Oh, I really like this Commando!

[JJ]

There is a *** RESERVE *** on this bad boy.  Let's she what she brings!

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-norton-commando-850-19/

[PeteS]

Sweet bike, CNW bikes usually start at over $20K.

Pete

[sdcr]

That is a nice one, but boy, the peanut gallery is really taking the owner to task.

[Tom]

Bedroom slippers......   Is that a factory "colour"?   

[JJ]

Bedroom slippers......   Is that a factory "colour"?   

NOT a factory color, however, Norton did have a "French Blue" or "Fireflake Royal Blue",  for Commando's but much more mellow than this...and here is a photo.  I still like it, however...

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Beautiful!

Who cares if it's modified... the whole point is to ride it, why not make it run well and be reliable? Even if a few liberties are taken with the stock setup

[berniebee]

If it's not a stock colour, it should have been! That bike is a beaut.

 

[john fish]

That is a nice one, but boy, the peanut gallery is really taking the owner to task.

The anoraks can be a real pain in the ass.  We've had a few Nortons at my local bike meet.  (Next one is this Saturday, btw.) 

As I recall, he got a deal on this CNW, but I can't remember how much.





Very nice and stock, I think.  I'm no expert though.





Dr John's Norton rig.  He had some health problems and thought the sidecar would let him ride more.  He's since gotten rid of the 'car since it "tried to kill me" every time he rode it.





And this is Bill's.  He isn't quite sure how many bikes he has but his bikes get ridden hard.  His Norton Atlas blew up on the highway during a high speed run up to the meet.  Twice.  I don't mind modified bikes-- there are plenty of stock bikes still our there.




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[Mayor_of_BBQ]

is there a name for these style of slim reverse cone mufflers I always see on Nortons?  I mean besides long, slim, reverse cone muffler of course?

[oldbike54]

is there a name for these style of slim reverse cone mufflers I always see on Nortons?  I mean besides long, slim, reverse cone muffler of course?

 Pea shooter

Dusty

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

 Pea shooter

Dusty

Ok, cool. I always thought of a peashooter as the cylindrical non-tapered ones with the small exit pipe sticking out, which I do not care for... I guess those are called 'cannons'?
Like this:

[Tom]

That looks like a Cherry Bomb painted with hi-temp flat black exhaust paint aka barbeque paint.

[Don G]

Here is a set of Norton pea shooters on an Eldo, I use the aftermarket mufflers that have the Triumph style mounting brackets rather than the Norton type , they fit good and sound good as well. Quite affordable too.  DonG

[larrys]

Clearly not stock, but real purty. Can't see it going for what a correct restoration is worth, though. Just another nice custom. By the way, even the original Isolastic mounts were adjustable. I used to have to mess with mine regularly.
Larry

[Dave Swanson]

Fireflake Blue was an excellent color, but this example is not FFB.   With so many Commandos painted black it is always refreshing to see blue.  Although I don't understand why a little extra effort wasn't expended to get the color correct, it still looks nice. 

My Commando was originally Fireflake Blue, but was painted black by the 2nd owner during a restoration.

I have returned it to its previous rightful color.   With the help of a talented painter and pinstripe artist of course! 

[balvenie]

It's a beauty. The belt primary drive sounds good.

[bigbikerrick]

Fireflake Blue was an excellent color, but this example is not FFB.   With so many Commandos painted black it is always refreshing to see blue.  Although I don't understand why a little extra effort wasn't expended to get the color correct, it still looks nice. 

My Commando was originally Fireflake Blue, but was painted black by the 2nd owner during a restoration.

I have returned it to its previous rightful color.   With the help of a talented painter and pinstripe artist of course! 

Thats a gorgeous paint job, Dave!  You must have a painter that is a real perfectionist.
Rick.

[John Ulrich]

Make mine a fastback.

That's why I purchased a Bassa, has that look!

[Tom]

Didn't they do a red metal flake too?

[nc43bsa]

I don't think I've ever seen a stock Commando in red metal flake, but I have an Interstate that's Candy Apple Red.

[blackcat]

Didn't they do a red metal flake too?

In 71 they had a red but it wasn't metal flake.


In late 68 you could get an optional two-tone tank in red, blue and I think green.


The pin striping was applied while drunk and with a dirty paint brush.

I picked up this NOS tank about 10-12 years ago and it has the same poor quality as the above:



At the bottom of the tank you can see some marks where someone must have rubbed the tank while the paint was wet. I actually like the imperfections.

[PeteS]

My '71 is Signal Red and not painted but rather it was in the gel coat. It eventually faded and I repainted it with Dupont Acrylic Lacquer Signal Red. It was a perfect match. The bottom of my tank was left unpainted and the reds match. Signal Red is a stock color used on MGs and a lot of other Brit Vehicles as is British Racing Green.






Pete

[blackcat]

Pete
[/quote]

What size is that rear tire? Mine looks like a bicycle tire compared to your bike.

[Lannis]

It's a beauty. The belt primary drive sounds good.

You know, I've never understood the belt primary drive conversion on an old Brit.

I have 4 British riders (3 BSA, 1 Norton) with oil-bath chain primary drives, I do my own maintenance, and I can confidently say that the chain primary drive system is the LOWEST failure rate, LOWEST maintenance, LONGEST lasting, and HIGHEST efficiency part of the motorcycle!   

I read far more examples of belt drives shearing off teeth, overheating the alternator or clutch due to lack of oil, and other issues than I read of failures with primary chains .... ?

I've never really heard a good explanation of how it would improve the performance, reliability, or maintainability of any of my bikes if I installed a belt drive.   Electronic ignitions, yes, I'll hide my Luddite badge for a minute and install one.   AGM batteries, LED lights, gel inserts in the seat, guilty as charged, m'Lud.  But belt drives?

Lannis

[blackcat]

You know, I've never understood the belt primary drive conversion on an old Brit.

I have 4 British riders (3 BSA, 1 Norton) with oil-bath chain primary drives, I do my own maintenance, and I can confidently say that the chain primary drive system is the LOWEST failure rate, LOWEST maintenance, LONGEST lasting, and HIGHEST efficiency part of the motorcycle!   

I read far more examples of belt drives shearing off teeth, overheating the alternator or clutch due to lack of oil, and other issues than I read of failures with primary chains .... ?

I've never really heard a good explanation of how it would improve the performance, reliability, or maintainability of any of my bikes if I installed a belt drive.   Electronic ignitions, yes, I'll hide my Luddite badge for a minute and install one.   AGM batteries, LED lights, gel inserts in the seat, guilty as charged, m'Lud.  But belt drives?

Lannis

The primary on my bike leaks from the felt seal, which I've changed to a regular lipped seal but it still leaks. It is my only interest in changing to a belt but when I read about the problems with the belts, I think that I will stick with the leak. This weekend I'm going to pull everything apart again and see what went wrong after installing the new seal.

[Tom]

In 71 they had a red but it wasn't metal flake.


In late 68 you could get an optional two-tone tank in red, blue and I think green.


The pin striping was applied while drunk and with a dirty paint brush.

I picked up this NOS tank about 10-12 years ago and it has the same poor quality as the above:



At the bottom of the tank you can see some marks where someone must have rubbed the tank while the paint was wet. I actually like the imperfections.

That's the paint I remember.  So not oem but later oem.   

[PeteS]

What size is that rear tire? Mine looks like a bicycle tire compared to your bike.

Cat, its a 120/18. I put the 18" rim on back around '82. I wanted to go with more modern tires. Back then K81s and K70s were the choices for a 19" rear. I like skinny tires too for the quicker handling but on the Nort its didn't slow it down much.

Pete

[balvenie]

You know, I've never understood the belt primary drive conversion on an old Brit.

I have 4 British riders (3 BSA, 1 Norton) with oil-bath chain primary drives, I do my own maintenance, and I can confidently say that the chain primary drive system is the LOWEST failure rate, LOWEST maintenance, LONGEST lasting, and HIGHEST efficiency part of the motorcycle!   

I read far more examples of belt drives shearing off teeth, overheating the alternator or clutch due to lack of oil, and other issues than I read of failures with primary chains .... ?

I've never really heard a good explanation of how it would improve the performance, reliability, or maintainability of any of my bikes if I installed a belt drive.   Electronic ignitions, yes, I'll hide my Luddite badge for a minute and install one.   AGM batteries, LED lights, gel inserts in the seat, guilty as charged, m'Lud.  But belt drives?

Lannis

Lannis,
I have dreadful memories of my first bike, a bitzer Triumph 650 twin, which leaked unmercifully. If only I had had your help in those days Alas, I was my own mechanic ans a very bad one. Thankfully, I sold it the day before it blew up phew!!!

[Knuckle Dragger]

A JPS Norton special was the stuff of my schoolboy wet dreams, second perhaps to the exotic & rare Royal Enfield Interceptor 750.

[JJ]

A JPS Norton special was the stuff of my schoolboy wet dreams, second perhaps to the exotic & rare Royal Enfield Interceptor 750.

I too, have always thought these Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor's were magnificent looking machines...and I understand they all were quite fast for their day!!