How much did your Commando cost? (2016)

Got my ‘75 mk3 for basically nothing. All I had to do was repair a garage door and it was mine. It was locked up and looked terrible after sitting for thirty or so years but after several thousand dollars and several thousand hours, I have a bike that I’m very proud to own. What an incredible experience!

original purchase price $7000.00 AUS. Bike was in bad shape and had lived in the back of a shed near the beach for 25 years. Money spent so far = a shit ton and she is worth every cent.

outawack said:

original purchase price $7000.00 AUS. Bike was in bad shape and had lived in the back of a shed near the beach for 25 years. Money spent so far = a shit ton and she is worth every cent.

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A shit ton !

Made me larf…!

Re-inserting photos since my old photo hosting site died.

I've bought 16 Commandos in the last 18 years; so although I could give you a decent idea as to condition / price, would only reflect the approximate market value around the date of purchase. Further, regional markets vary, and all markets fluctuate with the economy and various relative currency values.

Still, for what it's worth...

1998: '74 JPN incomplete, unrestored, but correct JPN bits, no seat, no fairing, one muffler, almost running, very dirty - Traded for complete Personal Computer system with software, printer & modem (value est. $2,000 at that time). The other party reneged on the trade 2 days later. (Local purchase) This was actually the "before" photo from the SECOND time I bought it; the owner had sourced some mismatched parts to try to build a replica of a race bike he saw in a Norton book. Good thing he stopped at the seat and fairing...


2004: '75 Interstate MkIII, unrestored, totally original, excellent condition with clean title - $3,500 from a friend, locally.


2006: '70 Roadster, chopped (horribly), non-running, no title, frame, engine and rear hub only usable components - lot purchase, this bike approx. $750 plus $100 gas to fetch it (Okla City).


2006: '70 Commando engine in custom chopper frame, non-running, no title. Rescued bare engine only. Bike #2 of 3-bike purchase; this bike approx. $500 + $100 gas to collect (Okla City).


2007: '74 Interstate 850, good runner, title, good condition - Bought from a friend (2-bike deal in Austin, TX) for $3,500.


2007: '73 Interstate 850, good runner, title, good condition (Corbin seat) (2-bike deal) $3,500.


2007: 71 Roadster 750 in excellent condition w/ title, bought from a guy in Macon, GA - $5,000 + $250 cost to collect w/ another bike


2008: '72 Combat rolling project with Leo Goff built engine, Norvil front disc setup, ARD mini magneto, Corbin seat, no title - same acquaintance in Macon, $4,474 incl. cost to collect w/ 2 other bikes & many parts


2008: '70 Commando basket case (assembled to roller, missing some core parts, no title; part of above deal) $1,650 collected.
(can't find the dang photo, sorry)

2008: '71 Roadster 750, good runner, Decibell mufflers, w/ title, 95% original, picked up in St. Louis for $3,500.


more...

This '73 MkV was $150 in 1992. Numbers matching and a title! There's a little more invested to rebuild.


But this one was $1995 in 1973. A survivor. Original except for the gold sidecover decals and replacement mufflers.

Continued...

2008: '75 Dreer New Norton Monoshock Prototype chassis, bodywork, pipes & misc. VR bits from Kenny Dreer. MkIII e-start 850 engine from a friend near Dallas. This was a custom build project based on those two core purchases that required quite a lot to complete the running bike, so "purchase price" doesn't tell you much at all... over $10,000 for a room full of parts that took 3 years to build into what's in the photo


2010: '74 850 Monoshock Special custom build with VR & Lyta bodywork and my own design swingarm & monoshock setup, with TL1000 front end and lots of special bits. - Sold for $7,500 with title at Barber's (Alabama) in a financial situation.


2010: '72 Combat PR replica (custom built from scratch). Sold with title for $7,500.


2015: '74 850 Cafe Racer Special, custom build from scratch w/ VR bodywork, VR e-start, Yamaha XS650 front end, with title $8,500.


2015: '74 Roadster 750 rolling project, clip-ons & rearsets, missing some non-critical components and many fasteners & small bits - sold for $2,500 on e-bay


2015: John Player Norton 850, some original JPN bits, but with PR seat & Ducati SS style fairing, replica decibell mufflers, non running, no title, very dirty. (same JPN as attempted trade in 1998, with a few changes since). Paid $3500 + $7,000+ in new parts, polishing, machine work, etc.Totally restored to very near original condition with a few pattern parts. Sold for $12,000 with title and "74 JPN" license plate from VT.


2016: '72 Combat Commando that I got in trade for an rolling Triumph trike project, this was one rough puppy. The trike was worth about $1,500. =Tthe completed project sold for $4,500 running and street legal.



Hope this helps the community.

grandpaul said:

Continued...

2008: '75 Dreer New Norton Monoshock Prototype chassis, bodywork, pipes & misc. VR bits from Kenny Dreer. MkIII e-start 850 engine from a friend near Dallas. This was a custom build project based on those two core purchases that required quite a lot to complete the running bike, so "purchase price" doesn't tell you much at all... over $10,000 for a room full of parts that took 3 years to build into what's in the photo
View attachment 83192

2010: '74 850 Monoshock Special custom build with VR & Lyta bodywork and my own design swingarm & monoshock setup, with TL1000 front end and lots of special bits. - Sold for $7,500 with title at Barber's (Alabama) in a financial situation.
View attachment 83193

2010: '72 Combat PR replica (custom built from scratch). Sold with title for $7,500.
View attachment 83194

2015: '74 850 Cafe Racer Special, custom build from scratch w/ VR bodywork, VR e-start, Yamaha XS650 front end, with title $8,500.
View attachment 83195

2015: '74 Roadster 750 rolling project, clip-ons & rearsets, missing some non-critical components and many fasteners & small bits - sold for $2,500 on e-bay
View attachment 83197

2015: John Player Norton 850, some original JPN bits, but with PR seat & Ducati SS style fairing, replica decibell mufflers, non running, no title, very dirty. (same JPN as attempted trade in 1998, with a few changes since). Paid $3500 + $7,000+ in new parts, polishing, machine work, etc.Totally restored to very near original condition with a few pattern parts. Sold for $12,000 with title and "74 JPN" license plate from VT.
View attachment 83198

2016: '72 Combat Commando that I got in trade for an rolling Triumph trike project, this was one rough puppy. The trike was worth about $1,500. =Tthe completed project sold for $4,500 running and street legal.
View attachment 83200


Hope this helps the community.

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You do awesome work.

I've owned my 71 for 9 years now and I don't think I'm done paying for it yet. Ask me on the day I sell it and I'll give you an accurate number.

1972 750 Combat Roadster came my way some years ago . It sat in a heated machine shop unused for many years - it had been put away with fuel drained and a heavy coat of wax on the tinware .
4k miles on the clock but broken speedometer cable so who
knows . $ 1500. and it was mine .
Title screwed up because previous owner ( deceased) was hiding it from his ex during divorce by putting it in his brothers name . Brother died intestate of drug overdose. The family was very nice and helpful and we ultimately got it straight.
I went through it , new battery , tires , seals etc in hydraulic brake and rode it for a few years . Here it is after first getting it back on the road -

I started a total rebuild of it a few years later - built new wheels in stainless, sleeved master cylinder, drilled and Blanchard ground rotor and that is as far as it got when superstorm Sandy hit us .
Here it is as found when we were able to return home - seawater immersion up to the axles .

The cut away insulation in the walls shows how high the water was.
The insurance company gave me something over $4k and let me keep bike and title .
5 years to the day after the storm I was able to get back to work on it - the salt water had gotten into the main frame tubing and corroded it from the inside out . The previously built wheels and front brake system were safe from the flood .
Here it is today after a couple years work and $ 12k expenditure.

I dont know what happened to the previous post... so redoing it.

In my last year at the UW, in 1984, I had a flat-mate who liked Nortons, and we would go up the road a bit to Poke’s Cycles in Seattle to perv at them. Poke was an old guy who opened the shop after WWII and his sons were running it, and at that time one of the sons had a blue stripe, but there wasn't much that was real nice for sale, but a lot that were in for service or there to chat. They also had BMWs.

One day my friend comes home, and tells me there is a shiny black 850 in there that just came in for sale. So, I went up on my Honda and drew some weird looks from one of the sons, Russ, who primarily ran the shop. But the other brother, Mark, and I got on well. Turns out it was a mint Mk3 Roadster that had only a few thousand miles on it. I paid the asking price of $1150 right there on the spot. The owner had lost a lot of money gambling the night before and needed to square up, and Pokes had just done some work on it for $850. So they gave the guy that back and flipped it to me. I rode it for a few years, and sold it to finance a move to New Orleans and some time on the road. Dumb move.

Fast forward a few years, and I am itching for a bike again and saw an ad for a 74 “Roadster” for sale, good shape with lots of extras – extra seats, a bunch of Norton tools, parts, luggage rack – three boxes of stuff. I go up with a girlfriend to check it out, and it isn't a roadster. It had a Hi-rider tank, Euro bars and a solo saddle. It wasn't in bad shape but not great, and the tires were likely original and were shot. But, I am itching and there was a lot of stuff in with it, so I paid too much for it at $1600. And I managed to flip some of the spares (including the Hi Rider seat) to Pokes for a RITA.

It got a rear flat on the way home. The next week or so, I see that the exhaust nuts are loose so I pull out the wrench to tighten them and one of them is stripped out and the guy had wrapped wire around the nut and used some kind of sealant to keep in in place for the sale. FFS. After I kludged it for a temporary fix, I got new tires.

And that began the fun.



I still have that bike.

$200

alan hodge said:

$200
(photo of frame, swingarm & trans cradle)

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Well, if you want to get technical...

$40


Bought them on a whim. Later got a frame, then 2 seats, then a 'glass tank, then...

Richard Tool said:

Title screwed up because previous owner ( deceased) was hiding it from his ex during divorce by putting it in his brothers name . Brother died intestate of drug overdose. The family was very nice and helpful and we ultimately got it straight.

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Richard Tool said:

As a testament to what we go through ( or more accurately what we put others through) to satisfy our Commando lust , the process of getting the title straight involved going to a county probate office . The heirs of the deceased brother whose name was on the title were his two elderly sisters , one of which was a diabetic amputee. While pushing her in her wheelchair through the parking lot I didn’t see the speed bump and when the wheels hit it the chair nearly pitched her out onto the pavement . A diving bear hug on my part kept her from a face plant and thankfully it was me who wound up in a heap . Both sisters thought it quite funny so bless the pair of them .

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Something I would like to know is...What modifications have you made that you would do again on another Norton.
And what things were not worth the effort.

seattle##gs said:

Something I would like to know is...What modifications have you made that you would do again on another Norton.
And what things were not worth the effort.

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I would redo all of my engine mods. Might do a different cam than the 312A. But that would just be for shits n giggles.

I would redo all of the suspension and brake mods. In fact, I would consider even going further on the suspension, but then again, maybe that is overkill.

The Oberon Streetfighter mirrors are the best mirrors I have had in any bike.

The nearly bolt on Triumph panniers are great.

My beautiful alloy tank that pukes fuel out of the filler because the neck is all wrong for the Ceandless cap it has. That wasn't worth it.

I have gone thru three different makes of rear sets since my rebuild. None of them were as comfortable or worked as well as the original Brian Slarke ones I had on the bike from the 80s. Even though most of them were better made. I should have just had those rechromed and figured out how to make some different rubbers work on them. I regret selling them before the rebuild was finished.

My first mk2a commando cost me $1500 back in the mid 70's she was very reliable and the only problem I had was a bent push rod in the years I owned her sold for $1500. Norton two 750 atlas that I swapped a BMW rs1000 for I only owned it for two years before selling for $4500 restored. My keeper is my 206xxx Combat roadster $3800 20 year ago rode it for a couple years until it developed a rattle and parked her up. She's back on the bench now stripped down chasing the rattle that turned out to be the clutch bearing. The bottom end in good condition just needs rings and the head rebuilt so will put some more miles on her before my son inherits her. Hopping it will stay in the family and be passed along to the next generation.

I paid $7k three years ago for my Commando (74 registered). The seller said to bring my helmet which was encouraging! The paint was original but faded--a plus. Steel tank--a plus. It rode well with good acceleration--another plus. I negotiated but still thought the price a bit high--well, OK.

I have since done a fair amount to the bike including rebuilding the transmission/gearbox, repaint, seat, fenders, front brake and Tri-spark devices. The engine needed nothing which is a major plus! Today, it is very close to being the Norton that I wanted, so it was all worth it.

998cc

998cc said:

I paid 7k three years ago for my Commando (74 registered). The seller said to bring my helmet which was encouraging! The paint was original but faded--a plus. Steel tank--a plus. It rode well with good acceleration--another plus. I negotiated but still thought the price a bit high--well, OK.

I have since done a fair amount to the bike including rebuilding the transmission/gearbox, repaint, seat, fenders, front brake and Tri-spark devices. The engine needed nothing which is a major plus! Today, it is very close to being the Norton that I wanted, so it was all worth it.

998cc

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In 1976 I bought my 1974 Commando new old new stock was only 2 74s left in Brisbane at the time, I was 17 years old and I paid $1999 on the road, the M111 at the time was $2450 on the road, I was only earning $60 a week and got my first ever loan of $1100 to pay for it, paid it off in less than 12 months on a 2 year loan.

Ashley

Jackman said:

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.

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I got mine new in the crate at a closeout sale. He had 3 to chose from.
75 Mk3 out the door $1695. See attached Bill of Sale:

Bought my July 71 750 cost me $1450.00 in Jan 1973 of Eric Wood M/cycles in CHCH. Only 3000 on the clock.

Got my 74 850 from Bob Nesbit about 15 years ago or so. Cost $8000.00. No idea of its original miles. Its still standard but with new pistons etc, I ride it everywhere. Bob told me he thrashed it up and down Port Rd in Seaview to record sound track for "The Worlds Fastest Indian". He laughed though, as there were no Nortons in the film.

Note. At the last Norton rally in Port Waikato, the fuel prices for 91 fuel were over $3.00 per litre, so I use it a lot more now for messages etc. 55-60 mpg a lot better than 13 litres / 100km on the Landcruiser [] and diesel is only 40 cents / litre less than 91 and road tax at last cost was about 28 cents / litre equivalent.. More fun too.