Colorado Norton Works rebuild?

SquareHead · Nov 17, 2012

If you could afford a CNW Norton rebuild, would you do it? I am fortunate enough to be able to afford it and am pretty sure I am going to do it, but I wanted to get feedback from the collective...

I would appreciate your reasons for/against.

Thanks!

B+Bogus · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

I don't have, and will never aspire to having a CNW Norton.
However, I do have a T140V Bonneville, and have previously owned a '68 A65 Lightning.

I wouldn't have another A65 unless the option was 'that or nothing', and although the T140 is the best of the many 650 and 750 Triumphs I've owned, I haven't ridden it anywhere since I got my Commando on the road 3 years ago.

My 850 is a more-or-less standard Mk IIA with a belt-drive, Trispark ignition and upgraded suspension & front brake. It does everything far better than the other bikes mentioned, and is in a different league altogether.
Add all the CNW upgrades, and the gap widens even more!

Hobot · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

My buddy Wes has '69 Bonnie and '71 Commando. The Bonnie is good to about 80 and handles the twisties as good or better than un-tammed isolastics, but, The Triumph and BSA has to work to the max to keep up with modern traffic and their vibration means there is a timer going while running for metal fatigue on everything that ain't frame and engine robust. Wes always loves the bikes he's on but he's always makes a comment after riding in on Commando that it makes the Triumph feel like an old fashioned wagon compared to UFO. He sold his 441BSA to get the Triumph. So if you want to ride more that just show, then go with the CNW long term. A new CNW is un-worldly beautiful gleaming jaw dropping show stopper to everyone so well worth two other lessor cycles to me.

Mark · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

Although those CNW bikes are nice, the price just floors me.

Since tinkering with my motorcycles is part of the "experience" for me, I would take the trio.
I kinda already have, I've got the Norton in the garage, a BSA Victor on the lift, and a Triumph T140 in the shed
patiently waiting for some attention.

ILLF8ED · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

Owning old Brits is a disease, we're all infected. If you want to ride, own only one and make it the best possible. If you want to be a collector buy as many as you can afford and enjoy looking at them.

BillT · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

CNW does great work, but I get a lot of satisfaction out of doing the work myself.
My '73 currently has the Dave Taylor head steady, Cosentino fork inserts, Ikon shocks, Boyer ignition, sleeved master cylinder, vernier isos and Avon Roadriders. Outwardly, it looks pretty stock - no rearsets, gunfighter seat, fancy tank or other such stuff. It starts easily, idles smoothly, and is rock-steady. I like the unique seat of the '73 and the silver cylinder barrels. I also just repainted it in P11 Candy Red with gold decals - looks pretty sharp.

I'd rather pay a little for a basket case, put whatever I want into the bike, get occupation therapy while working on it, and have something where I know exactly what I've got, how every nut and bolt goes together, and learn about the bike.

When I bought my Ranger, I didn't even know what it was, except that it was a P11. Now I can tell a Ranger from a distance, and know a fair bit about what makes a P11, P11A or Ranger.

Likewise, I can tell Commandos pretty well, especially '71-'75, as there were easy-to-spot changes each year.

Each of my rather small stable is ridden regularly, and each is a lot of fun in its own way.

sole survivor · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

If you can afford a CNW Commando you can afford three of the bikes you mentioned. These old bikes tend to 'stop working' from time to time. With one motorcycle in your stablem even a CNW Commando, you run the risk of not having anything to ride. Buy three 85%ers with the emphasis on good mechanicals and you will always have something to ride while you finish up the final 15% of each one of them. Then take a photo so we can see all three.

SquareHead · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

B+Bogus said:
I don't have, and will never aspire to having a CNW Norton.

Can you tell me why you wouldn't want a CNW Norton? I would appreciate any feedback...

SquareHead · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

sole survivor said:
If you can afford a CNW Commando you can afford three of the bikes you mentioned. These old bikes tend to 'stop working' from time to time. With one motorcycle in your stablem even a CNW Commando, you run the risk of not having anything to ride. Buy three 85%ers with the emphasis on good mechanicals and you will always have something to ride while you finish up the final 15% of each one of them. Then take a photo so we can see all three.

Good point, but I have a number of other "reliable" bikes to ride.

Maybe a better question to ask would have been:

"If you could afford a CNW Norton, would you do it? I would appreciate your reasons for/against"

That would probably have been more to the point, eh?

I went ahead a edited my original thread.

grandpaul · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

I'd have the trio.

Variety is the spice of life.

pete.v · Nov 17, 2012

CNW bikes are no doubt works of art. However, they are somewhat "Resto mods", something to consider. But oh my god, they are nice.

My pride of ownership comes from the fact that I do my own work, but work like that is well out of my scope. I am so happy with what i have and what I have done with it.

With that money I could take a sabbatical and work at CNW or NYCN for free for 6 months, if they would have my ornery ass.

To answer your question, if i could, would I go to CNW? With that kind of money I could do some great thing myself.

I just cannot give you answer due to the fact that this is a very personal thing with numerous perspectives. You are the only one who can solve your envious dilemma.

Of all the problems that come along this forum, your is the one I haven't experienced and would want the most.

Good luck with that ya lucky bastard!

SquareHead · Nov 17, 2012

I am a lucky bastard!!

Jerry Doe · Nov 17, 2012

Everything CNW does to a Commando makes it a better more reliable, safer bike. I am not sure what CNW bikes cost, but if you put one together from a basket case using the same parts and quality it would probably cost you 15K+ including the basket case, but excluding labor, that is what my budget is anyway and just a guess- who knows how many hours of work and f..k..g about to get it sorted out. During my mk3 rebuild I have been trying to cut corners to save money and I stand back and look. Not happy.In this obsession I cannot cut corners. It might take longer to do my bike right, but I am determined. I have my MK2 that I rebuilt about 10k miles ago and it is super reliable, so I can always ride that one (I do have to put another head on it though- always something on any commando).

I am sure CNW will build the bike exactly how you want it anyway, so if you have the money what a great way to spend it- they do it right. My 2 cents... You only live once

rvich · Nov 17, 2012

There is an old story about a couple of old guys who want to go sailing so they decide to build a boat. They end up spending all their time building the boat and never get to go sailing. This is only a bad thing if you didn't enjoy building the boat. For me, part of the journey is learning new skills and figuring stuff out. But if you would rather ride than wrench then you need to admit it going in. I do wonder though, if you buy this exquisite machine will you be afraid to put a wrench on it to maintain it? I would be!

Russ

Chris · Nov 17, 2012

Hi Squarehead

Last point was a good one. The bike in my avitar stood for a long time at the back of my garage. To build a project from scratch (I started with the frame)
or a bitsa takes a lot of time, To get it to the level of a Colorado bike would take a lot longer. Its not just the money that holds up a build (although it is!)
Its getting the asthetics right. Moving & remaking things to make it fit you, or compromising. Cleaning painting polishing etc. Like every one else here I would rather have 3, 85% projects so that you always have something to ride & I like the build part as well. As you are covered with a back up ride, I would say commission Colarado to build your bike. I am sure the build time will still be 18 months. Get it done & get out there on the bike of your dreams.

Chris

Snorton74 · Nov 17, 2012

A reborn Cdo from CNW is about 30 grand+ your donor bike! I just got my rebuilt engine back from them and it's pretty nice. I think the waiting list is like two years now.

Nellie_Rocks · Nov 17, 2012

Squarehead:

I think most of the folks on this forum are here BECAUSE they like wrenching on their bikes, kind of a philosophical Norton position, and so having someone else do all the work on restoring that 'barn find' is anathema.

Having said that, if you have the resources and inclination to have the bike rebuilt by CNW you should do it! Just post pictures for us all to admire.

- Nells

BillT · Nov 17, 2012

Nellie_Rocks said:
I think most of the folks on this forum are here BECAUSE they like wrenching on their bikes, kind of a philosophical Norton position...

This is exactly why I do my own work (except welding, which will be corrected soon)

Though my bikes aren't 'show quality', they're in pretty good shape, and certainly better than how I got them.

'Ed' and the 'Lone Ranger' (my wife's names for them) today

'Ed' the day it came home, and 7 months before it ran again

the 'Lone Ranger' the day it came home and 12 months before it ran again

rightshiftrick · Nov 17, 2012

While CNW makes nice bikes, I wouldn't set out to own one. The main reason for me is that I don't like a lot of they styling changes. I also prefer the original equipment controls and think changing as many components as CNW does, takes away from the soul of what a Norton is.

RSR

B+Bogus · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

SquareHead said:
B+Bogus said:

I don't have, and will never aspire to having a CNW Norton.

Click to expand...

Can you tell me why you wouldn't want a CNW Norton? I would appreciate any feedback...

Couple of reasons: Geography is the first issue - I live 100 miles from where the Factory was :wink: and a few thousand away from Colorado
Secondly, as a few of the other guys have already said, it's all about the whole experience, and not just having a quality ride in the garage.
The thought of letting someone else do the work is a bit like letting them have all the fun!

This is what I bought (my son wasn't part of the deal!). It was in need of a ground-up resto, and took around a year on and off.

And this is what I finished up with (although I did get RGM to do the Master Cylinder re-sleeve)

In-progress pics here...

850mkiia-rebuild-underway-t5086.html

And because I enjoyed the whole experience so much... I bought another, which is meandering along sloooowly!

So what it amounts to is I get a much bigger kick from being able to say 'I did that' - If I could afford for someone to do it all for me I may feel differently

Colorado Norton Works rebuild?

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