Show us the Norton!

Hey Fitz,

I hear a lot about your Norton. I know it's not XJ related, but can you post a couple of pics? I'm intrigued. It's British right? The part about the pistons travelling together but firing alternately is really interesting.

 

Ok, here you go. 1974 Norton Commando MK IIa Roadster. Bought brand new in 1975 as a "left over" but was correctly titled (rare in those days.)
The engine configuration was known as a "parallel twin" and was common to most old British twins. 828cc, approx. 62HP at 6700RPM; 7K redline. This view shows the massive primary chaincase and clutch housing; the alternator is off the end of the crank on this side as well, inside the crankshaft primary sprocket. This is a pushrod motor, the cam is just below the cylinders in front of the crank.




This view reveals the "pre-unit" construction; the engine and 4-speed gearbox are two separate units. The lovely bulbous triangular case that says "Norton" contains the cam chain; the points and advance unit are behind the small round cover at the front. Note that not only does this bike shift on the right, it shifts backwards. ("Down for go, up for slow") 1974 was the last year for right-hand shift. Primary chain (on the other side) is adjusted by moving the gearbox fore and aft in its mounts.




Another interesting feature is the idea that someone had that having both the front and rear wheel/tire the exact same size could be used to improve handling. This same concept was applied to the Triumph Trident of the same era; the bike has 4.10X19 tires front and REAR.



The bike was manufactured in February of 1974, and they were still "using up" some of their left-over '73 parts. All "true" '74 Roadsters have steel sidecovers, mine came with fiberglass ones and the early style decals which are now impossible to find. It also came with a '73 pattern seat, so when the seat was replaced a few years back I replaced it with the same "incorrect" style it came with.
Parts are not an issue; the same company that bought and resurrected Triumph also bought up all the old Commando tooling and factory parts are commonly available (with some limitations, just like the XJs.)

 

Nice

 

Very Nice! 8) I'm jealous.

 

Awsome. Thanks alot for the photos and the commentary fitz I really enjoy some of the vintage bikes, especially the british bikes.

 

Beautiful Fitz, I Love to see the old british bikes, they just don't make them like that anymore

 

The question is...how long does your brain take to adjust to RH shifting in a reverse pattern after riding the XJ all week?

 

The sound and feel is so completely different it's not an issue. My brain's ridden the Nort for 34 years remember. I used to have a problem between my right-hand shift "normal" pattern Triumph and the Norton tho...

 

Fitz, that is just awesome. I love "different" and this is certainly it!

Thanks for showing it off.

 

Thanks for asking. It's not so much different as it is old school. The 74-75 Commando was the last mass-produced PRE-UNIT British twin sold; a motor that started out as an iron head 500 had grown to 828cc; it (along with the last of the Triumph Tridents) was England's last stand against the sudden wave of reliable, electric-start turn key 4 cylinder UJM's. The motor dated to the late '40s design-wise, but it was hand built and hell for strong.

I bought it because I had grown up dreaming of someday owning one and then I heard they were going to go out of business. At the time, everybody who was anybody had a black and gold one, but I HAD to have right-hand shift (the '75s were left-hand shift) so I ended up with "Pacific Blue." I love the bike, it still hauls after all these years, handles like a big sidewalk bike and stops GREAT with the big Lockheed disc up front. The SOUND it makes winding out in third cannot be described.

 

Very nice Fitz, I, like the rest have heard of this fabled Norton & appreciate the opportunity to see it. It is truely a beauty. By the way, did you drive it to church the day you took the pictures?

 

I still come across the odd commando over here... I'd love to own one but they are too expensive for my meager budget.

Nice bike Fitz

 

Very nice BF

 

I rode a 750 Commando about a month ago (drum front brake), very nice motor, gear change was a lot better than I expected, I only got to take it around town but it was worth the ride

 

Hey Fitz...

Nice bike.

My first bike was a BSA 441 Victor with the shift on the right and when I bought my second bike, A Yamaha RD-200, it took a little getting used to.

 

Fitz... bike needs one thing... a custom plate, either norton, or snortin, or fizt, or b fitz.... ya... man that bike could pass for a 1K mile bike.. better find a NOS speedo..

 

'75 was the last year for Norton's right?
'75 was also the only year for electric start.

My buddy bought a Norton that wouldn't idle.
The problem turned out to be the screw that held the butterfly was loose so it had shifted and would not close properly.
Got it for cheap too.
It had a magneto so there was a switch on the headlight bucket that dimmed it for daytime running.
Nice job keeping it in shape Fitz.

 

Schaweeeetttt!!!! Very nice, Fitz. I've always liked the looks of those and the Triumphs. I may be biased, though. My Dad had a 58 Triumph that was his baby. I remember when I was about 10 or so, I told Dad that I thought I could start the Triumph. I knew nothing about compression strokes and that SOB almost threw me off the bike. Dad laughed about that for years. Unfortunately, due to health issues and bills, he had to sell it in '01. It still had the original chain. Only 10K mi when he sold it. He missed that bike until the day he passed. Come to think of it, I kinda miss it, too.

Thanks for bringing back some memories fitz!! :mrgreen:

 

Schooter; there's a new license plate law here in MI now that allows you to plate a "historic vehicle" with an authentic plate, forever. I'm trying to find my collection of old license plates so I can run an original 1974 plate on it.

My best buddy in high school had a BSA Victor 441 with a 600 kit. I had an electric start Honda twin. I didn't really have the compression release/just past TDC thing down either; that thing flung me upside down against the garage door like a Daffy Duck cartoon...

(Norton still starts first or second kick; first time every time once warm.)

 

Hi BigFitz52, have just been buying goodies from xj4ever and he suggested I put my 1972 Norton Commando on this forum thread. I had so much fun doing this bike up, that I needed another to put into practice what I learnt from the Norton, hence my purchase of my 1981 XJ650, a very neglected bike.

 

Good looking bike Fitz! Wish I could find an old bike like that to restore.

 

Stephen; NICE JOB!!! I cheated, mine's original. My '81 XJ is restored though, and the '83 is a work in progress.