TRL Commander Krauser

[TRL]

Hi everyone,Just got round to joining the forum. I bought the TRL Commander Krauser from Dave Perry back in June. It's my third Norton, I had a Dommie 600 way back when I was a teenager, then traded up to an Atlas, which I still own, and now the Commander Krauser. The Atlas is in the shed and needs a total rebuild, when I get around to it. Apart from a DMW I past my test on, I have always owned Nortons.

[gripper]

Hi TRL You might be interested in visiting the Shropshire branch of the NOC, second Thursday of the month at The Three Pigeons at Nesscliffe. That's about 6 miles short of Shrewsbury on the A5 (the old road not the Nesscliffe by-pass) We have a good selection of rotaries between us and North Wales is only ten minutes on a Commander!!Dave Evans

[kanonkopdrinker]

The ROC has just been offered a set of ex-TRL Commander exhausts for sale - still with the yellow paint on them ... I guess this is the bike you see on the film being crashed into the side of a car? If you read this Richard, how many Nortons did the TRL acquire? Are the pipes of any interest to anyone?

[Richard Negus]

As it was along time ago, I think there were two 'nice' working promotional bikes and six 'crashers'.The latter were built from production rejects and rebuilt over and over again by John McLaren and Reg Painter at the workshop in Hampshire. For Norton, a very profitable business as John & Reg also made all the leg-protector gubbins that had to fit inside the standard fairing.By the way, was that the same video that first showed the dummy, without leg-protectors, losing a leg in an oblique wall crash and then, with leg protectors, being launched off the bike, landing on his head and probably breaking his neck ? Both legs were intact though so probably a bonus for the ambulance crew !All should be aware that any parts painted with yellow emulsion should be checked very carefully, particularly frames and wheels.R.

[TRL]

Hi TRL You might be interested in visiting the Shropshire branch of the NOC, second Thursday of the month at The Three Pigeons at Nesscliffe.

Hi Dave,That sounds like an idea for next summer, with the nights drawing in now, its a bit far to venture in the dark and cold autimn evenings.

North Wales is only ten minutes on a Commander!!

I don't think my bike will do 4 miles a minute It would take me more like 50 mins to cover the 40 miles each way, especially with the Brunston's boys in blue so active up here.

[TRL]

... I think there were two 'nice' working promotional bikes and six 'crashers'.

Hi Richard,I presume the bike I now have was one of the promotional bikes, at least I hope it was and it does still seem to have the leg-protector mouldings on the fairing, but I believe the supporting frame was removed to make servicing a little easier.Where would I find the videos of the six 'crashers' in action, so to speak.And no I don't have any intention of testing the leg protectors myself, unless fate so demands.

...All should be aware that any parts painted with yellow emulsion should be checked very carefully, particularly frames and wheels.R.

I think I will pass on the yellow parts for now.Mike

[Richard Negus]

I presume the bike I now have was one of the promotional bikes, at least I hope it was and it does still seem to have the leg-protector mouldings on the fairing, but I believe the supporting frame was removed to make servicing a little easier.Hi Mike,Yours was certainly one of the demonstrators and, I think, originally grey ; the moulded pads on the fairing are not the leg protectors, but something to protect the rider's knees in sudden deceleration. That sounds a bit convoluted, but I guess you'll understand.The leg-protectors were actually a steel tube framework inside the fairing with a forward projection to stop the bike pitch-poling on hitting something solid (such as a car) and steel sheet conical boxes at the rear of the radiator designed to crumple and absorb energy in an accident.All this was taken off in the conversion to reduce weight and improve accessibility for servicing.Where would I find the videos of the six 'crashers' in action, so to speak.Not quite sure - too early for youtube. You could always ask TRL if they have any in their archives.R.