Superbike 7, March 1970 Cycle Magazine performance test

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worntorn

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I searched before posting, couldn't find a duplicate post of this.
This should be readable online by expanding the pages. It will be of interest to any Commando owner who hasn't already read the article.
Why do we always hear that the Honda 750 was the first Superbike, or the Triumph/BSA Triple, or the Kawi H1?
Do they not know that the 1970 Commando was the acceleration Champion?

Glen

 
I was drag racing back in 1973, I was able to beat Honda 750s, Kaw triples and Suzuki Titans, Not every race but I won my share and by that time the engines were worn out and going about 1/2 second slower. They were my street bikes and were constantly being run hard . And I know some of the other's bikes were being worked over and came back with better headers and slight mods. But I will always say Norton Commandos were the first real superbike. I'm a little surprised the Commando didn't do better on the road course in the Cycle test, But It probably needed some better tires, brake shoes and wheel alignment to shave off the needed time.
 
worntorn said:
I searched before posting, couldn't find a duplicate post of this.
This should be readable online by expanding the pages. It will be of interest to any Commando owner who hasn't already read the article.
Why do we always hear that the Honda 750 was the first Superbike, or the Triumph/BSA Triple, or the Kawi H1?
Do they not know that the 1970 Commando was the acceleration Champion?

Glen

Click to expand...
I enlighten people all the time, that their beloved Honda 750 did NOT ride herd over other superbikes.
I would offer that the Honda 750 responded WELL to simple mods, like bolting on a 4 onto 1 header, some jetting and air filter derestricting. So that may have helped fuel the folklore.
 
Worntorn said Why do we always hear that the Honda 750 was the first Superbike, or the Triumph/BSA Triple, or the Kawi H1?

Here in Oz I remember that in the 70’s to be considered a “superbike” the bike had to have a disc front brake and a 5 speed gearbox. I remember a Two Wheels magazine article on the Trident headed something like Triumph Trident,True Superbike at Last. It was their first road test of the new disc braked 5 speed Trident.

Ando
 
A local dealer (mostly Jap & modern European) had always lusted after a 750/4 and he finally got hold of a fully restored one a few years ago.
He was honest enough to admit it was utter cr@p.
Norton's West Coast Rep Brian Slark freely admitted one Road Test Commando was very far from 'out of the crate' - the head was ported by a famous tuning shop, and alloy valve collars were fitted - I don't recall the details.
Some articles from back in the day showed that the journalists were quite rigorous in establishing how standard these 'Standard' bikes were, to their credit.
Norman White's 'unbelievable' standing quarter times on a Combat were challenged by the US magazines, and he was sent out to the US to prove the numbers; story below...





 
As I remember it, the Honda really won the reliability marks. Whether or not this was real or not isn't the point. We believed it was true. Add in lots of Honda dealers even then. So you rode in confidence. And though they could be beaten in a drag race or in an over the road contest, they could do respectably and repeatedly. I have always felt that it was this that allowed the island in the Pacific to bet the island in the Atlantic. Reliability.
 
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Onder said:
As I remember it, the Honda really won the reliability marks. Whether or not this was real or not isn't the point. We believed it was true. Add in lots of Honda dealers even then. So you rode in confidence. And thought they could be beaten in a drag race or in an over the road contest, they could do respectably and repeatedly. I have always felt that it was this that allowed the island in the Pacific to bet the island in the Atlantic. Reliability.
Click to expand...
And… lots of yoofs pleased with their smaller capacity Hondas would see it as a natural trade up…
 
I had quite a few Hondas and the only thing that ever went wrong with any of them was due to modifications I made. They were essentially bulletproof and I still tell people who ask me about buying a first Moto and are going though all the "what should I buy" anxiety, "Quit worrying about that cr@p, just buy a Honda!"

Toward the end of my Honda time, I had two 750's - the original SOHC which was, IMO, too heavy and ponderous, and a '79 750F DOHC where, IMO, Honda really got the 750 4 RIGHT! It was my favorite of the Hondas I have owned.

But as far as acceleration/handling, the 750 Commando was clearly superior to the original 750 Honda. I raced both back in the day and the STOCK Commando could run off and leave the STOCK SOHC 750 Honda. OTOH, the Honda never broke, never had parts fall off, never leaked oil, and had electric start. ;)

Re the term "Superbike," the first time I ever heard the word was in reference to the Norton Commando and that reference influenced me to buy one...
 
...and then came the small problem of the Kawa 900. Reliable as the Honda and a lot faster. Handling was less than optimal but
then most were straight line riders so it didn't matter.
 
Onder said:
...and then came the small problem of the Kawa 900. Reliable as the Honda and a lot faster. Handling was less than optimal but
then most were straight line riders so it didn't matter.
Click to expand...
Indeed. And that was the bike that eventually beat the Vincent Black Shadow to the title of the fastest production motorcycle in the world. Some 20 plus years later !

Now, what was that about the first super bike ?!?
 
It has to be the Vincent Rapide, late 1946, followed by the Black Shadow in 1949.
Reliability of those bikes was quite decent as well.
Oil leaks- well oil's cheap right? :)

Glen
 
Onder said:
...and then came the small problem of the Kawa 900. Reliable as the Honda and a lot faster. Handling was less than optimal but
then most were straight line riders so it didn't matter.
Click to expand...
I think the Z1 defined the 'superbike' to me... then the Laverda 3C, Ducati 900ss, Guzzi S3/Le Mans etc.

I had a Z1 while I was at Uni, and I rather liked it, although it never put a grin on my face like my 'keepers' have
 
Carl H said:
... I'm a little surprised the Commando didn't do better on the road course in the Cycle test, But It probably needed some better tires, brake shoes and wheel alignment to shave off the needed time.
Click to expand...
'The Norton was running poorly during the road test, and we only discovered later the fuel valves were clogged with debris from the tank, so the engine was running very lean. Otherwise the Norton's time would have been much better than consistent and effortless laps that I was cutting on it.'
 
Too bad they didn't redo the track test with the Commando after clearing the plugged fuel supply.

Glen
 
now how is it possible to deliver a bike to a road test, the results of which the entire future of Norton could hinge on, with a blocked fuel tap. In fact I’m surprised that the tester wasnt performed with both taps open to ensure sufficient fuel supply?
It’s surprising on how many tests on British bikes the bike was found to have some really basic faults that affected the results.
Anyway, it was a great performance by the Norton. It’s hard to understand why the R3 was a little slower than the T150.
so many ‘if onlys’ when dealing with that period of the British bike industry.
When I bought my Trident as an 18 year old in 1978 pommie bikes were all gone amongst us young kids, just a distant memory . I spent most of my youth proving to mates that old pommie iron was still a force to contend with
such a shame. Reading reviews like this one does my heart good
al
 
My race bikes were not much more than street bikes, stock controls and foot pegs and all, I did put Suzuki wheels on them , but it was more for axle size and a good cush rear drive., the weight of them probably outweighed their good and the front did fade out as at the time as I could not find new OEM shoes.

But at the Laconia reunion races held at the original track, my bikes were doing real good, I had some legends ride them, Dick Gariepy #55 , Dick Klamfoth #2 and Yvon Duhamel #17 and Greg Nichols #15 One of the best vintage racers in the country.

At the end of the races the bikes were mobbed by old racers and many of the old school fans that showed up. One of them said " "they never saw a Norton run so quiet, go so fast and not be bleeding oil at the end of the races.

There is a very good chance that the Commandos were the fastest bikes to ever lap on the old original Laconia track. But with YD and Nichols ridding, I had two of the best and it showed in the margins they won by. One thing for sure they showed how great Commandos are, and it kinda stunned people, seeing they looked more like street bikes than the race bikes they beat up on.

I know the modern tires and riding styles helped a whole bunch.

Terry Barber an old time racer who rode many brands and even one of the very early Honda racers, said after he saw my bikes on the track, " If I knew how fast the Norton twins are, I would have raced them, but I brought the less expensive Triumphs and BSA."
Klamfoth said it was the fastest Norton he ever rode.

For several years when the USCRA held the races at the old Laconia track, there were 2 Commandos dominating the field. And at NHIS dominating the USCRA Open Class. It's all in the set up and getting the right riders on board.
MichaelB said:
'The Norton was running poorly during the road test, and we only discovered later the fuel valves were clogged with debris from the tank, so the engine was running very lean. Otherwise the Norton's time would have been much better than consistent and effortless laps that I was cutting on it.'
Click to expand...
I missed that in the story, And every Commando should have the foot pegs shortened by an inch or two, You don't need curb feelers on the track.
 
Alan L said:
now how is it possible to deliver a bike to a road test, the results of which the entire future of Norton could hinge on, with a blocked fuel tap. In fact I’m surprised that the tester wasnt performed with both taps open to ensure sufficient fuel supply?
It’s surprising on how many tests on British bikes the bike was found to have some really basic faults that affected the results.
Anyway, it was a great performance by the Norton. It’s hard to understand why the R3 was a little slower than the T150.
so many ‘if onlys’ when dealing with that period of the British bike industry.
When I bought my Trident as an 18 year old in 1978 pommie bikes were all gone amongst us young kids, just a distant memory . I spent most of my youth proving to mates that old pommie iron was still a force to contend with
such a shame. Reading reviews like this one does my heart good
al
Click to expand...
How is it possible? Easy when you're a Brit!

As alluded to by Fast Eddie, The Japs were quick to exploit our weaknesses by caring a lot more about what happened after the bikes left the showroom.
Furthermore, the Japs are renowned for investing more heavily in developing the product to a much higher level of maturity before releasing them to market, whereas we Anglo-Saxons continue in the fine tradition of relying on the customers as unpaid development riders/drivers.

The Japs have had their fair share of lemons, but the lengths they go to to remedy the situation speaks volumes.
Anyone remembers the VF750 from the 80s? A complete disaster where they screwed up the design of the oil feed to the cams, giving rise to 'chocolate cam' syndrome. Rather than just fix that issue they redesigned the whole motor with gear-driven cams, a new chassis and a completely different look. The VFR750 was a huge success, as was the subsequent RC30, which is now a legend in its own right.
 
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