1974 Norton Commando 850

Excellent Unmolested Nearly 100% Original Bike, 9800 Miles, Ready to Ride

This Bike:

From what we were told from the previous owner, this 1974 Norton Commando 850 is a nearly 100 percent original bike. It is in excellent original condition. It has also been serviced and is fully ready to ride. Earlier this year it was fitted with new tires, a new exhaust, a protective coating inside the gas tank, a new front fender, and had a full service. But otherwise it appears to be all original, including all original paint and chrome.

The service items included an oil change for the primary and the gear oil, a master cylinder rebuild, a new kickstart assembly, a new air filter, new tires and a new exhaust. All the lights, horn, and signals work correctly.

The cosmetics on the bike are well preserved and original. It has not been overly polished and retains the look of an honest original and unmolested bike. The paint on the tank is beautiful and shiny. There are a few very small nicks on the right side of the tank, and on the bottom left of the tank there are a few hairline cracks. The right side-cover has a few small nicks in the paint.

This is a excellent opportunity to acquire a great original Commando in original paint. The bike runs extremely well and, as far as we can see, needs nothing. Shifting is smooth and power is excellent and delivered smoothly. It is a one or two kick bike. Good original bikes are the hardest to find. And as we have found with this bike, they are also the best to ride.

The bike was recently featured on Cafe-Culture.de

History of the Commando:

The origins of the Norton Commando can be traced back to the late 1940's when the Model 7 Twin was first launched. The twin cylinder design evolved into the 650cc Dominator and 750cc Atlas before being launched as the 750cc Commando in 1967.

The first model introduced by newly formed Norton Villiers Ltd – at London’s 1967 Earls Court Show – was the unusually styled Commando Fastback. While retaining Norton’s sturdy 750cc twin cylinder engine, the Commando engine mounts – within a specially designed frame – were part of a new and remarkably efficient anti-vibration system, known as Isolastic, which effectively isolated the motor’s oscillations as soon as engine speed exceeded 2,500 rpm. The new model was thus a mix of innovation and tradition. Forks, hubs, and transmission were as fitted to earlier Nortons (and long proven in service), so it was the forward-inclined engine, the sharply angled rear shocks, and those snazzy cast alloy foot peg carriers which broke the new ground.

The first 850cc machines were launched in April 1973. The engines of these bikes had similar power to the 750cc models but were less stressed (some of the 750cc models had proved to be unreliable with main bearing and head gasket problems).

Courtesy of Bonhams and http://website.lineone.net/~alan.shaw/nortonhist.htm

Please use the contact box below for any questions, call 631-318-0155 or simply email info@northeast-sportscar.com