However, there's evidence that mark numbers were used for at least some 750s as the dispatch record below, shows.
Thank you -- that's VERY interesting, for several reasons!
1) I note that there are "F/B"s, "F/B LR"s, and "FB Mk4"s listed - as I've said, I never saw/heard any mention or record showing any "Mk #" of Commando production in the two years I worked there.
2) These are from very early in the 1972 production run and there is not a single Roadster or Interstate listed on the entire page.
3) This is in the serial number range which is generally recorded as being "new cases/roller bearings/new breather spec" -- i.e. the "1972 Production build spec -- but prior to the introduction of the Combat engine. At this time, the Combat engine and front disc brake are listed as "option" - I wonder if the designation of "F/B Mk4" in the midst of others is an indication that that particular vehicle has a disc brake -- or, even, in the face of "conventional wisdom", is spec-ed to be a Fastback with a front disc AND Combat engine. And as a pure damned outlier, 200237 is notated as "F/B disc"!
4) It is noted that Fastback LRs were rare after the 1972 build year started and here is one listed (NEVER say "never" in regards to Commando production).
5) All of these dispatches are to UK dealers (if you count one to Jersey as being UK), which may be in line with the belief that Berliner (and perhaps NVC in California) only were supplied with the Combat/disc spec in 1972.
6) Mixed in are two motorcycles that are listed as being dispatched in the week before Christmas, 1971 ( :0 - even though the new engine spec is generally considered to have commenced assembly line production at the first working day after New Years Day in 1972). Which opens the entire can of worms regarding "pre-production" motorcycles.
7) One motorcycle is listed as "Hi-Rider" as being dispatched to a dealer in Cambridge -- which is quite disappointing personally, I thought that y'all had better taste! (Although, it must be noted that during times when distributors' stocks were low in the US, there were dealers who would accept a Hi-Rider and immediately whip all the Hi-Rider components off and convert it to - usually - a Roadster but occasionally another model. Occasionally, you'd see a particular motorcycle with a Hi-Rider tank, low bars, Roadster seat but generally the tank would be switched, too. The most common sign of a motorcycle being modified in this way was the presence of an extra-length throttle and clutch cable wadded up under the tank as it was considered financially-advantageous to do so, versus the shop labor time to disassemble the banding of the combined wiring harness and cable structure under the tank and remove the longer cables and then repackage all the rat's nest under the tank versus just running new cables. So, it's not guaranteed that that motorcycle actually hit the street as a Hi-Rider.)
8) WITF are there so many blank spaces on what is supposed to be a sequential series of E/F numbers???? I suppose that we'll never know.
Thank you for posting this -- it's very interesting! Do subsequent pages show as many blanks?
