How much does your Commando weigh?

Ken,
are you using a Norvil front hub? You are also using a AP front caliper and disk. I think you mentioned that before. I wonder how much difference the weight would be to the standard road lump? :shock: I am impressed on your weight numbers.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN

CanukNortonNut said:

Ken,
are you using a Norvil front hub? You are also using a AP front caliper and disk. I think you mentioned that before. I wonder how much difference the weight would be to the standard road lump? :shock: I am impressed on your weight numbers.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN

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Nope. Standard hub. I think the brake setup actually adds a bit. Heavier disc, heavier caliper.

As weighed on the track scales at New Hampshire International Speedway, since renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway, My stock MK 3 with just a gallon shy of a full Roadster tank weighed 216 k (475 lb). Interestingly enough, this is exactly what my '97 Speed Triple weighs under the same conditions.

Ickren wrote;

?? Where did that 514 come from?

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worntorn wrote;

The 514 came from Reggie, not sure of his source. Perhaps that is a MK3 start interstate with 6 us gallons on board.

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Yes I copied that, and the "wet" figure came from here, I just googled it, probably not the best source;

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/ ... 3%2075.htm

Fullauto wrote;

So, you're telling me that the fuel and oil weighs 43 kilos or 96 pounds? Is that with the optional 50 litre tank?

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Yes Ken, you're quite correct, the Mk3 Interstate which holds 5.5 imperial gallons / 6.6 US gallons / 25 litres when full of fuel will add approximately 33 lbs plus oil in the gearbox, p/chaincase and forks at approx. 5lb making it approximately 38 lbs. I just quickly snatched these figures, 420 lb and 513 lb from a quick search from two different sites, but it would appear that I'm not comparing like (model) with like.

Reggie said:

Stock Commando "dry "is allegedly 420 lbs or 190 kg and "wet" 514 lbs / 233 kg .............unless you know better?

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Can't be 514 lbs wet if 420 lbs. dry. That would mean a tank of gas and a few quarts of oil would weigh 96 lbs. Not going to happen.

From the factory advertising brochures, dry weights:

1974 Commando - "418 - 430lbs., depending on configuration" (Hi-Rider, Roadster, or Interstate)
1972 750 Commando - "385 - 395 lbs, depending on style and equipment"
1975 Commando - "460 lbs."

A full tank of gas in a roadster, 3 imp. gal., weighs 22 lbs. 6 pints of oil weighs 6.5 lbs. Add maybe another 1 pound for gear oil, fork oil, etc., and you're still only up to something 449.5 lbs. wet for a MK2 850 roadster. Worst you could get is the porky MKIII, which would be somewhere around 490 lbs.

Ken

Reggie said:

Ickren wrote;

?? Where did that 514 come from?

Click to expand...

worntorn wrote;

The 514 came from Reggie, not sure of his source. Perhaps that is a MK3 start interstate with 6 us gallons on board.

Click to expand...

Yes I copied that, and the "wet" figure came from here, I just googled it, probably not the best source;

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/ ... 3%2075.htm

Fullauto wrote;

So, you're telling me that the fuel and oil weighs 43 kilos or 96 pounds? Is that with the optional 50 litre tank?

Click to expand...

Yes Ken, you're quite correct, the Mk3 Interstate which holds 5.5 imperial gallons / 6.6 US gallons / 25 litres when full of fuel will add approximately 33 lbs plus oil in the gearbox, p/chaincase and forks at approx. 5lb making it approximately 38 lbs. I just quickly snatched these figures, 420 lb and 513 lb from a quick search from two different sites, but it would appear that I'm not comparing like (model) with like.

Click to expand...

Hi Reggie

The fuel in the Interstate tank might even be a bit more than 33 pounds. If we use a conversion figure of 6.183 pounds per US gallon, then then 6.6 us gallons= just over 40 pounds.
Then there are all of the different Interstate , fiberglass and steel. A buddy has a stock 73 850 Interstate with steel tank which he says holds 6 Imperial gallons. It looks just like my 75 Interstate tank from the side but is much wider. This is evident when looking at the two bikes from the rear.

"How much does a Commando weigh" is a bit like "how long is a piece of string"

Glen

Then there is the MK3 Riders Manual-





I don't ever want to hear my MK3 referred to as "Porky" again.

You can call her Pleasingly Plump or full figured. Big Boned would also be ok :mrgreen:

Glen

Some weights from period magazine road tests of Commandos. I've left out tests where the magazine obviously used advertised weights. I think all the following are actual weights by the magazines.

Cycle World September 1968 - Curb weight with half tank of fuel - 431 lbs.
Cycle September 1969 - Curb weight of 750 S model - 415 lbs. Doesn't say if dry or wet.
Cycle World December 1969 - Curb weight of 420 lbs. with half tank of fuel - Production Racer
Cycle World March 1971 - Curb weight of 426 lbs. with half tank of fuel - Fastback
Cycle January 1971 - Curb weigh of 406 lbs. with half tank of fuel - Production Racer
Cycle March 1971 - Curb weight of 419 lbs. with half tank of fuel - 750 SS model
Cycle World May 1972 - Curb weight of 446 lbs. with half tank of fuel - 750 Interstate
Cycle June 1973 - Test weight of 462 lbs. with full tank of gas - 850 Roadster
Cycle December 1975 - Curb weight of 476 lbs. with full tank of gas - 850 John Player Special
Cycle World December 1975 - Curb weight of 522 lbs. with half tank of fuel - MKIII Interstate with Windjammer fairing

Ken

So if we take the 1968 model at 431 pounds with half a tank and fuel it up, it would be right around 440.
In 1975 the John Player MK3 fueled up is 476.
476-440=36 pounds.
Not much difference from the first model to the last, given the e start, heavier cases, crank and swingarm of the MK3

Add an e start to an earlier model and the weights would be essentially the same?

Do we get to call the earlier bikes Porksters after the owner fits an electric starter? :mrgreen:

Glen

My porkster 76 would easily weigh in at 500 lbs. But like who has scales ?

Fullauto, If you weighed the bike front wheel then rear wheel separately then added up the weight you could get a false reading, it depends on how high the scale is off the ground . If you had the rear wheel on the ground and the front on a scale 3 feet off the ground it would only measure a relatively small percentage of the front weight, this is obviously an exaggeration but every inch higher than completely parallel would make a difference. your figure sounds too light given the relatively few mods that you have made, 30 or 40 lbs is relatively easy to shed but thereafter it takes a lot of effort and money.

How about "Rubenesque", Glen?

What I don't understand about the mystery of Commando weights, is, why are MK I/II 850s so much heavier than the 750s? I mean really? What's different about them? The running gear is the same and, engine wise, you have the barrels and pistons which are heavier but what else? Fibreglass tank and sidecovers versus steel?
I've always seen the discrepancies over the last 40 years and often wondered. This is the first time, apart from magazine tests, where I've seen any reference to actually weighing a Commando, apart from Biscuit.

dave M said:

Fullauto, If you weighed the bike front wheel then rear wheel separately then added up the weight you could get a false reading, it depends on how high the scale is off the ground . If you had the rear wheel on the ground and the front on a scale 3 feet off the ground it would only measure a relatively small percentage of the front weight, this is obviously an exaggeration but every inch higher than completely parallel would make a difference. your figure sounds too light given the relatively few mods that you have made, 30 or 40 lbs is relatively easy to shed but thereafter it takes a lot of effort and money.

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The scales were the same type and height and measured on a concrete floor. Thinking about it now, we should have swapped ends and that would have shown if one of the scales was out.

Fullauto said:

dave M said:

Fullauto, If you weighed the bike front wheel then rear wheel separately then added up the weight you could get a false reading, it depends on how high the scale is off the ground . If you had the rear wheel on the ground and the front on a scale 3 feet off the ground it would only measure a relatively small percentage of the front weight, this is obviously an exaggeration but every inch higher than completely parallel would make a difference. your figure sounds too light given the relatively few mods that you have made, 30 or 40 lbs is relatively easy to shed but thereafter it takes a lot of effort and money.

Click to expand...

The scales were the same type and height and measured on a concrete floor. Thinking about it now, we should have swapped ends and that would have shown if one of the scales was out.

Click to expand...

Something was off.

Fullauto said:

How about "Rubenesque", Glen?

What I don't understand about the mystery of Commando weights, is, why are MK I/II 850s so much heavier than the 750s? I mean really? What's different about them? The running gear is the same and, engine wise, you have the barrels and pistons which are heavier but what else? Fibreglass tank and sidecovers versus steel?
I've always seen the discrepancies over the last 40 years and often wondered. This is the first time, apart from magazine tests, where I've seen any reference to actually weighing a Commando, apart from Biscuit.

Click to expand...

Earlier 750s had drum front brakes, which might actually be lighter than the later disk brake disks, wheels, and calipers. They also had lighter crankshafts and pistons, no turn signals or associated wiring and switches. That, along with lighter cylinders might be enough to make the difference. Hard to say for sure. I didn't weigh my Commando Production Racer until it was pretty heavily modified, with mag wheels and belt drive and all that. At that point it was right at 375 lbs. dry.

Ken