With a Commando , it is perfectly possible to have both wheels in line , and have the bike ride sideways , crab style. And going by the number of complaints about poor handling Commandos , I think many do ride like a crab .. ludwig
If anyone thinks and feels that a straighter-truer C'do than to just assemble w/o much binding/forcing matters a whitworth on handling is deluded and for sure has not really explored this matter as I have to life/death states, first quite by accident then on purpose discovering and firming up my disparaging statements. What ever improvement might be noticed is solely and completely d/t fitting of new tires and renewing wear items of gear box clutch wobble and chain and swing arm slackness. Period End of Story Throw the ole towel and go home.
I have had enough events and experiences now from various components wearing out to feel what each item does alone or in combo with other worn items on handling upsets and compensations by pilot strength bravery and plain luck. Only thing that really matters is to get slack out of what ever ya can to reduce the build up resonance of spring back of tires, chains flop, thin steel tubes and iso cushions from cyclic loads of conflicting tire directions steering angles, road lumps and wind gusts. I have tested on '71 with 1/4" loose gap at front Iso and 1/2" slack in swing arm spindle and easy detectable clutch wobble on unopened AMC box since new. The only thing I could detect on purpose to explore for sure was a slight twitch on sharp multiple direction changes that would hardly be noticed unless paying attention closely, but then held road as good as any un-tammed isolastic on *decent tires* fitted. BMW issued some past models with front and rear tire out of line as much as most factory C'do's w/o a crisis of crashing complaining owners. The 2nd most dangerous condition for any cycle is long held constant steering angle with steady or moderate increasing throttle as lets resonace build up to out of control. MOST dangerous state is braking in above 'steady' leaned state. Total Taboo to me now and forever more.
To improve C'do handling:
UMERO UNO BY FAR >>> is new tires with proper front-rear pressure differential.
2nd, AMC bushes to stifle clutch wobble which allows primary chain flop then drive chain flop to tug on iso's/swing arm spring backs.
3rd is swing arm spindle stability.
4th is streamlining air flow eddies.
5th is taming isolastic-steel tube spring backs via swash plates, extra isolastics or helms joint links with long enough radius not to bind at extremes of distortions from power and suspension road loads during the Innate Universal Crabbing angles conflicts of ordinary counter steering.