Norton Commando 961 Breaks Land Speed Record

[bubba zanetti]

Norton Commando Breaks Land Speed Record

September 1, 2010

By Cycle Canada

A Norton Commando 961SE claimed the land speed record in the 1000cc Production Push-rod class this past Monday at the Bonneville Salt Falts in Utah, USA.  Alan Cathcart rode the Commando to an average top speed of 129.191mph (207.913kph), shattering the previous record of 126.398mph (203.418kph) achieved on a Buell last year.

Carthcart, who piloted a Triumph Thruxton and a Bonneville  to a total of 5 records at the legendary salt flats in 2009, said, “It’s nice to put Norton back in the record books for the first time in so many years. The fact we did it on a box stock bike exactly as delivered to any Norton customer makes it all the sweeter”.

The BUB Trials happen each year on the Utah Salt Flats. You can ‘Run whatcha brung’ and watch contenders trying to break world land speed records. Cathcart and crew are at Bonneville for the rest of the week with their official Norton entry, attempting record breaking runs in as many classes as possible.


http://www.cyclecanadaweb.com/articles/8881/

[bomber]

Quite a feat! Well done, Norton!

[garry]

Is 130 MPH really that hard for a push-rod twin? I know it takes HP to get top speed and HP is limited by the lower redlines on a big push-rod twin. I dunno, I would have guessed the record was more like 150 MPH.

Props to Norton though. I've loved that bike since the first Dreer prototypes started showing up in magazines.

[ANZAC]

Hat's off to Alan and the Norton team - great to see this happen and can't wait to see one in the flesh  

[dorklord]

Wow. I wonder how fast it'd go with a well-streamlined fairing?

This reminds me of that Roland Sands 200mph victory project. What did they hit with that 1700 cc, faired thing? 147?

[bomber]

Is 130 MPH really that hard for a push-rod twin? I know it takes HP to get top speed and HP is limited by the lower redlines on a big push-rod twin. I dunno, I would have guessed the record was more like 150 MPH.

Props to Norton though. I've loved that bike since the first Dreer prototypes started showing up in magazines.

Yep, especially for the first run on the salt.

The altitude and lack of traction make speeds achieved at Bonneville lower that what a non-LSR* vehicle might make elsewhere. In other words, this bike will almost certainly go faster at sea level, and on asphalt.

Note, it's a production class -- I don't think they can even change gearing, so, yeah, a buck 30 is pretty darned respectable.

*Outright LSR vehicles, of course, don't have many places to stretch their legs.

[bubba zanetti]

Cathcart has a great job !  

[1KPerDay]

Is 130 MPH really that hard for a push-rod twin?

The key word here is "production."

[ANZAC]

Brit bikes are making a name form themselves  

What say you Papa ?

[Snowbird]

Yep, especially for the first run on the salt.

The altitude and lack of traction make speeds achieved at Bonneville lower that what a non-LSR* vehicle might make elsewhere. In other words, this bike will almost certainly go faster at sea level, and on asphalt.

Note, it's a production class -- I don't think they can even change gearing, so, yeah, a buck 30 is pretty darned respectable.

*Outright LSR vehicles, of course, don't have many places to stretch their legs.

And the salt surface provides a high rolling resistance, again making things difficult.

[fotomoto]

By Cycle Canada
average top speed of 129.191mph (207.913kph), shattering the previous record of 126.398mph (203.418kph) achieved on a Buell last year.

 

[jfurf]

Yep, especially for the first run on the salt.

The altitude and lack of traction make speeds achieved at Bonneville lower that what a non-LSR* vehicle might make elsewhere. In other words, this bike will almost certainly go faster at sea level, and on asphalt.

Note, it's a production class -- I don't think they can even change gearing, so, yeah, a buck 30 is pretty darned respectable.

*Outright LSR vehicles, of course, don't have many places to stretch their legs.

Production is very strict. Not even aftermarket exhausts are permitted. Don't ask me how we found that out.  

[bubba zanetti]

 

   It is a Canadian thing. We shatter easily.

[dorklord]

 

A > 2% increase in a top speed record is actually pretty significant.

[chornbe]

Is 130 MPH really that hard for a push-rod twin? I know it takes HP to get top speed and HP is limited by the lower redlines on a big push-rod twin. I dunno, I would have guessed the record was more like 150 MPH.

Props to Norton though. I've loved that bike since the first Dreer prototypes started showing up in magazines.

I think it's the combination of shitty aeros, sub-1000CC and the limited RPM range.

[Kneescrubber]

Matt Capri is no stranger to Bonneville.

[falconati]

Not to mention it looked really good breaking the record  

[kevin_stevens]

Dang.  Not to deprecate, but the BMW S1000RR just went 196 in stock trim as well.  I wouldn't have thought there was nearly that big a difference - maybe 30mph, but not 60.    For that matter I'd have thought the Buell was faster than that, my stock 1125CR dynoed at 130RWHP at 130mph in 4th at 94 degrees ambient this summer.  Must be something in the salt.

KeS

[falconati]

Pushrods...

[Blunder]

Pushrods...

...and aero...

[kevin_stevens]

Pushrods...

Yeah, I guess.  And not so much just pushrods, but the scarcity of pushrod performance motorcycle engines?

KeS

[1KPerDay]

Yeah, I guess.  And not so much just pushrods, but the scarcity of pushrod performance motorcycle engines?

KeS

PRODUCTION pushrod performance motorcycle engines. There are a great number of drag-race/performance houses who will be happy to build you a 150+HP pushrod harley clone engine. Nobody puts them in production machines becase:

1. cost
iv. longevity
9. water-cooled DOHC multi-cylinder engines make more power easier and cheaper and more reliably. They're just more boring.

[Galo]

And don't forget.....at 4320 feet above sea level, normally-aspirated engines are losing about 13% of their horsepower -about 3% per thousand feet ASL  

[dorklord]

Dang.  Not to deprecate, but the BMW S1000RR just went 196 in stock trim as well.  I wouldn't have thought there was nearly that big a difference - maybe 30mph, but not 60.    For that matter I'd have thought the Buell was faster than that, my stock 1125CR dynoed at 130RWHP at 130mph in 4th at 94 degrees ambient this summer.  Must be something in the salt.

KeS

 

Not sure how the liquid cooled, DOHC Buell 1125 motor is supposed to be comparable to a pushrod twin (air cooled, as well)?