25 Years Ago September, 1968
25 YEARS AGO SEPTEMBER, 1968
What a shock to pull down the bound Cycle World reference volume, open it to the cover of the September issue, and find pictured there the best bike I never owned. It’s a Norton 750 Commando Fastback—the one with the low bars and the funny little hyper-streamlined rear fender that jutted straight out the back, instead of curving down over the contour of the rear tire. The 850s perhaps have more solid cult status, but I’ve always believed that the 750cc Commando engine was more reliable, less liable to vibrate you silly. The subhead to this test reads, “Is this the instant classic?” Answer: Absolutely. I wanted one then, I want one now.
• Roundup, written by Publisher and Editorial Director Joe Parkhurst, leads with a piece pointing to the reliability of some racing traditions. In it, Parkhurst wrote about his trip to the Isle of Man TT, which took place, then as now, in early June. Unfortunately, that year’s Senior TT was, Parkhurst said, “The dullest I have ever seen.”
• Have dual-purpose bikes come a long way, or what? Check out the ad for the 1968 Suzuki KT120 Bearcat. Like today’s bikes, this one relied on a box full of transmission ratios, but done just a bit differently.
. It had three for the street, three for the trail-kind of a high-range/lowrange deal. To switch, the rider kicked a side-mounted lever with the heel of his boot. Pretty tricky.
the heel of his boot. Pretty tricky. Proof that then, as now, we’ll ride anything? A test of a Vespa 150 Sprint. Again, the subhead said it all: “Surprise! Scooters can be fun.”
Jon F. Thompson
