Rob North Framed Commando

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Fast Eddie said:
To race a North Commando in the UK I think would be fine in BHR.

This was the class I had in mind (copied from BHR web site):

“PRE 1973 SPECIALS & CLUBMANS (UP TO 31.12.72) TWO STROKES UP TO 31/12/1967
Motor vehicles and components of European and American manufacture only and parts of a type manufactured up to the end of December 1972 are eligible. The specials must be of a type built e.g. Triton etc. Period streamlining may be fitted. Factory built specials and small factory runs e.g. Royal Enfield GP5, Dunstall Norton etc. are eligible. The specification, appearance and suitability of machines will need the approval of the committee”.

BEARS would also be an option, but only the 1300cc open class which has a pre ‘86 cut off so the ole Commando engine will be a tad out gunned in that class me thinks.

Or, of course, just good honest track day fun !!
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850 Rob North Commando would be the best bike to run in BEARS at Lydden in the wet! :D
 
Fast Eddie said:
To race a North Commando in the UK I think would be fine in BHR.

This was the class I had in mind (copied from BHR web site):

“PRE 1973 SPECIALS & CLUBMANS (UP TO 31.12.72) TWO STROKES UP TO 31/12/1967
Motor vehicles and components of European and American manufacture only and parts of a type manufactured up to the end of December 1972 are eligible. The specials must be of a type built e.g. Triton etc. Period streamlining may be fitted. Factory built specials and small factory runs e.g. Royal Enfield GP5, Dunstall Norton etc. are eligible. The specification, appearance and suitability of machines will need the approval of the committee”.

BEARS would also be an option, but only the 1300cc open class which has a pre ‘86 cut off so the ole Commando engine will be a tad out gunned in that class me thinks.

Or, of course, just good honest track day fun !!
Click to expand...

You're confusing me, Nigel:(. The rules you are quoting state that the bike has to be a type manufactured up to the end of 1972, and specials must be of a type built back then. The Mick Hemmings frame wasn't available until 1985, so how does it qualify? And I've never seen any reference to any other Rob North style frame with a Norton engine back in the period. Clearly this is just idle curiosity on my part, since I'm not planning any racing in the UK. But I'm still curious.

Ken
 
Hmmm, I don’t think you’re all that confused Ken...

I don’t think the ‘85 build date for the frame is relevant as it’s a Rob North replica, so the relevant date IMHO is the date of the Rob North Triumph and BSAs which would be comfortably pre ‘73.

HOWEVER...I had overlooked the line “must be of a type built”. In previous times the rule was “must be built from parts available in the period” and I was working on that basis. Which would be fine. BUT if there was no Rob North Commando pre ‘73 (unless anyone knows otherwise) then a Rob North Commando is not “of a type built” so I just got this wrong.

So I’d say the pre ‘73 class is out. Leaving the pre ‘86 up to 1300cc class...
 
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Fast Eddie said:
...

So I’d say the pre ‘73 class is out. Leaving the pre ‘86 up to 1300cc class...
Click to expand...

Does this mean the monoshock (on the track in 1985) is eligible in "Bears pre 86"? Or would it have to be the twin shock version?


Rob North frame
Rob North Framed Commando


JS Monoshock (or twin shock)
Rob North Framed Commando
 
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Hi Al Nige

That was my reading of the rules.
Still love to see one out there.
Nige one for you? Harrier frame data?
Jseng eligible BHR. CRMC of one was raced in the uk but it would probably be allowed.
My favourite not quite period Commando was the Spondon. Love it
 
Yes Jim I think that would be eligible for the pre ‘86 up to 1300cc open class in BEARS.
 
Eligibility is only important when there is a championship involved. However winning an historic championship might be like becoming 'king of the golden sword'. Why would you bother ? In Australia, it can become an issue when some idiot lodges a protest about another rider finishing ahead of them. In our Period 5, the fastest bikes are GSX1100 engined. The Katana engine is identical except for a small casting change on the head under the inlet cam. It can be used as a basis for a protest. If you have to do that to win, there is something wrong with your brain.
 
When I race, I do it to enjoy myself. I don't care what anybody else is riding, unless it is a two-stroke and I am riding a four-stroke. I don't even care if they use nitro, because they have to live with it. I love two-stroke races and I love four-stroke races, but the two types of bike should never be mixed. My preference is for four-stroke races, but I can also do two-stroke - I just don't like it as much. Motorcycle road racing is about having fun. If you only want to win, a methanol-fuelled two-stroke is the way to go. I had that and I sold it.
A Rob North Commando would be great.

My methanol-fuelled T250 Suzuki would beat any Commando anywhere. It was quicker than a TZ350. It would also seize quicker.
 
This is the problem with historic racing. - So many bikes which could be raced are excluded by rules which are supposed to re-create the past, but do not. In Australia, the only development classes are historic which makes the whole thing self-defeating. I think what is needed is a re-evaluation of our major objectives in doing road-racing. For me, it is more about developing the bike than it is about winning races.
The Rob North Commando is an obvious achievement and should be encouraged. I'd love to own one. From the photos, they look so right.
 
acotrel said:
W

My methanol-fuelled T250 Suzuki would beat any Commando anywhere. It was quicker than a TZ350. It would also seize quicker.
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Must have been something wrong with the Yamaha, doesn't make sense that they won all those 250 and 350 world championships compared with Suzuki.
You are not trying to claim a TZ 350 is an air cooled engine again are you????
 
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Fast Eddie said:
... because... ?
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1300 BEARS to '86...consider the options from those running today, Norton Rotary, BMW Brick, Laverda Jota, Guzzi.....

In a wet 1300 race at Brands in 2015 I passed every Japanese 1300 Multi (Mixed race, up to '73 and up to '86) that started in front of me, some in trick frames...and I didn't see the others...

(The 3 bikes I didn't pass got away in front of the Kawasaki that fell at Stirlings on lap one and it was difficult to make up the deficit in a shortish race! but I could clearly see two of them. These were fast and race winning riders I would not normally even see toward the end of a race unless they were lapping me!)

...at Lydden the same year I was in front of some 1300 multis and was looking to pass more, in the dry, when the carb fell off! Tight circuits don't need excess power, but they do need both cylinders!

I reckon the Rob North would be a little nimbler than my Rickman, possibly better than a new build Seeley and the 850 even better for mid range power, and for not tripping you up on the throttle than my 750 Short Stroke!

I know, it's an old story, but so is racing at the moment!
 
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Ahh, gotcha !

To be frank though, building a Norton to race against pre ‘86 1300cc Japanese and European bikes has no appeal for me at all.

Those pesky foreigners were actually making some pretty decent motorcycles by then !
 
Fast Eddie said:
Ahh, gotcha !

To be frank though, building a Norton to race against pre ‘86 1300cc Japanese and European bikes has no appeal for me at all.

Those pesky foreigners were actually making some pretty decent motorcycles by then !
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Me either, but I am currently building a Suzuki GT500 to race against allcomers up to '83!

However, it is a project initally started in about 2014 for 500 air cooled!
 
Bernhard said:
Must have been something wrong with the Yamaha, doesn't make sense that they won all those 250 and 350 world championships compared with Suzuki.
You are not trying to claim a TZ 350 is an air cooled engine again are you????
Click to expand...

I blew a good TZ350 to the weeds on a club day. They usually race in a different class. Methanol fixes two-strokes. It is legal in Period 4, but not in 5
 
SteveA said:
Me either, but I am currently building a Suzuki GT500 to race against allcomers up to '83!

However, it is a project initally started in about 2014 for 500 air cooled!
Click to expand...

Back the 70s there were two guys running methanol-fuelled 500cc Suzukis in Victoria - Laurie Johns and Bob Brown. I saw Brown get launched in the biggest possible way when coming out od a corner.
 
My brother runs two Kawasaki triples in sidecars on speedway using methanol. The 750 is simply too dangerous - So he usually rides the 500
 
HOWEVER...I had overlooked the line “must be of a type built”. In previous times the rule was “must be built from parts available in the period” and I was working on that basis. Which would be fine. BUT if there was no Rob North Commando pre ‘73 (unless anyone knows otherwise) then a Rob North Commando is not “of a type built” so I just got this wrong.


I have a distinct memory of reading a report from Daytona some time in the 70's regarding the 750 triples with a pair of 750 Triumph twins with Rob North frames in the background ; admitidley not Nortons but at least twins if that helps.
 
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