That chop again

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hobot, that black xke hearse can't hold a funeral candle to the original TV Batmobile. It all reminds me of a serious piece of music written by Julius Fucik in the early part of the twentieth century called "Entry Of The Gladiators", a true musical analog to all of this mechanical "art." If form follows function I'm at a loss for words.
 
I have seen this mongrel bastard of a bike a few times now and I just wish the bloke who did it would ride off a cliff.
 
Fast Eddie said:
I was at Darley more when the rotary racers first broke cover in public. We all thought it was some nutter with a hopped up Commando trying to compete with the modern stuff, then folks realised, then they became engulfed by a crowd!

If I recall correctly, they had pre unit Triumph gearboxes back then. Which broke.

The noise they made, like nothing else on Earth, is seared into my memory forever !
Click to expand...


They were awesome in the day. Check this out at Snetterton "Race of the Aces" 1989 @ about 35 seconds in...



I was talking to Brian Crighton at the IOM Classic TT in 2015 (when they had all the NMM bikes there), and he reckons there was still plenty more power to come if development funds had been available, and they hadn't been banned at the end of 1994. I think by then they had switched to Yamaha Cassette gearboxes

Have a look on YouTube for WizNorton, they are still racing two.
 
Actually one piece of good news in that advert: "... Looks Brand New ....Never To Be Repeated ! "
 
I took a closer look and don't see anything substandard, just well done thoughtful functional features and details. Pretty cheap too if engine and drive train done with similar attention. I think recenty someone on forum posted archived opinion blog from a fella that said the snazzy flowing styling of first Commandos put them off so much they bought Triumphs and BSA's instead. I'm in touch with dozens of people that don't join forums and some the banned blacksheep too so don't remember who sent that insightful blog on fickle cycler tastes. Its got flavors of original Nortons pinstripe paint schemes and the tank shape Deere and New Norton thought looked right. I suspect the expressed bad opinions is merely recoiling at its semi Harley hard tail look, so can't stand being reminded how close kissing cousins Commandos are to 'obnoxous' American Iron. Ya can bet who ever ends up with it will not be showing up here or at INOA rally's. One of the coolest pleasant Commando versions - built in custom vintage everything shop here - used huge swoopy full coverage Indian Chief mudguards, tall bars and wide saddle seat with bulbous hog like tank. Interesting enough to delay Wes and I trip to Ohio most an hour to inspect its details and take photo's - knowing it would take someone outside Norton circles to appreciated it. Here ya go fret over this show winner
 
Fast Eddie said:
What about this one then:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BSA-NAVI...217480?hash=item2f16dfa148:g:uwUAAOSwB45ammHz

I can’t see how a normal human being could actually ride this. I know art is about form over function, but when the canvas for the art is a thing of function, surely there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed?
Click to expand...


For gentlemen of advancing years (which I guess is a fair percentage of Commando owners) just the thought of the proximity of the saddle to the output sprocket makes my eyes water :eek::eek::eek:


 
Un fair comparison of pure art show queen vs snazzy capable safe bobbery-choppery head turner. Glad people creating interesting unique 'extreme' cycles as plenty the ordinary sensible kind repeated everywhere else. Not safe remembering not to reflex scratch butt so near open sprocket.
 
the appeal of this bike is the combo of a harley or aftermarket softail frame, with a commando engine, prob a one & only,

the softail line looks like a rigid but actually runs hidden twin shocks at the bottom back end, tho the ad sez "Hagon Central Shock"
 
Last edited:
Yep sir very few proper current Brit Iron riders can face the world/future spread out full frontal as our closest kissing Hog cousins. Too much for me too but I've interviewed these illegal ape hangers on how they steer, to be told, its all in the hip motion man all in the hips. Outside scope of forum Commando owners comprehension of expression, that don't care what others think, just how it feels. Prolly gets laid more often too dang it.
 
Sooner or later there will probably come a day that people will regret turning perfectly useable motorcycles into horendous and unrideable pieces of crap.
 
hobot said:
Common tastes with shallow thinking dominates pub forums but a few mutants escape those bounds even with a chopper'd XKE to die for

EAoHow.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL9p1ovaE_E

Click to expand...

MY EYES! MY EYES!
 
Fast Eddie said:
Great quote on the rotary “Original Condition, Bar The BSA Styling / Paintwork And BSA Badges” ... so not original at all then!

Does anyone know if his claim that BSA developed the engine is true? I don’t recall reading that before.
Click to expand...
The rotary was a BSA project that Norton inherited along with Triumph in the big merger.
 
Peter R said:
Sooner or later there will probably come a day that people will regret turning perfectly useable motorcycles into horendous and unrideable pieces of crap.
Click to expand...
Yep one day they will regret it, also the people who restore them back to factory spec and never ride them,
It takes another Norton off the road and puts the price out of reach of the younger budding Norton rider imo
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top