Yellow Peril: Norton Commando Production Racer

1 / 9
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
2 / 9
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
3 / 9
Picture yourself on this 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer.
Picture yourself on this 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer.
4 / 9
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
5 / 9
Ron Baillie’s 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer wears Amal Concentric carburetors.
Ron Baillie’s 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer wears Amal Concentric carburetors.
6 / 9
Ron Baillie’s 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer wears an AP Lockheed 270mm single front disc brake.
Ron Baillie’s 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer wears an AP Lockheed 270mm single front disc brake.
7 / 9
The rear SLS drum is vented.
The rear SLS drum is vented.
8 / 9
Front view of Ron Baillie’s 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer.
Front view of Ron Baillie’s 1971 Norton Commando Production Racer.
9 / 9
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer

1971 Norton Commando Production Racer
Top Speed:
131mph (period test)
Engine: 745cc air-cooled OHV parallel twin, 73mm x 89mm
Weight (dry/est.): 400lb (182kg)
Fuel capacity/MPG: 6gal (22.7ltr)/4.2gal (16ltr) stock
Price then/now: $1,900 (est.)/ $5,000-$14,000

The devil is in the details, they say. That certainly applies to racing motorcycles. It’s not just bolting together go-faster bits that wins races: It’s also the painstaking task of squeezing out more performance by incremental improvements; reducing friction and saving weight; blueprinting and matching components; machining, shaping, honing and polishing.

Take the Norton Commando Production Racer, for example. Though it certainly included some special performance parts, the engine wasn’t that far from a stock Commando. But by careful tuning, testing and assembly, the factory race department was able to find at least a dozen more ponies than a stock Commando. And it didn’t hurt that the competition shop had its own full-size test track!

Plumstead to Andover

  • Published on Oct 8, 2013
Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-880-7567