Add to that – or, more accurately, subtract from that – the Commander’s lighter wheels, meaning less rotating mass to accelerate. According to Warburton, the LT, thanks to its larger rear tire diameter, is geared slightly taller. However, even that differential doesn’t explain what the seat-of-the pants points out. of weight it doesn’t have to carry compared to the LT. The most obvious contributor to the Commander’s sprightlier attitude is the 70 lbs. At first blush, this seems impossible, but after some careful thought, the perceived disparity between the engines can be traced back to a combination of small but significant factors. While the LT is no slouch, delivering ample power for most riding situations, particularly the ones associated with its job description of light-duty touring, the Commander feels like a different motorcycle. With the engines being identical in every way – even down to their ignition and fuel mapping – you’d expect the Commander and the LT to behave, well, identically, and once again, an assumption proves to be wrong. The exhaust note is throaty while being kept within noise requirements by an active exhaust valve that stays open at low engine speeds but closes up at higher speeds to keep from frightening the horses. Only the exteriors differ, with the LT’s terminating in a tapered, tri-oval tip. The 2-into–1-into–2 pipes are particularly interesting in that the Commander’s and LT’s look quite different, but they are functionally identical. However, the power delivery was refined with a new airbox and exhaust system. The bore and stroke remain 107.1mm x 94.3mm, and the cylinders are fed by EFI, with the resulting power traveling through a six-speed transmission to the belt final drive. Yes, the 1,699cc mill is mechanically unchanged. While the primary emphasis was on the chassis with the Thunderbirds, the powerplant wasn’t completely ignored. However, before we discuss why this happens with such similar chassis geometry, we need to look at the suspension. The Commander’s naked styling implies that it would be the sportier of the new T-Birds, and in this case, it lives up to preconceptions. With numbers like these, you’d expect the Commander and LT to feel essentially the same out on the road, but you’d be wrong. (to 5.2 in.) from the Storm while the Commander’s trail measures 5.3 in. The bikes’ trail numbers differ for the same reason, with the LT’s being shortened 0.7 in. However, it is highly unlikely that the rider would feel this difference since it is largely outweighed by other factors, like tire profiles. Consequently, the LT’s rake is 29.9 degrees while the Commander with its 17-inch rim and low profile rubber yields a 30.1-degree rake. ![]() The LT with its 16-inch wheel and higher profile rear tire combine to make for a larger diameter. Interestingly, the wheel and tire combinations of the Commander and LT deliver slightly different rake and trail numbers for the models. To make the handling more agile, the steering head geometry was updated.
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