Dragster & tuner Leo Goff (2016)

[jseng1]

Had a recent talk with Leo Goff

He started out on a street legal P11 that he rode himself and was getting 110 mph in the 11s. (Leo on his P11 below)

Leo is a big boy so he let someone else ride his bikes and went on to dominating his class (750 gas). Told me his 750 achieved 140MPH in the ¼ with times in the 9s. He designed his own cam (made by Lunati)- 460 in lift, 400 ex lift, 300 dur, 105 L.C . Claimed dyno output was 100HP at the rear wheel with a long stroke. Look at the manifold length in the photo above and tell me if you think that was one of his HP tricks (below).

When I was racing in the 1980s he turned me on to a one way reed breather for the crank case vent. He also sent me a letter with a hand sketched diagram that I still use in my racing manual (below).

His help and advice were invaluable to me as a young racer. Leo is also a musician and you can find him singing and playing on youtube. That’s something I think about it when I blast off to my gigs on my café Atlas with a Tenor sax strapped to my back.

Leo’s facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leo-Goff ... 9913393892

 

[acotrel]

What gearbox ?

 

[Danno]

I read a story (in the Norton News club newsletter, IIRC) about a couple of guys roadracing a Norton at Daytona. The engine had great low-end power and was no slouch at higher rpm, but they were having trouble attaining full potential on the high banks. They called Leo who said, "Ahh, you've got that typical Norton Midrange miss." When asked what to do, he told them, "Get some velocity stacks, which will lengthen the intake tract and restore the power in the middle." Now this being later days, a search of every shop in the area yielded zero Amal velocity stacks. So the enterprising pair cut proper-sized holes in the ends of two aluminum beer cans and went out on the banking with their improvised stacks. Presto! The power returned to the middle and they had a satisfying race meet.

I have actually tried this and it works.

 

[Danno]

What gearbox ?

I think it was either a Kawasaki or Suzuki gearbox and clutch.

 

[grandpaul]

Looks like a flipped-over Kwakker tranny.

 

[Brithit]

I remember an interview with Leo in the INOA news many years ago. A comment that stuck in my memory was something like "I need to use a .30-6 with a scope for a rev limiter". I liked that one!

 

[speedrattle]

he's a really interesting man to talk to.

on his advice i'm experimenting with different intake tract lengths on my triumph:

 

[lcrken]

What gearbox ?

I think it was either a Kawasaki or Suzuki gearbox and clutch.

Kawasaki. I recall a magazine article years ago about the conversion. Leo said if he'd known how hard it was going to be, he wouldn't have done it.

Ken

 

[jseng1]

I read a story (in the Norton News club newsletter, IIRC) about a couple of guys roadracing a Norton at Daytona. The engine had great low-end power and was no slouch at higher rpm, but they were having trouble attaining full potential on the high banks. They called Leo who said, "Ahh, you've got that typical Norton Midrange miss." When asked what to do, he told them, "Get some velocity stacks, which will lengthen the intake tract and restore the power in the middle." Now this being later days, a search of every shop in the area yielded zero Amal velocity stacks. So the enterprising pair cut proper-sized holes in the ends of two aluminum beer cans and went out on the banking with their improvised stacks. Presto! The power returned to the middle and they had a satisfying race meet.

I have actually tried this and it works.

I remember that story. I think it was was mentioned way back in the original "Norton News". I thought it was dixie cups they used. But beer cans - that's all the better.

 

[jseng1]

I talked to Leo Goff again and he repeated that his long stroke made 100 HP. It had 13 to 1 CR and it only made power between 5600 and 7000 RPM. .062 oversized valves. Suitable only for a drag engine. He was after torque and used to spin up a 600 lb flywheel instead of using a dyno. Says it would have blown up on a road race course.

 

[maylar]

Leo's an interesting fellow. I understand that he can sing the blues with the best of em... or build Porsche or Commando engines.
He did the head work on my 74 850.

 

[Zachary Brown]

Leo is a friend/acquaintance of mine through another friend (Sonny Collier of Collier Cycles in Nashville, TN) as well as my father who got me into Norton's pretty much since birth. I've had several opportunities to talk with Leo face to face about his drag bike and Commando performance as a whole. Leo knows his stuff for internal combustion engines like very few others on the planet. My first talk with him about getting my MKIII up and running he diagnosed that my cam timing AND carb jetting was off by a mile just from 2 calls (18yr old and first rebuild). Also working with him as well as @jseng1 for my current project of building a 750cc Norton Commando Bonneville salt falt machine. Class is to be 750CC M-PG/PF(SCTA designation). Really hoping to put a Norton in the land speed record books again come 2024! God knows they deserve to be there given their history!

 

[Fast Eddie]

Leo is a friend/acquaintance of mine through another friend (Sonny Collier of Collier Cycles in Nashville, TN) as well as my father who got me into Norton's pretty much since birth. I've had several opportunities to talk with Leo face to face about his drag bike and Commando performance as a whole. Leo knows his stuff for internal combustion engines like very few others on the planet. My first talk with him about getting my MKIII up and running he diagnosed that my cam timing AND carb jetting was off by a mile just from 2 calls (18yr old and first rebuild). Also working with him as well as @jseng1 for my current project of building a 750cc Norton Commando Bonneville salt falt machine. Class is to be 750CC M-PG/PF(SCTA designation). Really hoping to put a Norton in the land speed record books again come 2024! God knows they deserve to be there given their history!

That sounds fantastic!

It would be great if you started a thread about that adventure !

 

[74 Cafe']

Leo's an interesting fellow. I understand that he can sing the blues with the best of em... or build Porsche or Commando engines.
He did the head work on my 74 850.

I've met and known Leo for decades with his affiliation at Memphis Motor Works, who builds all of my BMW motors. His work on the heads really showed up on the dynos with increased HP and TQ when tuning the motors. Also, a lot of people don't know that he developed some F1 motors.

 

[jamesp]

I see that Leo was using 1 5/8” header pipes on his race bike. Is that also a good size for a 850 street bike? 1 3/8” was recommended to me by a knowledgeable person. Seems to me like discussions of intake tracts should also include exhaust tracts.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I see that Leo was using 1 5/8” header pipes on his race bike. Is that also a good size for a 850 street bike? 1 3/8” was recommended to me by a knowledgeable person. Seems to me like discussions of intake tracts should also include exhaust tracts.

No.
Not unless you’ve done serious mods and are in search only of peak bhp.

 

[jamesp]

No.
Not unless you’ve done serious mods and are in search only of peak bhp.

Ok, thanks. I know that often a smaller tract promotes better velocity. I was just wanting to make sure I wasn’t missing something. I have a set of pipes on order and requested the 1 3/8” and not the “big bore“ 1 5/8” for my stock 850. I like the velocity stack idea, but for a street bike I think they should have air filters and would like to see if someone had an idea for that.

 

[Lineslinger]

Leo is a friend/acquaintance of mine through another friend (Sonny Collier of Collier Cycles in Nashville, TN) as well as my father who got me into Norton's pretty much since birth. I've had several opportunities to talk with Leo face to face about his drag bike and Commando performance as a whole. Leo knows his stuff for internal combustion engines like very few others on the planet. My first talk with him about getting my MKIII up and running he diagnosed that my cam timing AND carb jetting was off by a mile just from 2 calls (18yr old and first rebuild). Also working with him as well as @jseng1 for my current project of building a 750cc Norton Commando Bonneville salt falt machine. Class is to be 750CC M-PG/PF(SCTA designation). Really hoping to put a Norton in the land speed record books again come 2024! God knows they deserve to be there given their history!

What Fast Eddie said about starting a thread.
I'd be thrilled to view some photos on the build of a Salt Flats bike.

 

[KiwiShane]

Ok, thanks. I know that often a smaller tract promotes better velocity. I was just wanting to make sure I wasn’t missing something. I have a set of pipes on order and requested the 1 3/8” and not the “big bore“ 1 5/8” for my stock 850. I like the velocity stack idea, but for a street bike I think they should have air filters and would like to see if someone had an idea for that.

Ive run velocity stacks on mk1 & 2 amals and now keihen carburetors on the commando...and use uni filters (a pre oiled foam filter sock that attaches with a reusable cable tie...many types available....) attached to the end of the stack they have a internal spring to keep their shape and IMO work well...

https://unifilter.com/

 

[KiwiShane]