The 1972 Daytona Works Commandos

From the book: Norton, The Racing Story

"At Daytona (1972), both Williams and Read exceeded 150mph in qualifying, with Read the quickest at 155.17mph. However, that was still slower than the best of the works BSA and Triumph triples. Even so, in the race itself good handling and engine torque came more into their own. This resulted in Phil Read leading the race at one stage, before finally having to settle for fourth and a prize of $2200 US dollars. The Norton rider was in fact the first of the four strokes behind a trio of Yamaha TZ 350 two strokes."

Nice find.
So that settles the discussion - can a JPN Race Norton do 155 mph. It can.

With one proviso. The bike that won that year was Don Emde's Yamaha TR3 ( an aircooled 350cc ), NOT a TZ350 as mentioned. (The TZ350 didn't appear until 1973)

Wonder if that was a trap speed, or a lap speed ?
Daytona is a high banked circuit.

P.S. Since the TR3 is listed variously as having 56 or 58 bhp ( although who knows with race bikes ) it won on the small and light and fast and reliable and aerodynamic principle, not brute hp... ?

Anyone got a pic of Phil Reed on his JPN ?

Rohan said:

P.S. Since the TR3 is listed variously as having 56 or 58 bhp ( although who knows with race bikes ) it won on the small and light and fast and reliable and aerodynamic principle, not brute hp... ?

Anyone got a pic of Phil Reed on his JPN ?

Click to expand...

There are lots of pics pf Phil,on the JPN....see Peter Williams autobiography and various other books/magazines on the subject!!!

Some of us have always known that the JPNs could do 155mph....mine has done 145 at Snetterton while undergeared, so with a JPN fairing and somewhere like Daytona who knows?

Rohan, just guessing but would think the 155mph was flash trap speed rather than a full lap average