Author Topic: 1st One of these I've ever seen!  (Read 1551 times)

Offline K2-K6

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #15 on: December 06, 2018, 05:25:58 PM »
Weren't the blue one's and subsequent white Nortons JPN as in plain John Player Norton.

They were pretty quick with Mr Williams and Mr Croxford on them.


Offline Allington (Steve)

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #17 on: December 06, 2018, 07:14:59 PM »
Weren't the blue one's and subsequent white Nortons JPN as in plain John Player Norton.

They were pretty quick with Mr Williams and Mr Croxford on them.

Croxford was a real character. The Norton’s there were just the end of an era. Very old technology right at the end of very old development and very little money by Japanese standards. Honda were building little six cylinder Swiss watches with huge budgets and crushing them afterwards and the Commando was really designed a full generation before.
"A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing..."

FS1E - RD200 - CB500 - Norton Commando - Z900

Offline K2-K6

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2018, 08:31:06 PM »
Tenuous link but same frame type and interesting project.

http://www.laverdamania.net/Laila4.htm



Offline Allington (Steve)

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #19 on: December 06, 2018, 11:08:36 PM »
Tenuous link but same frame type and interesting project.

http://www.laverdamania.net/Laila4.htm

What an absolutely fascinating project.
"A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing..."

FS1E - RD200 - CB500 - Norton Commando - Z900

Offline neilg

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #20 on: December 07, 2018, 10:33:00 AM »
Even the genuine Soper bike didn't sell at £8000 :-\

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/70/lot/1868/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kQ2hYA9seg
Often wondered why nobody re-framed the cb750 in the 70's (for racing) - surely they would have been faster than the Nortons and Triumph Triples of the time.

Think I'm right in saying that Honda always did well at the start of racing at Daytona at that time, but the cam chains and tensioners failed leaving BSA/Triumph to go on and win.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2018, 10:35:10 AM by neilg »

Offline Laverda Dave

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #21 on: December 07, 2018, 11:17:42 AM »
Great link Nigel, thanks.
Dave
1976 Honda 400/4
1977 Rickman Honda CR750
1999 Honda VFR 800FX
1955 750 Dresda Triton
1978 Moto Morini 350 Sport
1978 Honda CB400/4 'Rat' bike
1982 Laverda 120 Jota

Offline Tomb

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #22 on: December 07, 2018, 11:32:32 AM »
Think I'm right in saying that Honda always did well at the start of racing at Daytona at that time, but the cam chains and tensioners failed leaving BSA/Triumph to go on and win.


Similar story - During Australian 6 hr endurance racing Yamaha XS1100's against the Honda CBX's, the Yamahas would sit behind the CBX's pushing them, not try to overtake, just push. The CBX's would fail leaving the Yamahas to win.
Tom
'73 CB550 with CB500 engine café racer
'62 CB77 Sprinter
'70 CD175
'78 CB550 with sidecar
'80 Z50R
And a load of old Yamaha 1100's

Offline MrDavo

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #23 on: December 07, 2018, 01:10:59 PM »
I used to go to the Transatlantic races at Easter, I found the programme for one the other day. The crowds were huge, and you could meet some of the riders sat in the paddock bar!

The JPN Nortons were tiny (as small a frontal area as possible) and cleaned up if it was wet, but the writing was on the wall when the Yamaha TZ700s arrived - At Oulton Park I watched Kenny Roberts tying one in knots down the Cascades, and John Long threw another one at the catch fence at Lodge Corner that I was stood behind!

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Honda were building little six cylinder Swiss watches

I never tire of this, I have a link to it saved on my phone for when I'm bored. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SkyAnVIChE
An RC166 being stripped down by HRC mechanics for a Japanese TV show. Not a scooby what anyone is saying, but it doesn't matter!
1969 Honda CL450 'Scrambler'
1974 Kawasaki Z1A
2005 Harley XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport
1978 VW Bay Window camper van

Offline MCTID

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Re: 1st One of these I've ever seen!
« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2018, 01:58:37 PM »
The one and only Bike Race I ever went to was a Transatlantic Match Race at Oulton Park about 1974 ish.

I didn't have a clue who won any of the Races, or who came 2nd, 3rd, 4th or what. I didn't even know whether the UK or the USA had won on the day as I couldn't hear anything that the Commentator said over the Tannoy.

I only found out who had won what when I bought my copy of Motorcycle News the following Wednesday !

Needless to say, I have never gone to see another bike race since ! LOL.
Now: 2008 CB1300S, CB750K4, 1970 Bonneville. Various other 1960's 650 Triumph T120's/ TR6's/ TR6C's (all in bits...many, many bits unfortunately). Previous: 2007 CB600FA, 1976 CB500 Four. BMW F800ST. GS750E. ZZR1100. CB1300 (2). ZXR1200S. VFR800. CB750 Nighthawk. CX500. XS500 Yam. Suzuki GT500. BSA A10. Various Lambrettas. Zundapp Bella (honest).

 

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