Why bother with a Commando?

Haven't read many previous posts, so I may be repeating some points:

Grew up in a military family, Pop flew fighters against the Germans in North Africa and Italy. Back into uniform for Korea, and then off to Vietnam. British stuff came from Friends, Japanese and German and Italian stuff came from former Enemies, American bikes were slugs. If you wanted Sport, it was British. In a couple of years, that was all different. I think the Brits threw it all away with both hands.

The old Trimuphs, BSAs and Nortons didn't succumb to the Japanese because of looks, sound or handling. Japan built bikes that even a caveman could ride, all the time, anytime. The 350 Honda was a marvel. They took serious abuse from their non-mechanically inclined owners with hardly ever a protest. When it came to straight line performance, once again, the Japanese bikes had the edge. I had a new 1968 Triumph T100C that got it's butt kicked by a 450 Honda. What an embarrassment! If the Japanese made bikes with the poor reliability of the Brit bikes, the jingo may have been "You meet the dumbest people on a Honda".

The new Triumphs seem to have conquered the reliability problems and they do perform as well as their Japanese competition. Unfortunately, its difficult to regain a market share once you've lost it. I hope the new Norton is a success. It does have the right look, in the pictures, anyway. If it has reliability problems, poor fit and finish, electrical problems or leaks oil , its doomed.

Strewth, you go away for 48 hours and look what happens! Wow. Thanks to everyone who replied- this has been really interesting. I've always ben interested in the cultural aspects of bikes because we all have them, they're all different, yet so rarely discussed and it seemed to me the forum was a great place to ask the question.

It can't be denied that in England there is a latent fondness for the products of the old industry because they represent something lost or as someone so eloquently put it 'threw it away with both hands' :mrgreen: . But it's been really interesting to see wanted to see how that does or doesn't apply in other parts of the world.

And it's also been a great way to share thoughts about what we do love about the curly N

Thanks Crusadersports for creating this thread. I always wondered why I love my Commando so much, now I know.

Commandos have given me a world wide and richer local social life and has become a self imposed challenge to try to get and keep one going in pleasant function, knowing full well that a fully fettered Commando is about like getting full eating a big meal and will soon digest and be expelled...

There is a bit of magical faith in fate and good karma appeal in running about on a Commando to me on top of ones own wits and they tend to attract the more helpful of strangers stopping to gander at our living relics broken down in plain view... Famous Dirty Harry quotes often flashes to my mind before leaving home or turning away from home while riding. "How lucky do ya feel Punk..."

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/46551 ... 600Q85.jpg

I strongly suspect that hum refered to in the headline is those killer bees that follow hobot around...or a happy deer humming "Here comes da hobot". (same tune as "Here Comes Santa Claus").

Mike

Nah, its bats shrieks flying into my hearing range but the dam deer encounters do make my finger and toe nails hum in horror. Wes and I had so many break downs we only made 250 miles a day, so 5 days to go 1000 miles which cut off 2 days of the rally for us, then Peel's axle broke a couple 100 miles leaving Ohio rally so lost a weekend waiting for rental place 30 miles away to open. We had one fellow pull across divided hwy swing around to enter the out of the way gas station Wes and I were inside, as saw Wes's umbrella sticking out a Brit bike so expecting proper English accent got let down by our just southern drawl : ) Wes's had to be PU trucked to next town one night so can't say we even did the whole trip under under our own power and luck on them ever loving unique rubber baby buggies.

On way out to shed to put Trixie to bed after diddling header clearance and loose Z-plate bolt I hope was source of some road hum, I spooked a fawn that still had its spots on its hide, knowing I should kill it while still innocent and easy. Here's one I missed aiming at mother and ended up knocking under car as too slow and weak to get out the way in time. I struggled not to choke it with wife watching... Those hooves kicks can embed into skull bone as one rider here found out 1st time he was on bike in front of home w/o his helmet on... I still have ringing in head 6+ yr after Trixie and I taken down the head on...

Yesterday I took a ride on the 72 Norton with a few friends and my brother, Two were riding 60's era Triumph's my brother on his 72 Sportster. We were heading up to Santiago Canyon for the Born Free 3 ride. The amount of Harley's was incredible, Where do all these things come from? Also there was a lot of Triumph's too. But I only saw 1 other Norton there, I think owning a machine that is not just one of the crowd is nice because your different. The thrill of owning a Norton and keeping it going or bringing one back from the dead can't be put into words, So asking "Why bother with a Commando" is kinda tough. Best bet would be to ride one to a few shows and go on a ride with a bunch of guys. On the way home my brother asked, Hey did you notice anything funny today? I said what? We were all shifting on the RIGHT side, Today I think I'll need to take the ol lady with me so it'll be the 75 Norton. Ride safe guys, Chuck. :wink:

If looks could kill.

Mike

If so I'd be 1st degree murderer many times over. I meant to remark on your avatar as familiar way to see Wesley rest on a Commando

Yea, I was a real safety freak in those days.

Mike

Safe like Easy Riders wearing helmets till shot to shit. We all lucked out to still be here.

I think Dave's pretty much got it with this line.

"It's like a good love affair, you put up with a whole bunch of crap for a few moments of pure ecstasy."

Dave
69S

I'm 48 and my big brother had a '70 S with the beautiful blue fire flake paint job bake in the mid seventies, I had one of those above mentioned moments and it has stayed with me ever since. Our Dad (now 83) used to ride a variety of bikes and raced speedway. kinda got in our blood. I started on lawn mower powered go karts and mini bikes then on to a bunch of Japanese dirt bikes, then some bigger Japanese street bikes--but that memory coupled with the bikes good looks, great exhaust note...I'm just sold on it i guess. Cj

DogT said:

It's like a good love affair, you put up with a whole bunch of crap for a few moments of pure ecstasy.

Dave
69S

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well said, Dave.

A page full of replies each day for 7 days...

Yep, we're passionate.

I would buy another one if I could get hold of the bloke who is selling it!

I like mine so much I did put my Mustang up for sale!! Went to a car show Saturday and had a number of people come up to me asking about it! For what little I have done it almost looks brand new and got complements on how good it sounded!

Flo said:

I would buy another one if I could get hold of the bloke who is selling it!

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I like mine so much I bought 2 more. Had a hard time telling my wife about the 3rd though. I had it in the shed for 2 months before I got the nerve to confess that I bought it.
Bill G

I'm still trying to figure out how to tell the wife about my new combat, let alone the 850 that I am going to pick up in a few months.

I couldn't stand it either after rebuilding my first one away from factory standard so bid on a 2nd in '04 over Thanksgiving when no one around to bid against me so got it for $3300 as a sign from above it was meant to be and made me breath easy afterwards. 4 major show stoppers but now refining her as best the factory items allow and that is pretty darn gooder than the other cycles I've tried to get similar joys on the roll with. I can hear its bark above 70 mph while most the moderns which ya can't hardly tell from a ATV blaster or small metric car thankfully disapear about legal speed wind blast.

Trixie is a test of my wits and base line of behavior vs my Peel special. Any who looked at Trix Pix might notice not much tarmac views so lots of rough paths but the Combat is better than my SV650 in control and comfort to absorb stuff, but not as competent as rodded Peel. Its essentially unavoidable to have both front and rear sliding out in opposite directions going as timid as can. Hinged onset at 25-35 miles per hour is human handable if ya don't over react nor add more loads till straighter. Stuff that'd tank slap my SV only jiggles factory Roadholders but does work through chassis like hound shaking off water. I get spikes of pain in the groin when this happens ok, but I must tolerate it as routine or not ride em.

One thing I've reconfrimed is the Isolastic don't help power pulse traction a lot w/o the rear rod link as re-comfirmed on loose 35' hill climb on stuff so dry loose its electrostatic charges keep all size particles separated and almost friction free. Round stuff just rolls while the flatter stuff just slides all lubed with graphite like nano dust. This place curves as it climbs with off canted banked to outside grade. Slipping sliding antics on my SV with non legal soft compound so sticky its holds pebbles on scraping fender loudly, becomes a fun fast climb w/o rooster tails on the sure'r footed narrow tire Combat that can hook up grip better on years old 110. Only reason I can think of is the isolastics helping out as drive dampening system.

Trixie Combat is now more responsive than SueVee too, which means I can break Combat loose to steer and not just go too faster non steering on SV. Wearing as hell on the famed cornering SV but SV is more capable in sweepers than unlinked Cdo's so don't get hurt playing out side ya league. SV is base rated at 70 hp/365 lb. They are not even worth playing with on Ms Peel past Combat power as can't even keep up in straight line zooms.

So get at least two the wonders, have your way with one of em but try to stick to the good book on the other one, ugh to see if ya man enough. I barely am.