How much did your Commando cost? (2016)

Hope not too brassy of a question especially since I am a wannabe Commando owner, trying to get an idea what the market is like , how much and in what condition was your Commando when you bought it? Post an as bought pic if you have one.

To buy it 2000$. To turn it in to a like new bike, another 8000$ doing most of the work myself. In 72 a Roadster listed for 1784$, in todays dollars that's just a little over 10,000$.
Before, bins full of parts

After

I bought this MK3 basket case in 2014 for $3000.



This picture shows the parts that came with it. It did not have a tank or seat, or a carb I would use, and was missing a few other bits, but was otherwise pretty complete, and included some new parts.



This is the same bike after rebuilding it. I bought some new bits, and used a lot of parts I already had. Total value of it all was probably $3000 - $4000. So my total investment in the bike is probably somewhere around $6000 to $7000.



It's almost always cheaper to buy a nicely restored bike than to buy a basket case and restore it, but you don't get the satisfaction of doing it yourself, exactly the way you want it.

Ken

it seems from watching Ebay and private sales that a basically unrestored Commando that does start and run but obviously needs significant cosmetic work and other upgrades to be considered reliable sells for anywhere from $4000 to $7000 depending, depending, etc

$4500 three years ago, but that was due to a bit of an inside. Bad master cylinder, pulled head studs, exhaust threads buggered, needed re-ringing, layshaft bearing replaced, clutch problems, carb problems, electrical problems; you get the idea. Those have cost somewhere around an additional $3000, but who's counting? The only thing that hasn't been opened is the bottom end. Oh, now I've done it...
she-back-t16865.html

Nathan

I brought my 74 Commando new in June in 76 (old stock but could have brought a new M111 but was a bit dearer) I payed $1,999 on the road, over 40 years of ownership and many more $$$ over that time I wouldn't even take a guest how much money I have put into it, but here in Aussie land the price of Nortons have gone through the roof, a good one will bring over $12,000, a very good one I have seen them for over $16,000 and unrestored ones are bring between $6,000 and $10,000, have seen basket cases going for anywhere from $4,500 up to $6,000 and they are just going to keep going up.
A lot more Nortons were exported to the US than they were here in Australia and it shows in the prices, but sometimes you can be lucky and find a bargin.

Ashley

$1600 in 1989 with three boxes of parts, three seats, stripped exhaust ports and a broken frame tube from over-tightened isos.

This is a year or so later after fixing the head, frame, polishing, adding bar-ends and putting on a RITA.



BTW - the boxes behind the sheet and the bike are all fireworks. My brother unloaded a truck from the stands he used to stock after the 4th of July that year.

I paid $3,000 for this Combat 13 years ago. I was so happy to get another Norton again that I felt I would be satisfied just getting 3000 miles out of it. Over 17,000 miles on it so far.

$2550 US in May of 1975. Insured now for $15000.



My brother bought a '71 750 in good running condition off eBay for $5000 about 6 years ago. Needed paint and some cosmetics but ran strong.

in the early 2000's I paid $3500 CAD .... it would run , just , and needed a good going over .... maybe $8000 or more later and lots of quality time , I have a nice riding and good looking '72 Commando which gets used sparingly .... truthfully not sure why I hang on to it as it is now a Sunday bike ( never dreamed I would have one of those ) ... it was my son who suggested I get it , so I guess I'm holding it for him ... any Commando is better than no Commando ....
Craig

I bought a basketcase in 1989 for £300, 750 Combat which was basketised after a front end smash, so missing the front rim and spokes but came with some brand new goodies like Koni Shocks, MK3 Isolastics.

I paid $1822 US for 'Pa', my trusty Norton, new in 1975. It's been in my possession ever since.
And like 'ashman' I couldn't even begin to total the amount time and money I have spent keeping it up and running, and I do all the work myself.
It is by far the best motorcycle in the garage; '95 Triumph Sprint, '02 Ducati ST4s, '73 Honda 100 cl.
Ride On( a Norton of course)
Dave

1$/cc or $750 for my S in 72 in good shape. But then in about 08 or so I completely rebuilt it at a cost of about $8K. I still have a lot of items that could be replaced/upgraded, maybe another $3K to put it in pristine condition.

I bought my 1972 purple metalflake Combat Roadster for $1830. Oh, wait. That was in 1972.
I paid $6500 in 2010 for a 1973 850 Roadster. It was a steal as it also included a complete Interstate setup, new paint, tires, rebuilt engine, four different seats, chain, and so on. It was in very good shape and needed nothing. But me being me I have spent another $6000 dollars on it so far.
My guess is that most of the other members have very similar stories. Good luck and most of all Have Fun!

'75 MKIII bought in 1990 for $1,800 US. Real nice shape when I bought it, as seen in my avatar. Countless parts purchases in the $200-$300 range. I have a box of receipts I refuse to look at, and NO regrets. I have ridden quite a few bikes and have a decent amount of miles under my belt and by far my Commando is the most FUN bike ( my Trident that I sold would be second) I have ever owned and driven.

Around 1978 I bought my '70 commando off of a friend for $500. It was a mismatch of different year's parts, but it was a complete bike. It has a disc brake front end but the rest of the bike is a number's matching '70 commando. It was yellow, with a fiberglass tank. I worked my ass off to get it to run when I first brought it home, but I didn't have the knowledge or the knowledgable help around me to get it back on the road, so I stored it in my aunt's basement for a number of years. Eventually I had a big enough shop that I brought it up to my shop and began to work on it when I was inbetween contracts. I know I have about $5,000. into it in parts and machine work, not including my own labor time. It's by no means cosmetically as nice as some of the restored bikes here, but it's a very good bike mechanically. The joy of my bike is getting to ride something I rebuilt completely all by myself. I don't care if the chrome has some pitting here and there or that I painted the back fender black to match the gas tank, side panels, and fiberglass front fender which are all black. I have a generic bikini faring on it, rear set controls, and shorty handlebars. It's my own frankenstein version of a norton commando. I probably have early years pictures somewhere of it, but I doubt I have pictures of it when it was yellow.

here she is 20+ years ago after the second rebuild:


and here's a more recent photo prior to changing to rear sets recently:


not bad for a $500. investment, but one way or the other to have a norton commando that runs and handles well, you either have to buy it in excellent shape already modified and restored or pay the money to restore and modify it yourself. I love my bike, but that's probably just confirmation bias...

A chuffin' fortune ...

I bought this MK3 about a year ago, paid $5,000, put about $2500, rode hope, it appears nice but a lot of "danger Will Robinson", no rear brakes and front barely worked, water had gotten in cylinders, shot valve guides and worn valves, caliper pistons pitted, some rust and corrosion, you get the picture. A lot of good things though, good paint on tank and side covers, boxes of new parts, gaskets and seals.

Before-

After

MS850-that's a FINE looking machine!!!

Cycle Goon said:

MS850-that's a FINE looking machine!!!

Click to expand...

thank you