NORTON COMMANDO

NORTON COMMANDO

NORTON COMMANDO

For many riders, the Norton Commando was the ultimate bike of the late I96i and early '70s. It combined a power! torquey engine with a fine-handling chassis th minimized the traditional British parallel twin problem of vibration.

The original Norton Commando, launched in 1968 powered by a 745cc pushrod-operated parallel motor that was based on that of the previous A but was angled forward in the chassis instead ( positioned vertically. Changes included higher compression ratio and a single-plate diaphragm clutch. Peak power was 58bhp at 6800rpm.

But it was the chassis that made the Commando special; more specifically, the 'Isolastic' syster rubber mounting that promised to get rid of thi vibration that had plagued the Atlas and other larger-capacity British parallel twins.

The systi developed by a team headed by former Rolls-I engineer Dr Stefan Bauer, attached the engine the frame by rubber mounts. The frame itself comprised a large main spine plus twin down tubes Rear engine plates were also rubber-mounted, isolating the motor while allowing the frame's spine to counter torsional stresses.

The Commando, which combined this chassis innovation with striking styling including a streamlined 'Fastback' tailpiece, made an immediate impact. The bike was fast, with a top speed of 115mph (185km/h) and strong midrange acceleration.

More to the point, the Isolastic frame really worked. Firstly, it succeeded in isolating the rider from vibration effectively, at least so long as the Isolastic bushes were well maintained.

And in combination with Norton's Roadholder forks and Girling shocks, it gave handling that was well up to the old firm's traditional high standards.

NORTON COMMANDO

Terrific power

Magazine tests were full of praise. Motor Cycle, reviewing the Commando's impact several months after its launch, summed-up: 'The terrific power of the modified 745cc Atlas twin was a new experience now it was rubber-mounted in an ingenious frame which did, in fact, virtually eliminate the effects of high-frequency vibration. The sceptics retired to swallow their doubts. Overnight the Commando became the most sought- after large-capacity roadster on the market.'

After a further 2000-mile (3200km) trip, the tester concluded that the Norton 'gave a new dimension to the sort of riding we have known on parallel twins in the past 20 years'. The Commando proceeded to win the Motor Cycle News Machine of the Year competition five years in a row. American riders also took to the Commando which, for that very important market, was fitted with high, wide handlebars.

NORTON COMMANDO yellow body paint

Americans benefited from some of the special versions that Norton developed over the next few years, notably the 1971 model Commando SS, a street scrambler with a small gas tank and high- level pipes. The Commando Hi-Rider model added a chopper-style seat to its similar tank and high- level bars.

Norton went the opposite way with the Combat Commando, which had flatter bars to suit its tuned, high-compression 65bhp motor. But the Combat was an embarrassment. Its main bearings could not handle the extra power, and Norton's hurried attempts to fix the problem with a new head gasket backfired when these started leaking.

The factory had much more success in 1973, when the engine was bored-out to create the Norton Commando 850, available in standard Roadster and large-tanked Interstate options. The bigger motor's extra torque gave a welcome performance boost to a parallel twin that by now was competing against Japanese multis. But the British bike's limitations were highlighted by Norton's difficulty in providing a reliable electric starter. By now parent company Norton Villiers Triumph was in financial trouble, and production finally ceased in 1977.