Hello from a potential new owner :-)

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Bonzo

Bonzo

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Greetings from the Isle of Man, happy to be here & hopeful to soon become a fellow owner.

I'm on the look out for a Commando 850 that I can enjoy and hopefully pass on to the kids when I pop me clogs - but would prefer one of the Wolverhampton made models (the kids & me were 'made in Wolverhampton').

Could anyone point me in the right direction of which models/years I should be focusing my search?

I'm assuming mk2a/mk3 - late '73 on?

Cheers folks

Bonz
 
Welcome. You've come to the right place. There is a significant difference in the power delivery between 750 and the 850.

I enjoyed my visit to the IOM TT in 2017. Best vacation EVER!
 
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We've been going annually to the Manx GP since '16 - missed the last two as they were canceled due to Covid but will be there this year! I heartily recommend the Manx to anyone who's really into Motos. The TT is a bit...well a LOT.. more manic. I find the Manx more fun but it depends a lot on your specific interest.

I wear a IOM shirt/hat sometimes and when doing so occasionally get the question, "Did you race there?" My misleading but NOT dishonest answer is usually, "Well, I've done a few laps around the track..." Unless there is further discussion I leave it at that, not mentioning that my laps were while the race course is in its normal mode of operation... the main public road around the island. So I'm just out there with the rest of the local cars, trucks, delivery vans, etc! :)
 
Yeah the Grand Prix - or FOM (Festival of Motorcycling) offers a much more chilled out vibe and certainly more 'classic' orientated.

I loved the TT when I was 25 (and still love it), but its much more for the young nutters I reckon. It's fun, but challenging & chaotic. Find a good viewing spot? Get there with a flask and a packed lunch at 5.30 am ;-)
 
Others will have better info, but to pick up on your point about Wolverhampton: I think production in Wolverhampton stopped sometime between July and October 1975, although I've seen mention of bikes still being built from remaining stock. Not sure where, though. When Wolverhampton was producing Commandos, they also supplied Andover with engines, gearboxes and some other parts, for assembly in Andover. Possibly the same arrangement was in place for the Plumstead factory, prior to moving assembly to Andover?

My parents and their families were from Wolverhampton. One of the reasons the Commando was a memorable bike for me in childhood, becoming an itch that needed scratching.
 
The site or sites for whole Commando assembly always confuses me. Below is from a history website. All of my Commando’s red plates have shown manufactured by Norton Villiers Andover except for a Mar ‘69 that showed London.

“Initially the engines were produced in Wolverhampton, the frames in Manchester and the components were assembled at Burrage Grove, Plumstead. The Plumstead works were subject to a Greater London Council compulsory purchase order, late in 1968 and closed in the following July. After a Government subsidy, an assembly line was set up in a factory at North Way, Andover, with the Test Department in an aircraft hanger on nearby Thruxton Airfield.”

“Manufacturing also took place in Wolverhampton, where about 80 complete machines were produced each week. Components and complete engines and gearboxes were also shipped overnight, from Wolverhampton to the Andover assembly line.”
 
Bonzo said:
I'm on the look out for a Commando 850 that I can enjoy and hopefully pass on to the kids when I pop me clogs - but would prefer one of the Wolverhampton made models (the kids & me were 'made in Wolverhampton').

Could anyone point me in the right direction of which models/years I should be focusing my search?

I'm assuming mk2a/mk3 - late '73 on?
Click to expand...

As far as is known, the production line move to Wolverhampton began in mid-'72 and completed by early '73 (Spring?) so late 850 Mk1, Mk1A, Mk2, Mk2A and Mk3 would have been assembled at Wolverhampton but could potentially include 750 MkIV, MkV and early 850 Mk1.

There was a story going around that the last 30 or so 850 Mk3s were assembled at Andover but is a myth as they were actually built in Wolverhampton.

ILLF8ED said:
The site or sites for whole Commando assembly always confuses me. Below is from a history website. All of my Commando’s red plates have shown manufactured by Norton Villiers Andover except for a Mar ‘69 that showed London.

“Initially the engines were produced in Wolverhampton, the frames in Manchester and the components were assembled at Burrage Grove, Plumstead. The Plumstead works were subject to a Greater London Council compulsory purchase order, late in 1968 and closed in the following July. After a Government subsidy, an assembly line was set up in a factory at North Way, Andover, with the Test Department in an aircraft hanger on nearby Thruxton Airfield.”
Click to expand...

However, the move from Plumstead to Andover occurred somewhat earlier (during 1969).


ILLF8ED said:
Initially the engines were produced in Wolverhampton, the frames in Manchester...
Click to expand...

The Reynolds frames were made in Tyseley, Birmingham as far as I'm aware, the Wikipedia, etc. reference to 'Manchester' appears to be erroneous, however, by the time production had fully moved to Wolverhampton, most Commando frames would have been made by Verlicchi in Italy.
 
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MexicoMike said:
We've been going annually to the Manx GP since '16 - missed the last two as they were canceled due to Covid but will be there this year! I heartily recommend the Manx to anyone who's really into Motos. The TT is a bit...well a LOT.. more manic. I find the Manx more fun but it depends a lot on your specific interest.

I wear a IOM shirt/hat sometimes and when doing so occasionally get the question, "Did you race there?" My misleading but NOT dishonest answer is usually, "Well, I've done a few laps around the track..." Unless there is further discussion I leave it at that, not mentioning that my laps were while the race course is in its normal mode of operation... the main public road around the island. So I'm just out there with the rest of the local cars, trucks, delivery vans, etc! :)
Click to expand...
Hope to see you there again Mike !! ( and anyone else from here of course ).
 
MexicoMike said:
We've been going annually to the Manx GP since '16 - missed the last two as they were canceled due to Covid but will be there this year! I heartily recommend the Manx to anyone who's really into Motos. The TT is a bit...well a LOT.. more manic. I find the Manx more fun but it depends a lot on your specific interest.

I wear a IOM shirt/hat sometimes and when doing so occasionally get the question, "Did you race there?" My misleading but NOT dishonest answer is usually, "Well, I've done a few laps around the track..." Unless there is further discussion I leave it at that, not mentioning that my laps were while the race course is in its normal mode of operation... the main public road around the island. So I'm just out there with the rest of the local cars, trucks, delivery vans, etc! :)
Click to expand...
A friend visited IoM when his son was flying choppers in UK …. he remembered to bring me a hat , have not had it on , hangs in bike shed with tags still attached , my buddy got to see the Northwest 200 as well ….
 
I'm going to go back - with my bike.
Last time was a holiday in 2012 - did three laps in our hire car. One we "missed" the RH turn at the pub and ended up having kipper sandwiches at Peel castle.
My grandad got 4th in the senior a couple of times in the '20s (won the Ulster Grand Prix 4 times though - Clady Circuit, county Antrim - his home ground)
So - it's more than "bucket list" to go back there.

Get the Norton that suits you - that circuit breathes motorcycling!
Cheers
Rob
 
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