What engines fit in these frames?

Rohan, we were talking about Norton Commandos and VFR 400 Hondas, and you introduced Ducatis. How many Ducatis defeated the Honda VFR750R factory bike in the same year of manufacture ? I suggest that you should buy a really good Mk3 Commando, and I would ride the VFR400, and we would see which is the higher performance machine after I remove the speed limiting device . We recently had a race class for VFR400s, and RGV250 Suzukis. I don't believe a fairly standard commando could live in it, unless it was run at Phillip Island and the commando was pulling an extremely high gear, then the isolastics would probably bring it undone anyway.

It is interesting that many motorcycle racers have changed to car racing successfully, however the opposite never seems to happen. Tazio Nuvolari, Kurt Rosemeyer, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Greg Hansford and Gardner all started close to the top in car racing after racing bikes. Can anyone name one racing car driver who changed and started at the top on bikes ?

acotrel said:

Rohan, we were talking about Norton Commandos and VFR 400 Hondas, and you introduced Ducatis..

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Ducati took over the performance mantle that Nortons had, in the handling dept anyway.
So that wasn't an inappropriate mix.
Especially the way that Honda spat back, and the speed the Ducs had over it in the corner.

The Mk3 850 was the heaviest and slowest Commando, although a nice tourer that it had become.
Pick something with some go. ?

Meanwhile, back to slotting motors into frames.

acotrel said:

It is interesting that many motorcycle racers have changed to car racing successfully, however the opposite never seems to happen. Tazio Nuvolari, Kurt Rosemeyer, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Greg Hansford and Gardner all started close to the top in car racing after racing bikes. Can anyone name one racing car driver who changed and started at the top on bikes ?

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Thats what happens when folks got older and slower and more sensible. ?
Now, if you got younger and faster and more foolish as the years went on, could be different ?!!!

Some of these youngsters in MotoGP these days are just phenomenal.
Mr Marquez did about an hours apprenticeship on his MotoGP Onda before being competitive. !!!
Some folks have struggled for years to be able to even open the throttle 100%.
Even Rossi struggled on the Duc, and even with the Yams front end when he went back to the Yam.

Not that this has ANYTHING to do with slotting motors into frames.
Off subject, and thread hi-jacking, as usual......

jrswanson1 said:

Background: I bought a 1971 Norton Commando frame from another member here. He included the trans cradle/rear swing arm and triple. So, I have a blank slate. I'm assuming that all Norton 750 engines fit? Do the 850s fit? Will any other manufacturers Thanks.

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If you went with the new aftermarket twin commando "clone " engine and built it out as a thousand seven ....I'd bet you'd be the only kid on your block to have one