I only ever race on small circuits which do not have very long straights. I have raced at Phillip Island, it is too big for a Commando. With a rebalanced crank, the motor is unlikely to explode, but I never ride faster than the speeds at which I am prepared to crash. And I do not stick my neck out at places where I am facing a wall. Big circuit or small the gearing determines the revs, but a get-off at over 100 MPH is too fast.
If I was still racing and serious about it, I would make a billet crank.
When I first started building the bike, the crank looked horrendous to me, so the bike sat unraced for about 20 years until I retired and had the time to try it. It has copped 7000 RPM reliably at about 5 race meetings with about 5 rides at each.
I suggest racing at Daytona is silly stuff. When Doug MacRae crashed, I don't think he was towards the end of the banking. It looks to me as though the bike was just beginning to get wound-up. When Barry Sheene crashed there, I think he broke both legs. It is not a normal race circuit.
I actually think my Seeley 850 is a joke. It is so bad that it is good. I would never have believed it could do what it does.
I think the rod length to stroke ratio and crank weight in the 850 motor must be technically correct, but it needs the close ratio gear-box behind it. With wide ratios, the crank is subjected to more load. Spinning high with less load is safer.
