFred · Dec 27, 2011

Me again! Is the short just the damper rod lengths and the tubes were all the same?

Flo · Dec 27, 2011

I think they are all the same.
I did read about an early Fastback restoration a while ago where the chap turned the legs round from some later forks.

Rohan · Dec 27, 2011

Commando forks are 23.x inches in the fork tubes, and featherbed short roadholder forks are 21.x inches in the forks tubes.
You'll be a bit high or low to the road if you inadvertantly mix them up. !!

FastFred · Dec 27, 2011

Please clarify. I think you mean that the tubes are always shorter on dominators than commandos AND that all dominators have what are called short roadholders?

Does anyone remember the 11plus examination!.....

Rohan · Dec 27, 2011

FastFred said:
Please clarify. I think you mean that the tubes are always shorter on dominators than commandos AND that all dominators have what are called short roadholders?

Is there an echo in here ?

I think it is fairly likely that 21.x" tubes will always be shorter than 23.x" tubes..... !!!

FastFred · Dec 27, 2011

Thanks Rohan, I understand that and wasn't criticising you BUT I have been told that early Commando's had round tubes which presumably were short roadholders and there was therefore only two types of fork tubes i.e short roadholders (drum type fitted to dommies and early commandos) and longer generally commando disc tubes?

Rohan · Dec 27, 2011

Commandos only had the longer 23.x fork tubes.
Featherbeds only had the short 21.x fork tubes.

I don't know about the round and oval sliders. Commandos got the strengthened ones, but did all Commandos. ?

Manxes used forged fork sliders, it was known some time back that the cast items wouldn't stand serious racing use. Which was why the Commandos went the simpler path of thickening up the sliders... Cheers.

john robert bould · Dec 27, 2011

FastFred said:
Thanks Rohan, I understand that and wasn't criticising you BUT I have been told that early Commando's had round tubes which presumably were short roadholders and there was therefore only two types of fork tubes i.e short roadholders (drum type fitted to dommies and early commandos) and longer generally commando disc tubes?

Fred, Early commandos used dommie /atlas round section sliders and longer stanchions,plus longer dampers,changing to the stronger oval slider with disc brakes. Commando stanchions where longer than Atlas, being about 4mm differance from the early Long Roadholder...I dont think the commando fork was called a "Long" RH....just a roadholder. So no. Early commandos did not have "short" dommie forks. Just the left over sliders.

FastFred · Dec 27, 2011

Thanks JRB thought you would know. Think Rohan refers to 'short' as the tube length whereas you mean slider length. Short tubes had short sliders as well then..

john robert bould · Dec 27, 2011

FastFred said:
Thanks JRB thought you would know. Think Rohan refers to 'short' as the tube length whereas you mean slider length. Short tubes had short sliders as well then..

Fred, I think you have been in the sherry. There is no short and longer sliders :!: Go on the Norton owners club site .its all there :!:

Matt Spencer · Dec 27, 2011

Short Roadholders on the Trition , Ex 60s race forks , the 70 chrome Commando Guard , if on , would just tap
the steering damper centre under the Triple Clamps . Motocrossing (

) .

First Rickmann was T100 BSA / Norton Forks , they mayve been longer on these .Longer on the old plunger racers too , 1950 .

Commando length can look a bit stoopid on a Featherbed , but longer rear shocks can get it up even , with a bit of ground clearance , but probly stuffs up all the geometry , dive , squat and the like .The Coustom frame Triton handled all that with Aplomb .

FastFred · Dec 28, 2011

Sorry JRB, it was Directors Ale. Got me tubes sliders and stanchions mixed up. Understand it all thanks

Short roadholders??

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