"Feedback"
"FEEDBACK"
COMMANDO CONVERT
In the spring of 1973 I took delivery of a new Norton 750 Commando. Keeping in mind the 1500-mile break-in period, and mandatory 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000-mile service checks, I proceeded to familiarize myself with my second British Twin. The Commando, not surprisingly, proved to be extremely smooth. And though more powerful, it possesses the same strong pulling power and wide power band as my BSA.
I drove the bike 12,000 miles last year, mostly on the highway. Before I had driven 500 miles, I found three areas that needed modification. The overall gearing was too low, so I purchased the service tools necessary to remove the primary chain case, and replaced the standard 19T primary drive sprocket with a 2IT. This change made the bike’s gearing feel normal.
The handlebars were replaced with the Thruxton type, and the headlight swapped for a more suitable Cibie unit. No further changes were necessary, buf it is worth mentioning that 60 mpg is possible with the modified gearing.
During the service schedule necessary for warranty coverage, I had a fork seal replaced and the cylinder head was diagnosed to be a porous casting. Since the oil leak was slight, and because I didn’t want the bike off the road during our already-too-short season up here, 1 took delivery of the head in the winter of ’73.
During the warranty period, a head gasket let go, which I replaced myself. While doing so, I discovered one head bolt to be hand tight. This occurred 24 hours after my 2000-mile service, which was, needless to say, my last. Shoddy service aside, I found my dealer to have a most complete parts department.
Maintenance is a pretty continuous job with the Commando, but keeping it in sharp tune is no problem. Particular attention must be paid to tappet adjustment. However, I am now experimenting with some accessory adjusters and nuts and a well-known thread sealer. I believe that this will greatly prolong the time between adjustments.
At about 6000 miles the oil seal between the camshaft and the autoadvance began to leak—but not seriously—so I waited until winter to replace the seal. There were no further trouble areas.
The brakes and Norton handÄJ make one forget the maintenance schedule one must adhere to in order to have a well-prepared Commando. The disc brake works very strongly and predictably, but I believe that its twisting effect on the forks during hard braking is responsible for the frequent failures of right fork seals.
Handling and general ride characteristics must be ranked among the world’s best. Rider and machine merge as one, with the bike perfectly obeying the rider’s commands. The confidence that the Commando inspires allows the rider the constant opportunity for safe yet spirited cycling.
Provided that the engine mountings are kept properly shimmed, the Commando must be pushed extremely hard to get any noticeable uneasiness. However, when considering that most mob^^ cycles begin to feel a little ragged WCTT before their limits are reached, the Commando’s handling is near ideal.
Norton Commandos meet and exceed all that I require in cycling, because I insist that motorcycles must be judged on running performance before looks or maintenance reputation. motorcycle may well be very technical, but motorcycling is a very personal and emotional experience. I've found home. Geoff Brown Ottawa, Ont., Canada
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HONDA VS. SUZUKI
I bought a new 1973 Honda CB100 last August. Two days later a friend of mine bought a new Suzuki TCI00, the one with the dual-range four-speed trans. The reason I am writing is to tell you some of the things that have happened to each bike since they were purchased.
Both bikes were broken in properly for the recommended 600 miles. My Honda has 2857 miles, while my friend’s Suzuki has about 75 less. I still have the original NGK plug in mi|^ while he cleans his plug each week, aSr replaces it about every three weeks.
Through the quarter mile it’s a laugh to think that he could beat me —he’s never come closer than about six lengths. The place where his Suzuki excels is in the dirt and on trails and hills. But I really shouldn’t expect a CB100 to excel in that area.
My top end is somewhere around 70 flat-out with no wind. We have no idea what the Suzuki’s top end is, because it never fails to foul a spark plug at about 55, and that’s the honest truth.
Gas mileage is also something that I want to mention. I get about 75 mpg at a cruising speed of 50, while he gets about 40.
The only bad things that have happened to either bike is that he broke a windshield that was claimed unbreakable by the dealer, while I bent a set^fc one-inch crash bars during a jump from a homemade dirt ramp when I landed with a crossup.
The crash bars proved to be worth their price tag, though, since I was unhurt. So was the Honda, except for a left rear blinker; the second one I had ever broken. I also am on my third clutch lever; they just break too dang easy.
The Suzuki also has had trouble keeping blinkers on it. Right now it has no rear blinkers. No taillights either, although the brake lights do still work.
My bike has never failed to start. NOT ONCE. My friend’s bike is also decently reliable—it has failed to start only three times in seven months. Each time we could find nothing wrong; it just didn’t want to go, although it would run fine that same evening Weird, really weird.
I really do need a luggage rack for my CB, but I don't want to pay the $19.95 that my smiling Honda dealer thinks it's worth. Anyone got some help?
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Stanley Stewart Moran, Tex.
ACCIDENTALLY OWNS TWO
I am the proud owner of not one, but two Suzuki GT380s. My first 380 was purchased late in 197 2. I have yet to regret my choice. With only 7000 miles on it, I have not encountered any major problems. Other than the usual filling of the oil tank and lubing the chain, it has remained rather troublefree.
Once, after I had had the bike about six months, it developed an odd problem. It would blow fuses quite irregularly. I would just be riding down the highway, and all of a sudden the bike would just die. After about five fuses, I took the bike to my Suzuki dealer, and he found the problem and repaired it under warranty.
I use my 380 mostly for highway use and this is where it excels. The Suzuki has no noticeable vibration at any speed. This is due to the fact that the engine is rubber-mounted. Sitting at an idle, the engine jumps around a lot, but riding down the road, you can’t feel a tingle.
One of the best things about the bike is its relative silence. Those four exhaust pipes really do their job. When I ride with another motorcycle, I usually can’t even hear my own engine running.
As for the reason that I came to own two 380s, well, one day I was slowly driving through this town I’d never been to before, when I had to stop at a four-way intersection. As I crossed the intersection, I kept checking traffic to either side of me. Unfortunately, at this time, some old guy in a new ’73 Olds decided that he’d back out of his angled parking stall.
I looked ahead just in time to see this big taillight, and the next thing I knew they were picking me and my bike up off the street. I was okay, but the bike was in bad shape.
My Suzuki dealer said that it would be more than a month before all of the parts that it needed would be in. So, not wanting to be without a bike for a month, I purchased a new 1973 Suzuki 380. My old 380 is now repaired, and I intend to sell it just as soon as spring arrives. Someone is going to get a very good motorcycle.
Michael McQueary Osawatomie, Kansas
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KAWASAKI TRAIL BIKE
I bought my Kawasaki F-l 1 250cc trail bike new in Nov. of 1973. It presently has^ about 2000 miles on it.
To start things off right, the weather the day I got it was cold—in the 20s and windy. I figured I’d have to monkey with the bike and really put the heavy on it to start it. But it started first kick.
I headed to the boonies to try my luck. The clutch, I discovered,would operate with two fingers. I applied the front brake at 20 mph with moderate pressure. I haven’t used the front brake since. It threw me on my nose. No damage to bike or rider.
I full-throttled it in fourth gear and the tach went straight to 3500 with no problems. But fifth gear at 3500 was a different story. It leveled off for about 30 seconds, and then the engine started flooding. This problem was solved by backing off the throttle 1/8 of a turn and then revving the engine back to 3500 again. No more trouble.
When climbing a hill in first gear and really pouring on the juice, I found that the Kaw doesn’t need more than a /4-inch turn to make it up a 45 degree hill.
The front shocks will bottom on a really hairy bump, but the rear shocks will take anything. I weigh 185 and for that weight I would say the rear shocks are good.
The trials tires are good for about anything except sand. I couldn’t get anywhere down a dry creek bed.
The only other complaint I have about the bike is that the chain has a nasty habit of getting progressively looser, so that it has to be tightened every 200 miles.
The people at H.D. Guffey in Kirksville have given me great service and I have only had to replace spark plugs and oil in 2000 miles. It’s a great bike.
Mike Dickson Milan, Mo.
ADVICE TO KAWASAKI
I just couldn’t resist writing when I read Edward M. Blackoff’s letter about the fuel tank capacity of his Z-l Kawasaki in “Feedback” Mar. ’74.
Although I agree that the capacity of the tank isn’t what Kawasaki claims it is, I really can’t believe that the guy is naive enough to run out of gas twice. Also, I wonder what Mr. Blackoff expects Kawasaki to do about it.
They have several alternatives: they could manufacture him a one-off special tank, 0.7 gal. bigger, (which would also look 0.7 gal. bigger and maybe open a whole new “nitpicking” door); or they could replace all the Z-l gas tanks, oj^ which nobody else has complained; dQ they could ignore him and maybe he’d go away; or they could tell Mr. Blackoff to back off and go buy a bulbous BMW and measure the capacity of their tank for a change.
Gary Metcalf Owen Sound, Ont., Canada
SUPER RAT RETURNS
I am writing in response to David Miller’s letter in the Feb. ‘74 issue of CW, in which he called the Super Rat “Hodaka’s boss oinker.” In March of 1970 I bought a Hodaka Ace 100B. I paid $450 for it and have never invested $450 better.
The Hodaka was really a screamer and kept up fairly well with the bigger bikes I was riding with. Well, it’s been four years and no telling how many^ miles, and I’ve gone through two sets o^ rings, a number of tires and a few chains (my only complaint). Why Hodaka put a 420 rather than a 428 chain on the bike I don’t know.
I’ve never broken a clutch or brake lever, although I’ve taken hundreds of falls, and they look like snakes fr~ being bent and rebent.
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Last summer I raced the bike twice and took a 2nd and then a 1st. I live in Utah where there are hundreds of miles of desert; and I've been over many of them wide open.
Last tall I put everything back on the bike (I had it stripped until then), and am using it to run around campus at U.S.U. But wait until next summer. Off come the lights and it's back to the dirt! Florin Owens Duchesne, Utah
In your Feb. `74 issue I read a letter from a David Miller who had numerous problems with a Hodaka. I, being a Hodaka addict, would like to counter him.
I have owned two, and each cam with a main jet that was two sizes t big. They ran cleanly, but ate plugs hand over fist. On my second Hodaka, I put the correct main jet in right from the first. I use a plug every 700 miles and it doesn't foul, it just starts running lousy on the top end of the rpm scale.
I ride mine on the street now and then, but I usually ride it in the dirt. I have never bent, broken or felt the frame give. Incidentally, I weigh 195 pounds. I have never had any trouble with my shocks and the forks do work great.
The levers will bend back, but below 60 degrees you need to warm them up with your hands. Altogether, I think Hodakas are the best small bike available.
I have owned six bikes, and now own a Honda CL35OKS and a Suzuki T250 II with chambers. Both are good bi for transportation and a few thrills no and then; but for a thrill a minute, ride a Hodaka in the dirt. One last thing. The amazing part about Hodakas is that anything you do to them in the line of performance modifications works incredibly well.
Joseph A. Byrd Cedar Rapids, Iowa
HONDA CB350
I have a favorable report to offer on my Honda CB350K3. I am 50 years old and use the bike mostly for in-town and suburban weekend riding. However, because of the energy crisis, I plan to use it for transportation to work when the weather permits.
Asaresult of using the bike only for weekend riding, I have only 2050 miles on it and the machine is out of warrant (on time). I do keep the machine 1 immaculate shape, and since I am a mechanical engineer, I greatly enjoy tinkering with and tuning it, etc.
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However, for some reason, the lefthand muffler rusted out along both sides of the lower spot-welded seam. The right-hand muffler started to rust slightly also.
I complained to the dealer from whom I purchased the bike (and a CB100 before it), and he said that the only possibility would be to discuss the matter with the Honda factory representative. His service manager did so.
As a result, after two or three weeks, I had a new set of exhaust pipes and mufflers installed at no charge. I think that this was an action that reflects a high degree of integrity on the part of the company.
As for the local dealer, Honda Motor Mart in Warner Robins, Ga., the service department is easy to deal with. I have given them several opportunities to perform unnecessary repairs; and each time they have responded honestly, and have not recommended work that they felt was unnecessary.
So, I am generally satisfied with Honda and its dealers and thank them for this costly no charge repair.
Eugene J. Redmond Warner Robins, Ga.
YAMAHA 350
I began my motorcycling experience on a used 1969 350 Harley sprint. That bike shook so badly that I rarely rode over 50 mph. It was reliable though, and I put 5800 miles on it for a total of 8000 trouble free miles.
After two years I traded that bike for a new 1971 350 Yamaha. I didn’t even get it home before the plugs fouled at a stop sign. Yamaha seems to have a policy of setting the autolube to allow more oil than usual into the cylinders for the first 500 miles. This can certainly be frustrating to a new buyer. I gained a lot of experience tinkering with that two-stroke, and eventually, with the dealers help, (he gave me free at least three sets of plugs that I remember) the bike was broken in.
The bike handled very well and I began imagining myself a road racer. I added clip-on bars and didn’t have to imagine so much anymore. Vibration was minimal Gust a slight tingle at 75) and the bike had plenty of steam for touring at 70. Two-up riding was not extremely comfortable on trips over 50 miles without stops. Also the bike had to work pretty hard since I weigh 198, which is almost two right there. My trip range was extended from the Harley shaker, but I was too often beset with minor problems.
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The R5B destroyed plugs at anyti^^ before 300 more miles on the trip set. One set would go 275 miles and foul, the next set would last only 120 miles of the same kind of driving. The more expensive gold-type plugs were no better—the big difference being that they whiskered before they fouled. This may have been the result of poor air cleaners rather than poor design of the plug. I still didn’t get over 300 miles out of one set of plugs. I sold the bike at 6480 miles in order to purchase a larger machine.
Choosing a big bike was quite a problem for me since I was very spoiled by the great handling qualities of my little Yamaha. Being in a large motorcycle club gave me the opportunity to ride several Honda 750s and Yamaha 650s. Unfortunately, the Japanese don’t make any big bikes that rate with my 3^| Yam for road-holding abilities and com fidence through the corners. Except, perhaps, the 500 Honda and maybe the 500 Yam which are both too far down on power for me.
I test drove a 750 Norton and a 750
BMW. I finally bought a 1973 750 Triumph Bonneville. This bike takes no back seat at all to my little Yamaha when it comes to handling. It is also much more reliable for general street use and does not vibrate too much for touring. I now have 7000 miles on the bike with no break downs and only a new set of plugs at 6000 miles (I may not have needed them but I was paranoid after the Yamaha).
My bonny was a full $456 cheaper than either the Norton or the BMW. It only weighs as much as a 450 Honda and the power at all engine speeds^^ fantastic. My only problem now is tll^P some of the touring accessories I would like don’t seem to be available for the bike.
Jeff Baker Orrville, Ohio
