Clubmen's Machines
is King!
Something Spécial
"The Atlas 750 with which I race on some hill climbings and rallies, just to prove that english bikes are tough!" says the proud owner
She was born a 1972 export Hi Rider and spent his first 18 years and 15000 miles in Michigan. Bought by a German she remained nearly 10 years without moving. Another German decided to revive her as a Norvil Production Racer, he sold the Hi Rider trim and kept the engine untouched. The disc brake has left place to a twin cam drum. It's sometimes scary, but nevertheless manages to stop the machine. The engine is still untouched and has not been opened yet, and seems to be healthy. She now reached 18000 miles and needs some attention. But it's sheer pleasure!
After the Gus Kuhn, Olivier looks toward a more radical racer : a Seeley, with the according engine. More to come...
Based on a (much modified) 650 Laverda frame, Daniels's
second Special is more track orientated.
The engine (né 850cc Mk3) churns 72bhp @ 6200 rpm on the
bench, with a beefy 8,7 mkg @ 5000 rpm torque. Homemade exhaust line (stainless),
gas and oil tanks (res. polyester and aluminium) and seat. Daniel retained
the excellent braking system - 2 x 320 mm Brembos - Paioli fork and rear
shock, but could not keep the Marchesini wheels and had also to change the
transmission side...
The result is astounding and, according to Daniel : "Now I have to
upgrade my piloting level a lot to be up the bike's standard!"
The result is astounding and, according to Daniel : "Now I have to
upgrade my driving level a lot to be up to the bike's standard!.
Starting with an incomplete Mk 3 "junk-heap",one year later I finally realized my dreams... a " Fastback" looking Commando incorporating all the "good mods" which I had been thinking about for a long time and which I was prevented from doing because of lack of time, know-how and money . It's very quick, very light (147 kg dry), kinda pushbike! For the moment (2000 km since 2nd birth), it has only good qualities! Let's wait and see if 100 000 km later I won't have changed my mind... Meanwhile, this Commando gives me a pleasure I never felt until now. So what? Elle est pas belle la vie?
Nogaro / Afamac / 3-01 After
a 1000 km trip, here we are! Friday : practice and here we go for learning
the track. The bike's all right, but the engine vibrates a lot. Three laps
later, I try and push hard and <i>OOOOPS</i>, straight into the sand pit,
with mud in spite of sand. Well, I did not intend to ride an enduro! The
bike 's full of stamina and apart from the vibes, it's got lotta torque
thanks to the mikuni carb and the twin venturi pipe. Top speed on my digital
speedo is 190.7 km/h with a 20 x 48 bracket, 21 x 48 would be a better fit.
Saturday, 3 o'clock, first race, I'm in row 5. After a good
start, I have to prevent from hitting an other unhappy rider on his Triumph
750 and the next lap, the Norton stalls, ignition problem; at the end of
the race and to my great surprise, the bike starts first attempt. Back to
the pits, thorough check of the ignition system, nothing noticeable.
Nevertheless
we change the coils just in in case of ???
Sunday, 11 h 2nd race,
I'm the last on the starting grid, and it stalls. The referee is a woman
and she's not got enough strength to help me start a well bred Norton! Another
one comes to help and there we go chasing my pals as they did not wait for
me! I finish 14th, top speed: 191.2. So, lots of satisfaction from these
days, as, except for the vibration problem, the bike's got lots of guts
and I could check the engine preparation! Next race: Le Mans, in april.
In the beginning of year 2003, following a winter
evening's drinking party, Robert Bilger and I decided to race the first
Bol d' Or Classique with the Norton as I was turning the engine to short
stroke ( theoretically more powerful than long stroke). I started working
on the bike after the Nogaro race.<br> I also changed the look with
the yellow color of the Production Racer and silencers in the lower position
(for the race I used the upswept pair) The name is now Yellow Péril.
I bought my 750 Roadster Mk V in 73 . After running in, I had some mechanical troubles with it : crankshaft bearings (japanese) broke at 10000 km, I still wonder how. Porous head, cracked piston skirt, gearbox layshaft bearing breakage (withe the shell, of course), 2nd head (Combat) porous again .
In 1976, I visited Gus Kuhn and got definitively mad about Cafe Racers. I bought a 2 in 1 production racer (not road legal) exhaust. 27 years later it is still on the bike. Aluminium tank, Tickle rearsets then crankshaft grinding, 2S,camshaft, Combat head (leakproof) and australian pistons from British Bike. (Hepolites not available then).
Since it does not break anymore, for several reasons:
I don't go revving past 6800 t/m, except to pass a yellow one.
Oil change every 2000 km with 300V Motul. I've kept the breakers, if one fails, you still can go home on one cylinder. With electronic ignition, you can't.
Each time I tried to improve handling, it got worse : new Isolastics : impossible to get the original setting; Betor rear shocks made it weaving; 18’ rear wheel also; Hagon shocks were a disaster.
And I don't tell about braking. Once I changed the genuine pads, it never braked the same way. So I mounted a Norvil brake with a Lockheed caliper. Still not that...
In 1976, I visited Gus Kuhn and got definitively mad about Cafe Racers.
I bought a 2 in 1 production racer (not road legal) exhaust. 27 years later
it is still on the bike. Aluminium tank, Tickle rearsets then crankshaft
grinding, 2S,camshaft, Combat head (leakproof) and australian pistons from
British Bike. (Hepolites not available then).Since it does not break anymore, for several reasons:
I don't go revving past 6800 t/m, except to pass a yellow one.
Oil change every 2000 km with 300V Motul. I've kept the breakers, if one fails, you still can go home on one cylinder. With electronic ignition, you can't.
Each time I tried to improve handling, it got worse : new Isolastics : impossible to get the original setting; Betor rear shocks made it weaving; 18’ rear wheel also; Hagon shocks were a disaster.
And I don't tell about braking. Once I changed the genuine pads, it never braked the same way. So I mounted a Norvil brake with a Lockheed caliper. Still not that...
Each time I tried to improve handling, it got worse : new Isolastics : impossible
to get the original setting; Betor rear shocks made it weaving; 18’
rear wheel also; Hagon shocks were a disaster.And I don't tell about braking. Once I changed the genuine pads, it never braked the same way. So I mounted a Norvil brake with a Lockheed caliper. Still not that...
After a (mechanicaly) troublesome wedding journey on a BSA, in1975 my wife and I have bought a 1973' 750 Commando Interstate clocking 15000 km. Being not a collector, during the following 5 years I transformed it like a Fastback whose lines always appealed to me, the silencers have been replaced by short mégatons, the back wheel was sold by SMAC for the Norton, from Lefèvre's, 10mm shims under the fork springs, a Citroen 2 cv oil cooler… The dog used to ride too, tucked in his bag behind the fairing, then the family grew in number and having to assume the insurance and maintenance of a car, the Norton stayed in a shed.
I just started her after a long time, having transformed her again as shown on the pictures : racing 2 in 1 Dunstall reshaped to get it out from under the saddle, high compression pistons, the oil filter has been relocated to be of an easier access, KN air filters, back wheel from a 1100 Yam to get the fat tyre, twin discs with homemade antidive system, not forgetting the frame cut with a loop soldered over the cylinders to hang the engine allowing an easy access to the head. As the 2 in 1 was very loud, I have bought a Devil silencer at the crap yard. Then, after a last check the Beauty started third kick after nearly 25 years of rest and 10 years without running the engine!!!
I just started her after a long time, having transformed her again as
shown on the pictures : racing 2 in 1 Dunstall reshaped to get it out
from under the saddle, high compression pistons, the oil filter has been
relocated to be of an easier access, KN air filters, back wheel from a
1100 Yam to get the fat tyre, twin discs with homemade antidive system,
not forgetting the frame cut with a loop soldered over the cylinders to
hang the engine allowing an easy access to the head. As the 2 in 1 was
very loud, I have bought a Devil silencer at the crap yard. Then, after
a last check the Beauty started third kick after nearly 25 years of rest
and 10 years without running the engine!!!
All the trouble was that Bernard wanted
a Cafe Racer... but a very special one! He had an old bug in his head :
the Commando had to look like a Manx!!! (alas not with twined Manx engines...!)
So, an aluminium tank was built (over : Manx lookalike, down Commando).
Single cafe racer saddle, all aluminium commands and levers with 230 mm
diameter 4 cams Grimeca front brake (there's nothing too good), rearsets,
the full monty! Aluminium front and rear mudguards painted black. Modified
Manx windshield with enough space for a small light (just to have some light
and be street legal). Colour of course is grey with red and black
linings, just like a Manx.
- Engine 850 Commando
- Cylinder head prepared & modified to run on lead-free fuel
- Modified left Mk III outer cover (made by "So British" - Nice) to keep and protect the alternator
And this is how our little Commando, after a fair lot of midnight oil burnin', became a thoroughbred & sexy top model. Nice job, ain't it?!
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