The absolute enjoyment of

riding the commando for the last month trouble free, top end now broken in and no signs of any ill running, have left me with a feeling of understanding why everyone that has a nice running commando rants about how wonderful they are. I have enjoyed the last month immensely and cannot remember a time in the six years of fighting this bike when I could actually take it out and not worry about how far I would get before it would start to falter mechanically. It sounds good, runs fantastic, pulls great and doesn't miss a beat. I've ridden it about 2000 miles in the last month and a few weeks and every time I get out on the back roads I now understand why I worked so hard and couldn't quite give up on it. Sometimes payoffs are great. this is one of those times and once again thanks for this fantastic forum and the great knowledge herein. You guys are the best.

Get the same feelings , even after thirty years of putting miles on mine....she is in fact, in much better condition now than she has ever been, including the first year I had her, and due to a few aftermarket improvements, she even handles better than she did back in the old days. In short...she's a rush to drive...a legal high....

Every little rattle fixed; loose wire soldered; or mechnical item refurbished....makes her faster, quieter, more reliable and solider in the corners.

Sometimes I ride along...thinking.....how I wish some of those dopes on their assembly line Choppers could give her a spin....they wouldn't be so smug anymore.

Then again.....who really wants to share?

We don't loan wifes...we don't loan cars, and we certainly don't loan our baby....

Got to have some private pleasures in life...... :wink:

Couldn't agree more, guys. Spent the last few years riding first a '95 Triumph 900 Sprint then the '03 Bonneville as my primary 2-wheeled transportation. They are lovely, fast (especially the Sprint), reliable machines to be sure, but when I got this latest '73 and rode it for the first time it really took me back. I'd forgotten the rush that a Norton will give when on the road, even in the poor running condition this one was! Had to remember "one up-3 down on the right" after a few years of first "one down and five up then one down and four up on the left", though! The unmistakable sound, torque band and glassy smoothness of the old Commando just fits. Besides, neither of the Triumphs had kick starters!

Can't start 'em, can't ride 'em!

Mike
Kansas, America
Nortons, Tirumphs and one orphan BSA

After one year of restoration work, I just got my 1971 Fastback back out on the road. Great low end torque, and a fine handling machine.

I find English bikes are an acquired taste. I am more used to 70s vintage and modern Italian bikes, whose handling, braking and power generally outstrips the Commando. That being said, the Commando has a certain character not found in the Italian bikes (and, at the risk of stating the obvious - Japanese and German bikes) that is very appealing. Sure, it wags its head when going down the freeway and can shake it pretty good at under 30 mph at times. It vibrates like hell at under 3000rpm as any proper British parallel twin should and marks its spot (pretty good at times - a Honda owner once asked me if it was shot), but these are just minor annoyances given the smooth power delivery over 4000rpm, fine handling, soulful stacatto pop of the exhaust and exquisite styling. Most Japanese or German bike owners will never understand the attraction of the Commando, though our Italian bike owner cousins will give us an understanding and sympathetic wink....

Spub said:

Sure, it wags its head when going down the freeway and can shake it pretty good at under 30 mph at times. It vibrates like hell at under 3000rpm as any proper British parallel twin should and marks its spot (pretty good at times

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Glad you are having fun with it...but you would really get off on it if you found out and fixed the reasons it is doing these things...ask the others.....these problems are not the way it is when everything is set up correctly..... mine is rock solid, vibrates little, never wags and is "no hands" at 80. Keep at it. Rubber, isos, swing arm, there are only a few reasons for the Hula, and all not so hard to fix.....

Then you won't need any sympathy from the Italians anymore.... :wink:

I have got a 900 sprint as well as commando & although I spend as much time messing with commando as riding it, I get far more fun from a long run on the comm, and the triumph is mega smooth, handles great etc etc. There must be material for psychologists in here as it defies all logic.....

Geoff said:

There must be material for psychologists in here as it defies all logic.....

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Not so hard to figure.....with a machine that requires no thinking and just does everything too well...there is little interaction between driver and the machine.....sort of like riding the bus...you're on it....it goes where you want to go, and ...you had to do nothing to get it there.
With a machine that requires some kind of input from you...you have to pay attention to it, and when you do... you are more involved with it...and the fact of being mentally involved and having to think about what you are doing...is basically fun for us humans. Things that require no input...might be OK...but they don't keep your soul, or your mind busy.

We enjoy being actively involved in what we do......TV versus a good interactive video game......baseball on the radio...versus being on the field with the ball coming towards you.......a copy of Playboy... versus the Missus on Saturday nite... a Ford Falcon... versus a 427 Shelby Cobra....and a Triumph/Jap versus your Commando.... :wink: