How heavy?

[Fast Eddie]

I posted this question on the modern Cdo forum and wanted to do the same here.

Mine comes in at 391lbs. Not bad for a road bike with 64rwhp, but I think we (sounding remarkably like my old school reports) could do better!

What was Ludwig’s super lithe machine at ? I know he put huge effort into it that I cannot match, I’d be happy just to try and get close !

What have other people’s come in at?

 

[Deets55]

I believe he was trying for sub-300lbs and came very close. It’s been a while since I read his post.
Pete

 

[acotrel]

I don't read his posts.

 

[baz]

My commando weighs in at 409lb with oil and a full tank of petrol, I'd like to get it under 400lb
I have very light wheels /brakes/yokes/clutch & primary but extra ISO's braced swing arm etc have taken their toll
I believe Ludwig's goal was 300lb and I think it ended up just over the 300 mark

 

[baz]

Now you have made me start thinking about junking my fastback unit/chainguard and a lighter front mudguard !!!

 

[ashman]

I think my hot 850 Featherbed would come close to the 300lb mark but have never got it weighed yet compared to when it was all Commando I have shreaded so much weight off the bike everything has been lighten from no battery, alloy oil tank that weights just about nothing, alloy wheels etc etc even the rider has lost a lot of weight lol.
After the last rebuild and a lot more weight cut down had to lift the bike up and lift it off the work table just myself and a mate lifted the whole bike up while the wife wheeled the table out from under it then we put it on the floor, from day one from converting it to the Featherbed I could lift the bike up from the rear end and put it on blocks by myself, could never do that with the Commando.
One day I will put on a weigh bridge to find out for sure as I would love to know myself.

Ashley

 

[Fast Eddie]

I don't read his posts.

Your loss Al.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Now you have made me start thinking about junking my fastback unit/chainguard and a lighter front mudguard !!!

Sorry to have infected you !

 

[Onder]

A big shortcoming of late brit bikes was that they all got fat. You can take 25 pounds off a Commando without too much trouble.
50 is a bit harder. Or should I say more expensive?
Pick up a set of stock jugs and then a Maney one. You start to get the idea. Do the same with a stock clutch unit and then a BNR.
Go to B&Q and pick up a bag of easy set concrete. Note the weight. Think of hauling that around all the time on your bike.
And so it goes...it costs more to have less.

 

[Fast Eddie]

My new mota has Maney barrels and crank. Barrels are 10lbs lighter and the crank around 7lbs (of rotating mass).

So, even if I do nowt else, it’ll be 17lbs lighter next year. That’ll be 374lbs...

 

[baz]

Recently I have been collecting parts to build another commando I honestly can't believe how heavy the standard drum brake back wheel is!!!
And the footrests and yokes etc!!!

 

[Onder]

Reading Ludwig's old posts you can see how he went with a dirt bike rear and saved vast amount of weight for not much money.
Yes those stock foot rests sure make good boat anchors!

 

[Fast Eddie]

The stock footrests are unfeasibly heavy. Even with lighter rears sets, the Z plates and exhaust hanger arrangement is also very heavy. That’s one of the reasons a 2:1 race pipe saves so much weight, as well as the fact the pipe itself is a lot lighter of course.

Alloy yokes are around 30% lighter than stock according to Matt @ cNw. Add to that I’ll be using alloy clip ons and junking the stock clock pods etc and I’m hoping to save a bit more on the front end as well as the lighter mudguard set up.

And yes, the rear drum set up, in its entirety, is a hefty chunk of ballast. The T140 based disc hub with Maney designed Cush drive (as sold by Minnovation) has to be a LOT lighter! But this is a little way down in the list of priorities for me right now...

 

[mdt-son]

Pick up a set of stock jugs and then a Maney one. You start to get the idea. Do the same with a stock clutch unit and then a BNR.

Some components of the Norton were never optimized and initial design followed tradition rather than function.
The barrel is an obvious example and so is the crankshaft, both of which are adressed in my ongoing engine build. As for the clutch, you are referring to Bob Newby, yes?
Does he make a lightened triplex chain clutch? BTW, what is the weight saving of his complete belt primary drive vs. the stock chain primary drive?

I am not considering a triple tree out of aluminium at this time, but I do consider junking the final chain drive in place of a toothed belt drive. This is a development brought to market even for bicycles! I wonder about the potential weight saving when using an aluminium rear cog carrier, etc.

-Knut

 

[baz]

My back wheel is an apprillia pegaso hub with a Dural sprocket with stainless spokes ,flangless aluminium rim ,small disc brake,
The cush drive is very good plus you have straight spokes
An extremely light package

 

[Fast Eddie]

My back wheel is an apprillia pegaso hub with a Dural sprocket with stainless spokes ,flangless aluminium rim ,small disc brake,
The cush drive is very good plus you have straight spokes
An extremely light package

Close up photos please Baz...

 

[baz]

Close up photos please Baz...

Ok

 

[pommie john]

I weighed my featherbed atlas/commando on the snetterton weighbridge. In race trim with oil but not much petrol it was 330lb

 

[MexicoMike]

My '71 roadster which I owned back in the day (when they actually made Norton Commandos) weighed 395 lbs with full tank of fuel. Of course, a roadster tank only holds around three gallons if I remember right.

 

[Fast Eddie]

As I said before, I am not in Ludwig's league.

But if I look at my bike, here's where weight has been saved:

Front alloy rim
Lighter disc and caliper
CF front mudguard
Alloy clip ons
No mirrors
Alloy headlamp brackets
Minimal wire harness (stock is surprisingly heavy)
Tiny Shoria battery
No stock coils or bracktery
Belt drive and lightweight clutch
No z plates or exhaust hangers, pillion pegs or stock footrests
2:1 race pipe
Solo seat
GF LHS side panel
Alloy rear rim
No centre stand
No indicators, flasher relay, capacitor, zener diode, rectifier, etc
No rev counter drive or cable, no speedo cable

I'm sure there's quite a few bits I forgot to add. But still, imagine this lot piled up and its gonna be a few lbs...!