We were discussing real motorcycles recently (Nort pics)

Had it out yesterday to get it good 'n warm to change the oil; snapped a couple of pics when I got back.

 

Looks great Fitz. It's amazing how much space there is around the engine and frame compared to the XJs.

 

Great looking bike Fitz, its a real beauty!

 

Took the words right out of my mouth. She IS a real beauty.

 

And I thought the XJ was simple...
Gives new meaning to 'naked'. I like the tires.

 

Looks like a really fun ride, Fitz.

 

Fitz, can you make your Commando "hop" down the road on the center stand?

my father in law used to have a lot of fun with his old 850.. He's restoring a 750 Scrambler right now...

Looks awesome, by the way!

 

WOW, that's very cool my man... Just out of curiosity whats the value on something like that? Don't really follow the classic bike market but it would be interesting to know

 

parts must be a royal PAIN to get.. ive never heard of norton before... are they still making motorcycles?

 

Excellent specimen.

I remember my neighbor having a Norton and getting arrested for running it straight piped on some Nitro-methane and breaking windows in the local grade school as he whizzed-past!

Fine looking example of what Motorcycling was all about!

 

as for how much its worth... i saw one on ebay just now for 5200, 16 hrs to go tho

 

This must be the one. Exact match to Fitz's bike.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Norton-8 ... 240%3A1318

Pretty impressive...I'm putting it on my watch list to see where it sells. Heck at this rate maybe investing in Nortons is better than the stock market!

 

OR how about this fixer-upper...$1800 with a bid, no reserve! I'm afraid to ask how much it would take to restore...but Fitz enquiring minds want to know :wink:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Norton-A ... 0302828961

 

But........but........but this is an XJ forum. We ALWAYS discuss real motorcycles here!

Lovely Norty BTW.

 

OK, one at a time: No, Schooter, they haven't made them like that since 1975. Parts are NOT hard to get at all, the Norton Commando enjoys one of the largest populations of still-operational vintage bikes short of the early Triumphs. Norton still produces and sells parts. The tires are the same brand/type that came on the bike, Dunlop "Roadmaster TT100" K-81 4.10X19 front AND rear. (They still sell those too.) Clean original Commandos can go upwards of $10K-$12K. The red one on eBay is an Interstate model, had a larger gas tank and downswept pipes for saddle bag clearance. NICE SPECIMEN I would expect the price to climb in the final hours of the auction. The "fixer-upper" is an Atlas, a 750 PRE-Commando model that is a very nice bike but NOT a distance ride if you want to keep your dental work. Much more rare than the Commando because most of them literally shook themselves to bits. (The Commando has an "isolastic" engine mounting system to isolate vibration and it works.) Fully restored, that Atlas would be worth close to $20K. Last but not least, my bike is 99% original and I am its original owner, I bought it brand new for $1695.00 out the door. It is priceless to me and I would never consider selling it.

 

i know all about nortons, jackie gleason had one

 

Very nostalgic topic. I'd forgotten Isolastic suspension, and nearly forgotten non-unit gearboxes. They certainly made maintenance easier, but ensured that it had to happen much more frequently. (and, of course, gave any oil left in the bike a whole new choice of escape routes!)

Apart from the vibration, the great fault of the Atlas was that its motor began as a 500cc. By the time it had been bored and stroked to 850cc, there wasn't much left to attach the barrels to!

I never had a Norton 850, but did ride a Royal Enfield Constellation, which had a similar problem.

 

My Nort has 45000 original miles on it and I have never really had an oil leak issue, The only spots on the garage floor are from the stupid authentic but useless "automatic chain oiler" that it has. I blocked it off years ago but it still "seeps" a little oil through and tends to collect chain lube which combines with the seepage to drip. No oil leaks from motor or gearbox ever, but I do replace shaft seals regularly. The bike simply requires a lot more ongoing routine maintenance and tuning than my Yammies. I've never done away with the original dual-points ignition, but then again valve adjustment is WAAYYYY easier...