Badge Engineering

I have now owned my 2008 Triumph Bonneville for almost two years and I can say it's been two years of bliss.  I love this bike.  It does everything I need it to do: it's fun, sort-of quick and it looks good.  In short, I am going to own this Bonneville for a long time.  I may be buried on it.

But there has been one thing that has bugged me since I bought it: the tank badges. 

In 2008, Triumph's Bonneville range received electronic fuel injection (EFI) in every market except the U.S., which received EFI in 2009.  And with this change came a new gas tank to house the electronic fuel pump.  Even though my Bonneville is a carbureted 2008, it has the new tank.

To offset the cost of the EFI, Triumph replaced the metal tank badges with lumps of chromed plastic.  I've hated those lumps of chromed plastic since the day I picked up the bike.

But hope lies ahead.  You see, Triumph left threaded bolt holes underneath the plastic badges on the 2008 models.  They're perfect for mounting metal tank badges.  I think you can see where this is going. 

I ripped off those horrid lumps of plastic and replaced them with proper, metal tank badges.  Finally, those cheap badges are gone!!

Here's how I did it:

First, I removed the tank from the bike.  Look at that ugly thing.  Yuk!

After getting the badge loose with some fishing line, I worked it off with a screwdriver and an old CD.  Not the best way but it was all I had.  Abigail Van Buren thinks it's a good idea.

There you have it: no badge and two bolt holes.  Check out the reflection in the tank.  Oh no, Thing has grabbed my camera!

And now the tank with the new metal badge.  I chose the "garden gate" style from the late fifties/early sixties.  These are available as a Triumph accessory for the 2007 and down Bonneville models.

And finally, that lump of plastic in the trash where it belongs.  Good riddance!

Dear Honda.

Dear Honda,

I was perusing your United Kingdom website, specifically the motorcycles, and I can't quite explain how lame your United States line-up is in comparison.  Where are the stunning naked sportbikes like the CB1300, CB1000, CB600F and the CBF1000? 

How come you don't send us your adventure models like the Varadero and the Transalp?  Don't say there's no market here because the Kawasaki dealer near me can't keep KLR650's in stock and I don't think BMW has any problems moving R1200GS's. 

Which new, fascinating models do we Americans get?  How about the CB1000R or the CBF600?  No, we get the DN-01 scooter thing and a chopper that's six years too late.  Thank you, Honda. 

Signed,

Adam Ramunno.


Yes, it seems Honda has forgotten about the U.S.  Lame is the only word to describe their line-up of 2010 models. 

Similar to a few years ago when they decided that the Civic car line was bought mainly by twenty-something-year-old girls named "Jenny" and didn't need its Formula One-derived suspension, Honda has decided that all Americans want either a cruiser or a sportbike.

This American doesn't want a cruiser or a sportbike.  This American wants an up-right riding position, low handlebars, a liquid-cooled four cylinder engine, that you can see, placed across the frame and a nice fairing painted white and red. 

This American wants a CB1300S.

The CB1300S has a whole bunch of goodies that make my mouth water:  114 horsepower, fuel injection, four cylinders, 5-speed gearbox, twin cams, 16 valves, and a proper riding position.  No bent-over-the gas-tank contortionist position guaranteed to wear you out in five minutes; just a nice comfortable riding position designed to keep you comfortable as you eat up the miles.  It even has adjustable front and rear suspension and a seat height low enough for my short legs.

What I like best is the styling.  It's no secret I'm a big fan of old bikes and one of my many favorites is the Honda CB1100R from the early eighties.  It was a big, loud, heavy rocket built to pound the pavement and obliterate those pesky Suzuki Katana's and Kawasaki GPz's. 

The CB1100R came complete with a big four cylinder engine (1,062cc), adjustable suspension, 120 horsepower and very skinny tires.  It also came painted in the fabulous Honda colors of white and red.  White and red bodywork, red frame, black engine and exhaust-just a sight to behold. 

The CB1300S is just as much a sight to behold.  It has those same great Honda colors, the same great, big four cylinder engine and the same wonderful four cylinder wail.  The modern touches like the wide tires on black aluminum wheels, the pointy fairing design and the aggressive headlamp all mix with the classic styling cues to create one great-looking machine. 

The closest thing to the CB1300S on American shores is the Suzuki Bandit 1250S.  It has a lot of the same features as the CB1300S and is a big, four cylinder bike with a proper riding position.  The problem, aside from being discontinued for 2010, is that it lacks that je ne sais quoi, that certain quality that makes it special.  It's forgettable, really.  Probably why it was discontinued.

The CB1300S has that certain quality in spades and it really is a shame that it is not for sale here in the U.S.  I can't say for sure if it would be a success, I'm probably the only one that wants one, but I can say for sure that Honda should try.  I mean, if Honda thinks there is a market for a scooter/sportbike thing like the DN-01, certainly they might think that the CB1300S could survive here.

Honda is a historic motorcycle company who has released tons of great motorcycles over the years.  It's kind of sad to look at their line-up today.  Honda has been such a large part of the American motorcycling scene that they are almost an American company.  I'd like to see them show us some love again and send us some good bikes.

I think we deserve better than the Shadow wannabe Harley that they've been selling for 30 years.  I can't be the only one.

What's there not to like about this machine?  Classic paint scheme, classic four cylinder layout, and modern performance.  You can even get ABS.  Yes, please.

Back in the early eighties, this was a monster; big, heavy and fast.  Those poor skinny tires had to try and control all of that power and torque.  You can definitely see where Honda got their inspiration for the CB1300S.  Good choice.

No cool bikes for you!  Europe gets the CB1300S and we get the DN-01.  Life just isn't fair at times.  What is this thing anyway, besides ugly? 

Norton's Return.

I'm just going to come out and say it: the Norton Commando is my favorite motorcycle. 

I like all of the different variants of the Commando sold from 1967 until 1977.  I like the Hi-Rider chopper wannabe, the Fastback, the Street Scrambler and the Interstate. 

My favorite variant is the Roadster, however.  It just looks so perfect.  It has a small 2.5 gallon gas tank and nice low handlebars.  When someone says motorcycle, I think Norton Commando Roadster. 

The Roadster shares its 750 and 850 parallel twins with the other Commando variants.  The twins had between 51 horsepower and 58 horsepower depending on the state of tune. 

Also available was the 750 "Combat" engine with 65 horsepower and high-compression pistons that was pretty fierce.

As with everything from Britain at the time, it had problems, however.  The Combat engine had an annoying habit of breaking its pistons and wiping out the main bearings.

The real party-piece of the Commando was its Isolastic frame.

Because a parallel twin engine is basically two single cylinder engines placed next to each other, they are relatively cheap and easy to produce.  The problem with the design is vibration.  Not an annoying buzz like a power tool but a full on, make-your-arms-go-numb vibration.  As you increase the displacement of the twin, the vibration gets worse.  Various British manufacturers had to deal with things like broken headlight bulbs and cracked frames due to vibration. 

If you've ever seen an old British bike sitting at a stop, you can actually watch the bike move along the ground as it vibrates.  When Norton debuted their 750 twin in the Atlas the vibration was appalling.

For the Commando, Norton devised a primitive rubber mounting system for the drivetrain.  The engine, transmission and swing arm were "isolated" from the frame in rubber mountings.  This meant the twin could vibrate to its heart's content and the rider could enjoy the motorcycle as well as being able to feel his arms. 

As with everything from Britain at the time, it had problems, however.  As the swing arm (the rear suspension) was mounted in rubber, keeping the system in the proper adjustment is paramount.  Too little free-play and the vibration would be back.  Too much, and the handling would get very interesting as the swing arm would slide back and forth.

By now you're probably looking at the post title and wondering why I'm talking about an old Norton.  Well here's the reason:  Norton is back!

Norton was not exempt from the British motorcycle collapse of the 70's and closed its doors in 1977.  In the subsequent years, several owners with big dreams and deep pockets have tried to resurrect Norton and failed. 

There were some Norton models built in the 80's with Wankel rotary engines but they were expensive and unreliable.  An American company called Vintage Rebuilds began producing an 880 Commando based on old Commandos with bored-out engines and modern components in 1995. 

Vintage Rebuilds debuted a 961SS Commando with a host of high-tech parts in 2000 but had to shut down operations in 2006 due to money problems.  Stuart Garner, an English businessman, has secured the rights to Norton and for the foreseeable future, the company has some security.

I'm not sure how to feel about the 961 Commando, though.  It kind of looks like an old Commando, much the same way my new Bonneville looks like an old Bonneville.  But then, it really doesn't. 

The new Commando has some high-tech stuff like adjustable suspension, big Brembo brakes, a 5-speed gearbox and a whole bunch of carbon fiber bits.  But then it also has a full steel frame and a dry-sump, pushrod parallel twin with 80 horsepower.  That's not very high-tech.

It really looks like the new Commando was designed by a committee where one half wanted to make a sportbike and the other half wanted to make a retro bike.  It looks like in the end they said "screw it, we'll make it both". 

It just looks odd.

Oh, yeah, price.  You may want to turn away.  The base 961 Commando Sport starts at $18,839 and the top-of-the-line 961 Commando SE goes for an eye watering $25,121.  Those prices are converted from Great British Pounds to U.S. Dollars. 

What?!  I'm sorry but those prices are ridiculous. 

The Ducati 1198 superbike has adjustable suspension, carbon fiber stuff, Brembo brakes and 170 horsepower for $16,495.  Ducati's GT1000 lacks the adjustable suspension and carbon fiber but has Brembo brakes and 92 horsepower for $11,495.  Triumph's Thruxton 900 has adjustable suspension and 68 horsepower for $8,799. 

If Norton wants to be anything other than an extremely niche brand, it has to have more reasonable pricing.  One of the reasons Triumph was able to succeed when it was resurrected in the early 90's was their well designed, up-to-date and affordable products. 

It's hard to try and figure out who the new Commando is being marketed to.  It doesn't have the speed for the sportbike crowd but it's not retro enough for the retro crowd.

Maybe my opinion is skewed because I love the original Commando so much but I'm not impressed by the new Commando. 

An expensive niche product in hard economic times is not a sound business model nor is it a recipe for sustained success.  You may sell a few to rich guys with nothing better to spend their money on but what do you do when you run out of rich guys? 

Triumph and Ducati have released modernized retro bikes with similar power and equipment for thousands less.  It just doesn't make sense. 

I'd love to see Norton come back and follow Triumph's model for success but it won't happen until they move out of the niche market and into reality.

Perfection defined: a 1973 Norton Commando Roadster 750... 

And then oddity defined: the new 961 Commando.

Superbike Genesis.

There is quite a lot of debate among the motorcycling faithful about which bike is the first "superbike".  A superbike is a bike that pushes all of the technological boundaries.  A superbike is fast, high-tech and serious. 

One could point to the Triumph Trident, and its twin the BSA Rocket 3, as the first superbike.  When they debuted in 1968, they were the fastest thing you could buy on the road.  They were also the first mass-produced multi-cylinder motorcycle of the modern-era. 

Those people who say the Trident/Rocket 3 is the first superbike are wrong, however.

One could also point to the Honda CB750 as the first superbike.  In 1969, the CB750 was a space-ship in a world of paper airplanes.  It had four cylinders, four carbs, the first factory disc brake and cost less than the Triumph/BSA triples.  It also had more power too; 67hp for the Honda versus 58hp for the three cylinder Triumph.

Alas, those who say the CB750 is the first superbike are wrong too.

No, to find the first superbike, you have to go further back than 1968.  You have to go past the 1959 Triumph Bonneville, past all of the sporting British singles, past the four cylinder Gilera's and the Moto Guzzi V8 and land in the small English town of Stevenage.

In a shed, in 1948, you'll find the first superbike.  Here, you'll find genesis. 

You'll see the black enamel V-twin matching the black gas tank.  There are the polished alloy fenders, four drum brakes and low handlebar.  The innovative rear suspension and large, round speedometer catch your eye. 

The machine in question is the beginning, the grandfather of all modern superbikes.  It is the Vincent Black Shadow. 

The Black Shadow was unlike anything on the road in 1948.  It featured many innovations that would become standard on superbikes of the future. 

The Black Shadow, and the tamer Rapide, had a cantilever rear suspension like you'll find on many modern sportbikes and the Harley-Davidson Softail.  Most of the other motorcycles on the road at that time had no rear suspension at all.  Your spine was the rear suspension. 

The Black Shadow's drivetrain was of unitized, alloy construction when many contemporaries used iron and had a separate engine and transmission.  The 1,000cc V-twin had its compression ratio upped and delivered 55hp compared to the Rapide's 45hp. 

The powertrain also acted as a stressed member of the frame.  The entire motorcycle was basically bolted to the engine.  Walk in to any motorcycle dealer and look at their sport models.  Guess what you'll find: an alloy, unitized engine as the stressed member of the frame.

The "black" in the Black Shadow's name comes from its all-black appearance.  The only other colors on the bike were the polished fenders and the white numbers on the speedometer.  It was very menacing, to say the least.

A motorcycle like this is a natural for competition and Vincent did just that with the Black Lightning.  Weight was trimmed to 380lbs and the engine was pumped up to 70hp.  Race-track domination ensued. 

In 1948, American Rollie Free strapped on a bathing suit, jumped on a modified Black Lightning and rode it to a record 150.313mph pass.  Two years and several modifications later, Free broke his own record on the same Black Lightning with a 156.58mph pass.

All of this tech came at a price, a high price. 

The Black Shadow cost as much as some cars and was never a big seller.  Only 1,700 Black Shadows and 31 Black Lightnings were produced before the Vincent factory closed in 1955. 

The funny thing is, they're still expensive.  Black Shadows typically trade hands for around $100,000 now. 

The Vincent Black Shadow is one of those truly great machines.  Just as all supercars can trace their roots to the Lamborghini Miura, all superbikes can trace their roots to the Vincent Black Shadow.  To call it a legend is to undersell its importance. 

The Vincent Black Shadow is the grandfather, the alpha, the genesis of the superbike.

This is a 1950 Vincent Black Shadow Series C.  This is the final version of the Black Shadow before Vincent closed its doors in 1955.

This is probably the most famous motorcycle picture ever; Rollie Free making his 150mph pass on a Black Lightning.  The story goes he gained 2mph by removing the seat and his clothes.  Bravery or insanity?  You decide.