Author Topic: This is one UGLY Norton!!  (Read 1846 times)

Online JJ

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 19635
  • Life is meant to ENJOY...not "endure."
  • Location: Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
This is one UGLY Norton!!
« on: October 27, 2021, 08:40:30 PM »
Hard to imagine back in the day, these were actually manufactured and sold to the public....(IMHO)  :rolleyes: :shocked:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-norton-commando-750-8/
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG
'98 V10 Centauro GT
Village of Oak Creek, AZ

Offline Turin

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 5146
    • crap and stuff
  • Location: Chandler, Arizona
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2021, 09:20:42 PM »
It's a set of drag bars and a seat away of being something really slick.
1997 Daytona RS
1991 Rennsport California III
1991 LeMans 1000
1987 LeMans SE Dave's Cycle Racer
1984 LeMans III
1985 Sidlow Guzzi
1974 850-T Sport
1969 A-series Ambassador
1996 Triumph Daytona 1200
1996 Triumph Daytona 900
1982 Alfa Romeo GTV6 Balocco SE 3.0

Offline nc43bsa

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1353
  • Location: Mooresville NC
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2021, 09:55:52 PM »
Even when they were new, quite a few, if not most, were converted to Roadster spec.

I know a former dealer who still has new take-off seats and sissy bars.

That being said, I also know of one Hi-Rider that is still on the road in original trim, although it has been repainted.
1990 MilleGT

Online tazio

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • Posts: 2730
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2021, 05:03:50 AM »
Ain't gonna come cheap..


As seen at this year's Concours d'Elegance "Riding into History" in St.Augustine,Florida..



« Last Edit: October 28, 2021, 05:22:00 AM by tazio »
Current Fleet
2015 Moto-Guzzi GRiSO
1972 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 350 Sprint
1967 Kawasaki 650 W2TT
1966 Triumph Bonneville

Wildguzzi.com

Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2021, 05:03:50 AM »

Online Scout63

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 2682
  • Location: Orleans, MA USA
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2021, 05:27:22 AM »
A commando with bell bottoms. I’ve never seen the power port located on the air cleaner.
Ben Zehnder - Orleans, MA USA

Online JoeB

  • Gaggle Mentor
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Location: NWPA
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2021, 05:58:19 AM »
Never had one, but takes me back to my high school days when I would study their ads.

« Last Edit: October 28, 2021, 05:59:24 AM by JoeB »
It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.

Online chuck peterson

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 5210
  • Location: New Haven CT
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2021, 06:17:45 AM »
I’m remembering almost everyone putting on buckhorn chopper bars no matter what they owned..first thing you did when you brought it home

YaMAha 350 2 stroke? Ape hangers…I think it was a “Then Came Bronson”… thingee. Saw them on every model made at the time. Almost a standard procedure no matter the model

Maybe it was leftover from the schwinn bicycle ape hangers?





"I'd like to thank all my friends who have kept my Guzzi's going, but mostly...TOMB."
150k on Verts
750 Nevada
400f
R5 Yammie
BV250
4x 1976 Moto Demm Smily,, now 5, oops now 6, oops now 7
1980 SP1000 in little bits and pieces

Offline mechanicsavant

  • Gaggle Mentor
  • ****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 569
  • Location: wales ma.
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2021, 07:01:38 AM »
Ah , yes almost any bike looks better with a “Norton girl” on it .

LesP

  • Guest
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2021, 07:02:28 AM »
A commando with bell bottoms. I’ve never seen the power port located on the air cleaner.

That is a 1971 Hi Rider (20M3S engine with the camshaft breather and hose on the L/H side of the engine) not a 1972 but most likely first  registered that year (1972)
The first year for the power take off was 1971 and only year where its body was steel and mounted on the air filter plate, the more familiar rubberised plug mounted on the right of the battery tray from 1972 to 1975.

Here is a NOS plug I picked up for my 1971 Fastback.



The Hi Rider was made 1971 through to 1975.

Online PeteS

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 3190
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2021, 08:17:27 AM »
Amazingly original. He has a replacement sidestand but original center stand with added gussets. Both junk when new. Broke my sidestand 3 months after new when the frame lug broke off. Next year they changed the mount. The center stand wasn’t much better. I had to weld mine up three time before putting a MKIII stand on it. 71’s came new with multiple problems like the brazed in rear drum lugs that broke off locking up the rear wheel and no retaining washer on the clutch drum nut that allowed the clutch to fall off two thousand miles from home. BTDT.

Pete
« Last Edit: October 28, 2021, 08:19:58 AM by PeteS »

Online blackcat

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 8855
  • Location: USA
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #10 on: October 28, 2021, 08:17:52 AM »
That is a 1971 Hi Rider (20M3S engine with the camshaft breather and hose on the L/H side of the engine) not a 1972 but most likely first  registered that year (1972)
The first year for the power take off was 1971 and only year where its body was steel and mounted on the air filter plate, the more familiar rubberised plug mounted on the right of the battery tray from 1972 to 1975.

Here is a NOS plug I picked up for my 1971 Fastback.




The Hi Rider was made 1971 through to 1975.

Was the Hi Rider mostly made for the American market or was it also popular in Europe?  Nice find on the plug.
1968 Norton Fastback
1976 Lemans
1981 CX-100
1993 1000S
1997 Daytona RS
2007 Red Norge

Online JJ

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 19635
  • Life is meant to ENJOY...not "endure."
  • Location: Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #11 on: October 28, 2021, 09:08:43 AM »
It's a set of drag bars and a seat away of being something really slick.

Agreed...only two items to replace...a set of straight Superbike bars, and a stock seat!

 :thumb: :bow: :boozing: :cool: :wink: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG
'98 V10 Centauro GT
Village of Oak Creek, AZ

Offline rtbickel

  • Gaggle Mentor
  • ****
  • Posts: 874
  • Location: Dallas
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #12 on: October 28, 2021, 09:14:34 AM »
Nothing a few hundred bucks couldn't fix and then it would be a pretty sweet ride.
2020 V85TT
2002 California Special Sport - The Black Widow
2014 California Touring - Stealth (Gone but not forgotten)

Online JJ

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 19635
  • Life is meant to ENJOY...not "endure."
  • Location: Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #13 on: October 28, 2021, 09:46:52 AM »
Nothing a few hundred bucks couldn't fix and then it would be a pretty sweet ride.

Just one example of a very tasty Norton...from the CNW - Colorado Norton Works!! - - but much more than a few hundred bucks!! :wink: :bow: :thumb: :boozing: :cool: :smiley:





Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG
'98 V10 Centauro GT
Village of Oak Creek, AZ

Offline Mr Pootle

  • Gaggle Mentor
  • ****
  • Posts: 540
  • Location: Live in Leeds
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #14 on: October 28, 2021, 11:07:08 AM »
The UK government is seeking to extradite the person who is responsible for what was done to that Commando. He's to be charged with what is the only remaining capital offence under English law -defacing beauty.

Offline Canuck750

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 2138
  • Location: Edmonton, Canada
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2021, 12:31:04 PM »
A good friend bought one brand new and managed to write it off rounding a sharp curve in the City, crashed the bike into a guard rail and other than being badly bruised, he walked away, sort of. Youth, booze and immortality is a dangerous mixture in ones late teens. The cops never charged him but the bike had no collision coverage and the bikes scrap value barley covered the value of a clapped out BSA 650 he picked up to keep riding.
48 Guzzi Airone, 57 Guzzi Cardellino, 65 Benelli 200 sprite, 66 Aermacchi Sprint, 68 Gilera 106 SS, 72 Eldorado, 72 Benelli 180, 74 Guzzi 750S, 73 Laverda SF1, 74  Benelli 650S, 75 Ducati 860GT, 75 Moto Morini 3-1/2, 78 Moto Morinii 500

Offline berniebee

  • 2020 Board Donor
  • Gaggle Mentor
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 570
  • Location: Ottawa, Canada
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2021, 12:54:05 PM »
Never had one, but takes me back to my high school days when I would study their ads.



Yes, I too "studied their ads". And you know, it did result in a strengthened throttle hand.


Offline Alfetta

  • Gosling
  • ***
  • Posts: 425
  • Location: Ozarks
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #17 on: October 28, 2021, 01:50:24 PM »
I think it was a “Then Came Bronson”… thingee. Saw them on every model made at the time.

I recall that show... dude riding about on his harly then you see him rippin a crosser 2 stroke, with a sportster sound track !!
guess about as good as watching the Duke's drive through a stack of empty boxes...

« Last Edit: October 28, 2021, 01:51:14 PM by Alfetta »
Nothing much better than a Tannat from the Salta region.

Online PeteS

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 3190
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #18 on: October 28, 2021, 01:58:48 PM »
The bars on Bronson’s Sportster weren’t much higher than a stock Norton Roadster. But it magically transformed itself into a dirt bike when he had to chase someone over the dirt.
I think Easy Rider had more to do with the high bar craze.

Pete

Online tazio

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • Posts: 2730
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #19 on: October 28, 2021, 02:07:24 PM »
Accurate or not,
I blame Disco ! :angry:
Current Fleet
2015 Moto-Guzzi GRiSO
1972 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 350 Sprint
1967 Kawasaki 650 W2TT
1966 Triumph Bonneville

Online JJ

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 19635
  • Life is meant to ENJOY...not "endure."
  • Location: Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #20 on: October 28, 2021, 02:09:04 PM »
Accurate or not,
I blame Disco ! :angry:

She is definitely from..."The Disco Era!!" :laugh: :grin: :wink: :thumb: :cool: :boozing:



Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG
'98 V10 Centauro GT
Village of Oak Creek, AZ

Offline Gino

  • Hatchling
  • **
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 192
  • Location: Scotland
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #21 on: October 28, 2021, 04:35:26 PM »
Funnily enough I did a short video at one of our meetings for a laugh directed at a hi rider owner I know
https://youtu.be/XDgxSLlFeC4

Gino

LesP

  • Guest
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #22 on: October 28, 2021, 05:20:12 PM »
Any Commando is better than no Commando.
It looks like even the posters on BAT do not know a 1971 bike from a 1972 which was a major chance year (for better or worse)
Based on the 1/6/72 (US-6/1/72) first sale date it sat for a long time waiting for a buyer but like 10's of 1000's of the over 50000 Commando's built never did any real mileage.

I can't see any point in changing what was fine looking to start with, Roadster wise anyway.




Online PeteS

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 3190
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #23 on: October 28, 2021, 05:25:01 PM »
Even if they missed the timed breather, the front drum brake should be a clue its not a ‘72.

Pete

Online Scout63

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 2682
  • Location: Orleans, MA USA
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #24 on: October 28, 2021, 05:37:15 PM »
Or the Interstate.




I am a fan of the 72 rear breather mount.  Makes installation of a CnW breather valve a snap.

I like all Commandos though, and at the risk of throwing gasoline on the fire I think the hi rider setup is less of an affront than left side shift.
Ben Zehnder - Orleans, MA USA

Offline twowings

  • Gosling
  • ***
  • Posts: 301
  • Comfortably Numb
  • Location: Enchanted Mountain
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #25 on: October 28, 2021, 05:41:21 PM »
JJ, I can envision YOU on this weird and wonderful time capsule in a fringed vest, bellbottoms, and a Joe Namath haircut!!  :grin:
Team Corse dal Delerium all'Oblivion
Moto Guzzi - 100 Anni Di Autentica Passione

LesP

  • Guest
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #26 on: October 28, 2021, 05:48:20 PM »
Even if they missed the timed breather, the front drum brake should be a clue its not a ‘72.

Pete

It was not uncommon to see a drum front brake on a 1972 Hi Rider.

Some folk have even suggested in the past the drum brake could be on other 1972 models also with the new for 72 disc brake not being a rubber stamp fitment.

Online Scout63

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 2682
  • Location: Orleans, MA USA
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #27 on: October 28, 2021, 06:10:34 PM »
It was not uncommon to see a drum front brake on a 1972 Hi Rider.

Some folk have even suggested in the past the drum brake could be on other 1972 models also with the new for 72 disc brake not being a rubber stamp fitment.

If I remember my reading correctly, the front disk was an option when first offered in 72 but was standard fitment for the combat-engined models.  Most of early combats were Interstates. I’m not sure how this is determinable given the completely non-informative VIN system.
Ben Zehnder - Orleans, MA USA

Online tazio

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • Posts: 2730
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #28 on: October 28, 2021, 07:06:52 PM »
Funnily enough I did a short video at one of our meetings for a laugh directed at a hi rider owner I know
https://youtu.be/XDgxSLlFeC4

Gino
Nice :thumb: Thanks :smiley:
I was grooving on that Buffalo fairing on the goose!
Current Fleet
2015 Moto-Guzzi GRiSO
1972 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 350 Sprint
1967 Kawasaki 650 W2TT
1966 Triumph Bonneville

Online JJ

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 19635
  • Life is meant to ENJOY...not "endure."
  • Location: Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Re: This is one UGLY Norton!!
« Reply #29 on: October 29, 2021, 06:13:43 AM »
JJ, I can envision YOU on this weird and wonderful time capsule in a fringed vest, bellbottoms, and a Joe Namath haircut!!  :grin:

That's probably the most frightening visual of the week!! :laugh: :grin: :wink: :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG
'98 V10 Centauro GT
Village of Oak Creek, AZ

 

20 Ounce Stainless Steel Double Insulated Tumbler
Buy a quality tumbler and support the forum at the same time!
Better than a YETI! BPA and Lead free.
Advertise Here