First Commando purchase books

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Mullitman

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I’m looking for a good book to guide me in my first Commando purchase and have been recommended the Norton Commando (Haynes Great Bikes) by Mick Duckworth.
It’s around £100 for a second hand one on Amazon. Can anyone suggest any good alternatives?

Many thanks.
 
You would be better using this site, what budget have you got and what models interest you most. The best one to buy would be from a long term owner who has looked after his bike. Beware of any just been restored jobs unless the seller is known and trusted, they suffer from looking good but with dubious internals that only come to light after when its too late.
 
kommando said:
You would be better using this site, what budget have you got and what models interest you most. The best one to buy would be from a long term owner who has looked after his bike. Beware of any just been restored jobs unless the seller is known and trusted, they suffer from looking good but with dubious internals that only come to light after when its too late.
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I totally agree, you often see them they look brand spanking new and run like sh@t , you can tell a lot about a bike by its owner
There are many pitfalls in buying a classic bike but a commando has a few more pitfalls than most
But on the plus side every fault can be engineered out!!
Then you will see why people still ride them 50 years later
 
Andover Norton was selling that Duckworth book when it first came out. It's OK but not worth that kind of money. Amazon sucks.
 
Hi Mullit, welcome. Great time to come join. BEFORE you make a decision with your heart. Great bikes, and like all old stuff, most have been dicked with, and repaired/modified poorly over half a century. Tell us a bout your skillset, how much repair you can/want to do yourself.
I always lean toward COMPLETE, stone stock vehicles, because "mods" are many times a downgrade. (unless they are proven reliability/longevity improvements that are well known here).
 
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/20611
"NORTON COMMANDO" BY MICK DUCKWORTH, 2nd EDITION, SOFTCOVER
£14.50 no VAT
in stock"

https://www.veloce.co.uk/shop/products/productDetail.php?prod_id=V4281&prod_group=Motorcycles & Scooters&
https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Commando-Essential-Buyers-Guide/dp/1845842812
A small book that contains some useful information for the prospective Commando owner but also many inaccuracies and errors.

https://www.veloce.co.uk/shop/products/productDetail.php?prod_id=V5006&prod_group=Motorcycles & Scooters&
https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Commando-Bible-models-1968/dp1787110060
A reasonably good book from the same author but falls well short of being a Commando "Bible". Still contains some errors and various technical details appear to have been copied from the works of previous Norton book authors along with their mistakes.

Edit: "Forthcoming" Commando restoration book/manual!
https://www.veloce.co.uk/shop/products/productDetail.php?prod_id=V5394&prod_group=Repair & Restoration&
 
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I agree with the others that say you can better use your money elsewhere. This site can be far more informative than any book.
If I were looking for a Norton Commando I would look at a 74 of 75 850. Depending on if you want a right or left hand shift and a E start.
Are there any people you know who own Norton's? Where are you at? Maybe someone on this list could assist you in looking for a bike?
I am sure that if you ask there will be answers to be had here on the list.

John in Texas
 
Many thanks for all of those replies, which has exceeded my expectations.
With regard to the bike I would like as my first Norton, it would need to be a left hand shifter, so that’s limited the choices considerably already.
As for my skill set, I’m not confident to do much other than the very basics, so it would need to be a good one to start with. I’m not necessarily after a minter, so a good honest bike, mechanically sound, but showing its age, patina and character would be fine. Having said that if a gem did turn up I’d be prepared to spend more.
Looking on line I see the prices for the later Commando 850 ranging from £6,000 to £12,000, so I need to get myself informed before going to view any in the new year.
Unfortunately I don’t know any other Norton owners locally, I am situated in Cornwall.
 
Goodluck and Welcome ! ... it’s hard not jump at best deal you see first .... try and look at as many as you can , use your “grapevine” as quite often this is best source of what you looking for .... a mechanically sound model should be your first priority ... have fun looking and ask lots of questions ...
 
You really have narrowed it down going for a MK3
You will need to learn about the "foot assist" and 4 brush upgrades etc
Also you don't really want an early type Boyer ignition,
All the above is if you want the foot assist to work of course?
If you haven't had a right hand gear change before I'd imagine it's a bit daunting but it's really not so bad
 
Yep, 1975 850 MK3 only and generally the most expensive due to Electric Assist, but once you factor in the cost of adding EA to an earlier model then even or lower. Problem is its one year only so narrows it down a lot.
 
Mullitman said:
I’m looking for a good book to guide me in my first Commando purchase and have been recommended the Norton Commando (Haynes Great Bikes) by Mick Duckworth.
It’s around £100 for a second hand one on Amazon. Can anyone suggest any good alternatives?

Many thanks.
Click to expand...

try ABE.com
 
I do seem to have narrowed down my options rather more than I had hoped. I just don’t like the idea of only occasionally riding a bike with a different gear change. With that in mind I’m not going to be able to go see lots before pulling the trigger, I just hope a good one turns up for me.
On the plus side I’m not massively bothered on a particular colour. The one that looks closest to my wish list and is available now is this one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Norton-850-Commando-Electric-Start/292835850851
 
Mullitman said:
The one that looks closest to my wish list and is available now is this one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Norton-850-Commando-Electric-Start/292835850851
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"The paintwork has been professionally refinished,..."

....With a right-hand side panel from a Roadster model and left-hand from an Interstate!
The pinstriping on both panels is not correct (the single line should run down the front edge of the panel not the rear). An Interstate panel wouldn't normally have pinstripes.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Brochures/1970/1975NortonLineUp.pdf

Low mileage is good if genuine? The exhaust system looks new. It has 'peashooter' silencers instead of black caps/bean cans but most Mk3s will have had the black caps replaced usually with peashooters by now. It's possible the "rebuilt" rear wheel (rim) offset might not be correct and a few other minor niggles suggest it's been tarted up to sell.
 
That’s a good spot thanks, I see how the pin stripe on the side panels is wrong, I’m looking at the side panels to see the actual difference between the roadster and interstate. The interstate ones look more rounded than the roadster and have what looks like a chamfered edge. Is that how you knew?
As for the rear wheel rim offset, I’d need to take the wheel off to check that, or is there an easier way to check?

If you hear of a good one I’d be grateful if anyone on here could let me know.
 
Mullitman said:
I’m looking at the side panels to see the actual difference between the roadster and interstate. The interstate ones look more rounded than the roadster and have what looks like a chamfered edge. Is that how you knew?
Click to expand...

Yes. Interstate (LH, 850 Mk3)
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/20447/side-cover-interstate-r-h-grp-white-06-4136-

Roadster
https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/painting-my-74-commando-side-panels.18357/#post-273371

There are differences between years/models.

Mullitman said:
As for the rear wheel rim offset, I’d need to take the wheel off to check that, or is there an easier way to check?
Click to expand...

It can be checked in situ (from the disc face for example). I can't be 100% sure the offset is wrong, it could just be the camera angle?
 
I would only be paying that price for a fully restored model with the restorer being well known and good reputation to match. Look at the bezel on the speedo, that bike has spent some time in a damp environment (or the bike the speedo is off). As its nearby go and look at it so you start to get a feel for what the bikes look like close up and start to understand what to look for and what to avoid.

Note its a classified ad not an auction listing, there is no eBay protection.
 
On the NOC UK site there is a MK3 for sale at £7950

First Commando purchase books


Matching numbers and original except for stainless headlamp brackets and peashooter silencers.

I bought this Commando in 1992 from a local guy who had had it restored.

I’ve only done 530 miles on it since then as work and house renovations took priority.

Dry stored since it’s last MOT in 2006.

Recent new starter motor armature, carb seals, fuel pipes, master cylinder seals and battery.

New Avon Road-riders being fitted on Monday so it can be ridden away

Boyer Bransden electronic ignition

Starts and runs well.

Receipts, parts book and workshop manual available

Can't give you a direct link as the site has recently changed, non members used to be able to access the classified but I think that has gone for the moment. If you are interested PM me you contact details and I can pass them on.
 
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