Commando prices...

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"That is a H2C, a different beast to the first year model.
The H2 is a 1972 bike, H2A for 1973 (I have two) H2B for 1974 (just the one) and H2C for 1975.
To know the myth you would at least need to know the bikes model wise."

True, they early ones were a bit quicker.
Not that much though, according to Cycle-

http://kawtriple.com/mraxl/reviews/750review.html

Not quite as quick as that 1970 Commando Cycle mag ran at 12.69.

Acceleration times aside, I just couldn't imagine using one the way I use the Commando. I did not own a Kawi but did own some other 2 stroke road bikes back in the day. They were godawful for vibration, noise, smoke, fuel consumption, oil mix etc.
All of that was fun back then, it wouldn't be now!
I think that is why Commandos might hang in there for value, if put right they are quite useable on today's roads.

BTW I bought my MK3 in 2003 for $4300 US which was FMV back then.
One fellow at the local Norton club said it looked like a new bike at that time.
Now you can get a MK3 rusty project bike for about that money, so they have gone up in value over time.
Maybe double?
That's not bad for something that is so much fun and so useful for travel.

Glen
 
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I keep a spread sheet on all my seven old bikes on what I spend on them. If I sold all my bikes today at half what I have in them(and I think most would sell at at least that price), it would work out to a loss of about 1000$ a year for every year I have been in the old bike hobby. That's really a fairly small amount to spend on a hobby each year. I used to own a boat and fish a lot and also played some golf. Both consumed more cash than that a year. I'd hate to calculate the cost per pound of the fish I caught. It's a hobby not an investment. The enjoyment of doing it has a value. I think part of the problem is all these flip a car shows on reality TV.
 
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htown16 said:
I keep a spread sheet on all my old bikes on what I spend on them. If I sold all my bikes today at half what I have in them(and I think most would sell at that price), it would work out to a loss of about 1000$ a year for every year I have been in the old bike hobby. That's really a fairly small amount to spend on a hobby each year. I used to own a boat and fish a lot and also played some golf. Both consumed more cash than that a year. It's a hobby not an investment.
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You are exactly right! Commandos are not collectors. Most Commandos are wallet vacuums.
 
Yeah , but ..... already explained above , a modest cost per year for a great hobby , that gets us out , using our brains and socializing ... that all good IMHO .... plus it a hell of a lot of fun !
 
The cost to store mine for 30 years in a facility came to around 15,000.00 + the 2700.00 or so to get her up and running again. 8 years it was kept at home where it was deteriorating far too quickly, so therefore into storage. If I was figuring to get anything out of it that would have been done early on rather than keeping it for all those years.
I find that every dime spent, and any more to be so, shall be done wisely because of the immense pleasure that noisy, nimble bitch gives me when I mount up and take off on her after giving ample warm up time. She doesn't like to roll an inch until completely warm and lets you know it quickly by coughing & stalling out.
I wish there were some nearby Norton owners to cruise with a bit, but the ones I know of are approaching 200 mi. or more. You can't even find a Trump or Beezer on the road in my area any more....They used to cover the streets like a flood in the 60's & 70's...Can't even find them to buy them and fix them up....So tired of seeing HD & Nip everywhere.
 
Shit, come to NYC. Every hipster in ankle socks and a bubble helmet has the same black Bonneville. The ones in black ankle socks have the same shitty flat black HD.
 
NYC....No way. Most of my toys couldn't enter the state thanks to that place...Besides there's a fool running the city. Conflict would arise quickly in that environs because I'm not very PC. A waiter in Austin in possession of a man-bun & wearing make up touched me last year and that didn't go over very well embarrassing my grandson's maternal side of family....I need my rural sanctuaries where rainbows stay in the sky.

Nothing wrong with young folks I think they're great because my memory is very good and I remember my youth vividly. It was beyond fun and very enlightening...If I recall my Norton came to me at twenty-five thereabouts.
 
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I hear ya. Quite sick of city living myself, the motorcycling sucks. I've yet to see a Norton on any city street.

We're not as PC as you might have heard. All types in a city of 8.5 mil. Don't get me started on big bird...
 
NPeteN said:
I hear ya. Quite sick of city living myself....
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A good reason to live on an island, I wouldn't be complaining if the bridge was for locals only. :D

Commando prices...
 
concours said:
Have an in depth read sometime. Those “magic carpet” CB750’s fell short of the Commando in many ways. Marketing was the big success, along with mostly good reliability. (Gushing head gaskets not withstanding)
The blistering fast-it’ll killua if your not ready for it Kaw 750 was only 1/10 second quicker than Commando in the 1/4 mile.
Lots of romantic folklore & stories.
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Hello,

Whoouuuuu the first,Yamaha 750 TX,a huge mechanical catastrophe like there never was with Norton even with the combat:D.
 
Not my image but this beach is an hour bike (human powered) ride from my apartment. Was there a week ago, plus, the ladies go topless.


Commando prices...


And so yeah, commando prices seem to be dropping and stuff...
 
Nova Scotia has 3800 Islands plus Cape Breton Island and 7400kms of shoreline ... makes for a lot of nice beaches , especially those that benefit from Gulf Stream .... have yet to discover Nirvanna Beach where tops are an option, (too many to check) .... although usually any Saturday night some pickled beauty exposes her charms in a local pub , haha!
 
All that cool weather gets more O2 into the mix and perks'em up too I'll wager....Errr..the bikes you know. I like that part of the higher lattitudes...Always found it fascinating....Don't get me on a roll....Prices are pretty much stabile here if you could find a Commando I guess. Once upon a time there were three more in town, but they evaporated about thirty years ago. One was a hi-rider.
 
NPeteN said:
Shit, come to NYC. Every hipster in ankle socks and a bubble helmet has the same black Bonneville. The ones in black ankle socks have the same shitty flat black HD.
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I don't get the flat black love, never have.
It looks like the bike has received it's primer coat and is waiting for the finish coat.
Some of my early paint jobs that were supposed to be gloss black ended up flat black with a few flies stuck in, maybe that's why flat black looks so bad to me.
Or I'm just too old to get it.

Glen
 
There was a Norton dealer here just on edge of town back in 70’s ... there are still several gathering dust in garages , basements etc. today , have not seen any sold in a long time .... although a local guy (from away) did advertise an 850 bitsa Commando either this spring or last unrestored but running he was asking $7000 maybe? not sure of outcome ....
 
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