Love the video!! It brings back a great memory of the one my Dad owned.. It had the Combat engine, Interstate options with a fairing, windshield, and padded backrest... Absolutely has the best sound from those pipes!! Used to love going down the road and hearing those pipes! Tragically, it got destroyed when I had it out for a ride , was slowing down, almost stopped for turning traffic... I was rearended, never saw him coming up behind me. The bike ended up stuck in the front of the car like a giant hood ornament! I survived, but my GF did not... sadly, I gave up riding after that, but sure do miss that bike!!
Never been around British bikes. Started on an R 75/7. Loving the historical bikes you ride and will hopefully get to the" Metro" area in September. Attending a Beemer Rally then and Baxter Cycle definitely on my list. I'll be having dreams tonight about how to shift and brake on opposite sides and screaming "Wahoo".!! 👍👍5🏍🙋♂️
Here’s what Wikipedia had to say about the Combat. “The ‘Combat engine’ engine was introduced in January 1972 in the Mk4 Fastback. The last of the fastbacks, the MkV, was produced from November 1972 to mid-1973 as a 1973 model and featured improved crank bearings and the standard grind camshaft. Compression was reduced to 9.4:1”.
@@thefuzzybiker171 It was nice and very reliable. Tank was too small so swapped it for what I think was called an ' interstate' tank. Had a speed wobble on it and almost lost the bike due the tank being fibreglass which got a nice hole worn in it with the petrol catching fire. Got a later steel one after that. Added a steering damper.
That's an absolutely beautiful machine and so well, prepared too.. Hopefully that combat engine is running low compression pistons and the later big end bearings, as the idea of tweaking the road machines up to race specification didn't translate to the production line (and worn out pre war machinery wasn't a good ingredient) and the over-stressed engines tended to detonate as soon as they were run in (i.e. the first time you revved them). The modifications worked and the later, bigger Commandos ran a far less stressed lump. Basically, if you're going to prepare an engine that way, it needs to be blue printed. Those reverse cone megaphones are iconic and this would be a fabulous machine to have.. 'Love the U.S. Spec. T140V in the background, I've no idea how I never owned one. Incidentally, Bert Hopwood's Son was a Lecturer of mine at College.
Bike had a shopping list of mechanical issues that resulted in warranty claims that bankrupt the company. As probablamatic as a Triumph T-160. Swan song for the classic British motorcycles.
@@thefuzzybiker171 The combat was a hot rodded version,kinda like Bsa's Spitfire,it had 10-1 compression and IIRC problems with oiling system and main bearings that were later corrected on later models
@@thefuzzybiker171 The goal at Triumph was to make 1,000 bikes a week. If Norton had done that there would be so many more Norton Commando than there are. If they used good parts instead of crap like the Portuguese bearing in the transmission among others they might have been solvent.
A Norton 750 emits absolutely the best, most beautiful exhaust note ever. Thanks for the ride, Fuzzy!!
My pleasure!
Love the video!! It brings back a great memory of the one my Dad owned.. It had the Combat engine, Interstate options with a fairing, windshield, and padded backrest... Absolutely has the best sound from those pipes!! Used to love going down the road and hearing those pipes! Tragically, it got destroyed when I had it out for a ride , was slowing down, almost stopped for turning traffic... I was rearended, never saw him coming up behind me. The bike ended up stuck in the front of the car like a giant hood ornament! I survived, but my GF did not... sadly, I gave up riding after that, but sure do miss that bike!!
Very sorry to hear this.
Never been around British bikes. Started on an R 75/7. Loving the historical bikes you ride and will hopefully get to the" Metro" area in September. Attending a Beemer Rally then and Baxter Cycle definitely on my list. I'll be having dreams tonight about how to shift and brake on opposite sides and screaming "Wahoo".!! 👍👍5🏍🙋♂️
Life is good 😊
Really a beautiful and cool looking bike. Glad you got a chance to ride it. Just keep riding.
Thanks, will do!
Excellent looking bike bud, oi oi oi
🤙
Here’s what Wikipedia had to say about the Combat. “The ‘Combat engine’ engine was introduced in January 1972 in the Mk4 Fastback. The last of the fastbacks, the MkV, was produced from November 1972 to mid-1973 as a 1973 model and featured improved crank bearings and the standard grind camshaft. Compression was reduced to 9.4:1”.
Interesting. Great riding machine. Wahoo!
I had one exactly the same as this in UK. Used to get 70 mph in 2nd.
You had a nice bike!
@@thefuzzybiker171 It was nice and very reliable. Tank was too small so swapped it for what I think was called an ' interstate' tank. Had a speed wobble on it and almost lost the bike due the tank being fibreglass which got a nice hole worn in it with the petrol catching fire. Got a later steel one after that. Added a steering damper.
That's an absolutely beautiful machine and so well, prepared too..
Hopefully that combat engine is running low compression pistons and the later big end bearings, as the idea of tweaking the road machines up to race specification didn't translate to the production line (and worn out pre war machinery wasn't a good ingredient) and the over-stressed engines tended to detonate as soon as they were run in (i.e. the first time you revved them).
The modifications worked and the later, bigger Commandos ran a far less stressed lump.
Basically, if you're going to prepare an engine that way, it needs to be blue printed.
Those reverse cone megaphones are iconic and this would be a fabulous machine to have..
'Love the U.S. Spec. T140V in the background, I've no idea how I never owned one.
Incidentally, Bert Hopwood's Son was a Lecturer of mine at College.
Nice 👍
50 years ago I bought a brand new 74 commando roadster. I had it 8 years, and sold it for 800 dollars.
Oh, the ones we let escape our grasp.....
Great bike 😄
At red line cam chain bounces affects the timing and holes pistons.
Dang!
what cam chain they have push rods wanker
No Norton left the factory with combat on the panels. One up for first, then 3 down.
Wahoo
Bike had a shopping list of mechanical issues that resulted in warranty claims that bankrupt the company. As probablamatic as a Triumph T-160. Swan song for the classic British motorcycles.
Good aftermarket fixes?
@@thefuzzybiker171 Yes if you redo the engine and transmission on the Norton Commando and redo the engine on the T-160.
@@thefuzzybiker171
The combat was a hot rodded version,kinda like Bsa's Spitfire,it had 10-1 compression and IIRC problems with oiling system and main bearings that were later corrected on later models
They only made7,000 Norton Commando a year. Triumph and BSA made 40,000-60,000 bikes a year.
Double dang!
@@thefuzzybiker171 The goal at Triumph was to make 1,000 bikes a week. If Norton had done that there would be so many more Norton Commando than there are. If they used good parts instead of crap like the Portuguese bearing in the transmission among others they might have been solvent.
Lol, i had thhe T140V
Great bike!