750 cc or 850 cc

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750 cc combat if you want a muscle bike. It was coined the first super bike.
But w/ that said you did not mention if you want a bike already done or were thinking about getting dirty.
With any old brit ride your not on the bike your in the bike. You gotta know how to wrench em.
If you are looking for the cool factor with rideabilty you could go 1973 750 or 1974 850.
Both best of their class.
As for the combat which I ride it needs to be sorted and then it can be enjoyed.
Once the initial factory oops are corrected it is a dynamite ride like Hobot expressed.
0-60 before you can strike a match. Hows that for super bike stuff?
Try to get a rider and enjoy as you improve.
If you get a project it may never get beyond that.
Best of luck and let us all know how you made out.
Ebay ok if you can go and see locally.
Do not buy sight unseen.
Local Norton Clubs sometimes have some for sale as members often own more than one.
Marshal
 
Finn
Your in Europe?
Well a few months back you could have had a brand new 1975 Norton still in the box. :wink:
Marshal
 
MarshalNorton said:
750 cc combat if you want a muscle bike. It was coined the first super bike.
Click to expand...

The Commando "S" was crowned the first superbike, that was a bit before they came out with the combat version.

Jean
 
mc finn said:
Hi

Thank you all for all the information. There was a question why I want to buy a Norton. 36 years ago i was riding a Norton ES 2 and after that a BSA golden Flash. I then fell in love with a Norton Commando that I could not pay for at that time, as I started a study to become a mechanical engineer. Since then there has been 2 grown up kids, a Yamaha xv 1000, a Suzuki Intruder 1400, a Yamaha Wild Star 1600, a BMW k 1200 RS, a BMW K 1200 S and a Honda CBR 1100 Blackbird, (all of them sold by now).

I now want to experience once again the basic joy of riding an old English bike. And since I for so many years have been in love with the Norton Commando, it has to be exactly that bike. I am sure you will understand :0))

Again, thank you for all your advice.

Finn (Denmark, Europe)
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My advice is have a modern daily rider and the Norton for weekends. Norton's are kind of like boats and airplanes needing maintenance equivalent to the time spent riding. :wink:
 
bmwbob said:
mc finn said:
Hi



Finn (Denmark, Europe)
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My advice is have a modern daily rider and the Norton for weekends. Norton's are kind of like boats and airplanes needing maintenance equivalent to the time spent riding. :wink:
Click to expand...

I will call BULLSHIT in that statement. if you properly sort a commando INCLUDING A COMBAT it will need very little maintenance over regular oil changes and valve adjustments.
 
What kind of riding do you want to do? Long road trips with heavy bags? Short high speed runs? Or a leisurely ride through town with people turning to see what is making that beautiful and unique sound?

I would go 850 for the first, 750 for the second and any Norton I wanted for the third.

Lastly, enjoy working on your bike. Your riding time will benefit from it. It is funny how things work out, what one guy calls maintenance another guy calls recreation. Don't get confused by semantics, regardless of what you call it the bikes like to be handled and petted.

(FWIW my 750 was my daily commuter for four months this year)
 
LOL, can't go too wrong as they are all Isolastic Commandos so mostly nit picking differences in how they feel until really pressing limits in various ways, then each quirk or talent comes to the front more in one than the other is all. Cargo carrying and long distance is about identical though no matter how far or heavy.
BTW many women have voted by their seats on various bikes of all scopes and almost to a gal they like the Commando pillion the best.

750 cc or 850 cc


750 cc or 850 cc


750 cc or 850 cc


750 cc or 850 cc


750 cc or 850 cc
 
pelican said:
Doesn't matter which one. Point is if you end up liking it you'll probably buy a 2nd one. :lol:
Like everyone else has said the 750 is a little faster 850 a little more refined
I have an 850, but I really want a 750 combat with a drum brake and lightweight pistons hahaha
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I think you will find the 850 faster & quicker in the real world.
 
bill said:
bmwbob said:
mc finn said:
Hi



Finn (Denmark, Europe)
Click to expand...


My advice is have a modern daily rider and the Norton for weekends. Norton's are kind of like boats and airplanes needing maintenance equivalent to the time spent riding. :wink:
Click to expand...

I will call BULLSHIT in that statement. if you properly sort a commando INCLUDING A COMBAT it will need very little maintenance over regular oil changes and valve adjustments.
Click to expand...

You need to ride a little faster then! :roll:
 
I couldn't decide either so I bought one at a time....... still hard to decide??

1) 75' 850
2) 71' 750
3) 64' 750 G15CS
4) 74' 850
5) 54' ES2 500
6) 73' 750

They're all cool . :mrgreen:


Tim_S
 
I really like my '73 850 (originally a roadster, now converted to a fastback). BUT if I had the Commando of my dreams, it would be the 750 Combat. I owned a '71 750 back in the day and I would prefer it as well - at least theoretically. I suspect that if I ACTUALLY still had that 71, I'd probably prefer riding the 850 most of the time. BUt I'm more of a day-rider/cafe racer kind of guy. I'm not much of a long distance rider, at least by preference. So I like the quicker response of WHAT I REMEMBER about the 750. I admit that since I sold my '71 in '78, I may be mis-remembering how well it performed. OK, maybe that drum front brake wasn't so hot... :)
 
I will call BULLSHIT in that statement. if you properly sort a commando INCLUDING A COMBAT it will need very little maintenance over regular oil changes and valve adjustments.[/quote]

You need to ride a little faster then! :roll:[/quote]

1st: From first-hand experience, there are few members on this Forum who ride faster and/or longer distances than Windy.

2nd: Windy sorted my Combat after some post-restoration issues popped up and, honestly, all I've done with it in the past 6000+ miles is re-torque everything I can reach on a regular basis, change oil/filter every 1000 miles and keep air in the tires.
 
bmwbob said:
You need to ride a little faster then! :roll:
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that is to funny, some one telling me I need to ride faster. it is usually " would you please slow down" :mrgreen:
 
A good 750, Combat or not can lug and short shift farting off smartly with torque like a big old Harley or an 850 too. Them 850 guys are just trying to keep up the market for em. 750 riders know they got more riding scope than a factory 850 on tap.
Many told me the 2S cam lacked down low grunt, not so I could tell or care. Top end no end to it till blows up.
 
I don't know that it makes much difference really. It's all in how you build them.

I do know that NOTHING is more fun to ride than a well sorted Commando! If I had to sell off my collection and could only keep one, it would be one of the Nortons. I'd probably keep the 750 because that bike has sentimental value to me, but there's nothing wrong with a good 850.
 
Same here, Debby. My 750 Roadster has given me 37 years of memories and is still a blast. But my 850's are totally different animals because I built them that way.
 
Jeandr said:
MarshalNorton said:
750 cc combat if you want a muscle bike. It was coined the first super bike.
Click to expand...

The Commando "S" was crowned the first superbike, that was a bit before they came out with the combat version.

Jean
Click to expand...

From memory . . . . so someone correct me please . . . . . while the 1969 and 1970 models were well received, Cycle Magazine called the 1971 Commando, along with the CB750 Honda and the H1 Kawasaki "Superbikes." The bike they tested was built by, or at the direction of, Brian Slark, the West coast rep, to Combat specs and then the bike that cut the 1/4 in the 12s had gutted peashooters.
 
Hard to say which bike set the term "Superbike" but much evidence could be brought up it was the Sportster or derivatives in likes of 45 cid/750 cc flat trackers.
But who'd want to suffer the tractor like vibes for long or fling around in chiances.
Crossed up sliding with a foot down ain't nearly the same loads to handling as flinging one way and the next under hi power. BTW the 750 1/4 ET was 12.24 sec.
But shoot my little light low P!! could cut almost 2 sec off that. Brian Stark said that the Commando was first production bike to sustain over 120 mph so needed new type tire construction that continues to today.

Personally I think the big ole 850 in red/white/blue and all polished up is the classiest refined looker with both go getter and road sofa appeal all at once.
Gear it up for freeway and just use 2nd to give about any cycle fits to follow in the tights. Only thing hi horse power gives is continuing the pull up faster but not getting up as fast as most public joy rides allow. I have high respect for 850's scaring me to follow on my unloaded SV650 I'm pretty handy with, for a corner cripple.
 
A good example of one is always better than a bad example of the other.

Worst of the bunch for power characteristics is reputedly the fabled Short-Stroke 750.

There's no doubt that 750s do have a certain magic and the light and lithe styling of 750 Roadsters was never improved upon in my opinion but I've not long sold a 72 750 and still have the Mk111 850 so what does that make me ?

...a boring old fart who can't ride fast to save his life is probably the best description, viz my new fascination with 500cc side valves ! :roll:
 
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