Introduction & Question

Hello to everyone; I have been floating around this forum for a few weeks now gathering up some information and figured that I should post my introduction. I am active duty military stationed over in the UK and have an '06 Bonnie that I have been having a blast riding the English countryside on. I will soon be in the market to put another bike in the garage and I have come to the conclusion that I want it to be a Norton. I debated long and hard about it being a Meriden Bonnie but I want the Norton for several reasons. With that said, there are some things I would like to point out and then ask for some assistance for your opinions that you would be willing to share with me:

1. I will still be overseas for about another three years so I won't be buying this Norton anytime in the immediate future; it is hard enough transporting one bike around the world.
2. From the research I have been doing, I am leaning towards hunting down a 850 Commando. I really like the roadster/cafe position of the Bonnie and want to keep that riding position in the Norton. I have also been reading that the 850 Commando was a real solid/reliable bike. I do not mind turning a wrench at all but I plan/want to ride this bike. Any thoughts/comments on my reasoning on hunting down the 850?
3. I will be retiring from the Air Force soon and this bike is going to be my retirement present to myself. After my service, I will be moving back to New York. I would be willing to travel to get this bike with car and trailer for the right deal. How much of a hunt is this going to turn out to be? In other words...are these bikes exceptionally hard to find or is it not that bad?
4. As I said before, I do not mind wrenching on a bike but I do NOT want a project bike. Ultimately I would like to find a well kept or properly restored Commando that is ready to have fun on. I know there will be a cost increase to have this at the point of sale but what kind of price range would I be looking at?
5. I saw that Baxter's cycles has a 1975 Commando with less than 4,000 miles on it fully restored and they are asking about $11.000 for it. Is this a realistic price range for the condition of the bike or is this on the high side?
6. What is it like getting parts for these bikes? Is there still big enough of a market to where they are still sourced or does this become an additional challenge in keeping the bike running?
7. I would appreciate it if anyone was willing to share some useful links with me as far as anything dealing with Nortons...history all the way to parts and accessories. I am trying to get a jump on things to be best prepared to get this bike the moment I have the opportunity to.

Thank you in advanced for any help you would be willing to offer to me. It won't be tomorrow but soon enough I will be joining the ranks of a Norton owner and I can't wait! That first ride on my retirement from active duty present in the Hudson Valley is going to be oh so sweet!

If you've been reading the forum you should have a pretty good idea about the parts availablity (which is good).

$11k for a top notch Norton is not unreasonable. When Bonnies can fetch $20k+ they are a deal.

It might take you a little while to find the right one but you'll find it.

If I were you I'd buy it in the states for when you get back to NY.

You have enough time to wait for the right bike. You could buy a run down donner bike and have it fully restored over the next 3 years by a number of competent builders. Here are a couple of builders you see on this forum a lot and there are others.
http://www.coloradonortonworks.com/
http://www.bornagainbikes.net/My_Homepa ... age54.html

Depends what you want to spend. You could also order a brand new 2012-3 model present day norton and you should be at the top of the list in 3 years with a new bike waiting.
http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/

Whether you buy a new model or a restored bike from the 70's, you have time to plan for it so there's no shortage or trouble in finding one.

RennieK said:

If I were you I'd buy it in the states for when you get back to NY.
Depends what you want to spend. You could also order a brand new 2012-3 model present day norton and you should be at the top of the list in 3 years with a new bike waiting.

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I will be getting the bike when I get back to the states; I will be heading out to northern Japan in a few months and it is hassle enough transporting just one bike around the globe. I sat on a few of the new Nortons at the NEC bike show in Birmingham and they are nice...VERY nice. I was surprised at the price tag though and figured that I would rather go the vintage route. Pluse I have a Hinckley Bonnie and would like to have a vintage Norton in the garage alongside it. I will most likely begin this search within this next year though and can always put the bike in storage if I run into something where I would be a fool to let go. Thank you for the input and the links; I have already started up a folder just for this hunt.

The '75 MkIII 850 is electric start and basically one year only in production. It has it's own issues related to the electric start mechanisms that prior years don't have. If you don't mind kick start only, I would suggest '73-'74 850s. The '73 has the RH4 head with 32mm intake ports which I think makes it more attractive than '74 with RH10 head and tapered intakes. The 850s should be more reliable than the 750s if only due to thier lower performance. A Commando for $11K is high in my mind.

What base in the UK? I was at Hahn AB, Germany in '75-'76 as an Air Force E-4 medic.

I don't mind a kick whatsoever; as a matter of fact, I am looking forward to kicking the bike over and even wished that option was still available to these newer bikes. This is the kind of information I was hoping to get so that I can tailor down my search best I can. I do the vast majority of my own work as it is on my bike but as I said before, I just want to get a Norton in good condition that I will have to keep clean/polished and enjoy it when the weekends come around and the summer nights when the days are nice and long. I am stationed at RAF Lakenheath but my tour here is coming to an end. Riding here in England has been a blast and I have met some really great people as well. My next assignment will be at Misawa AB which is northern Japan but right under the Hokkaido island. I will be traveling to even colder weather and much more snow but the elevation there is unreal and I am looking forward to the riding. There isn't much at Hahn anymore; just about everything in German now runs out of Rammstein.

illf8ed said:

A Commando for $11K is high in my mind.

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For a restored low miles bike? Sure it depends on who did it and how good of a job, but people here are constantly talking about spending at least that much restoring a bike.

But I have to think that a "perfect" restoration would be worth that.

swooshdave said:

illf8ed said:

A Commando for $11K is high in my mind.

Click to expand...

For a restored low miles bike? Sure it depends on who did it and how good of a job, but people here are constantly talking about spending at least that much restoring a bike.

But I have to think that a "perfect" restoration would be worth that.

Click to expand...

Hey fellas...this might seem like a peculiar comment but I have spent the last fifteen years overseas and sometimes I feel as if I am the stranger when I can return home for a short amount of time. I have been doing as much research as possible but do any of you have an opinion about Baxter cycles? From their website and the few articles I have been able to hunt down...they seem like a really reputable shop to go through. Just wondering if anyone has any first-hand experience with this...

If it were a complete, properly restored Norton with upgrades $11,000 would be a bargain.

I think one thing you'll find is that the availabilty of parts is extraordinary. Don't worry about that aspect. Just shop around for the best price and read constantly for indications of the best quality.

Bonnie06Tangerine said:

swooshdave said:

illf8ed said:

A Commando for $11K is high in my mind.

Click to expand...

For a restored low miles bike? Sure it depends on who did it and how good of a job, but people here are constantly talking about spending at least that much restoring a bike.

But I have to think that a "perfect" restoration would be worth that.

Click to expand...

Hey fellas...this might seem like a peculiar comment but I have spent the last fifteen years overseas and sometimes I feel as if I am the stranger when I can return home for a short amount of time. I have been doing as much research as possible but do any of you have an opinion about Baxter cycles? From their website and the few articles I have been able to hunt down...they seem like a really reputable shop to go through. Just wondering if anyone has any first-hand experience with this...

Click to expand...

I have NO personal experience with with baxters but I know the guy that does a lot of there bike restorations. he rides a Norton a lot of miles and has done a few 1,000 mile days so I would have to say he knows a little about how to build a reliable Norton and I have NEVER heard a bad word about baxters

bill said:

I have NEVER heard a bad word about baxters

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This.

bill said:

...I have NEVER heard a bad word about baxters

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Ditto.

...and I am a wholesale client of thiers.

Hello BT,
I purchased my 74 850 from Baxter's back in 2000. I had noticed their ad in Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader magazine. Anyhow, over the course of a few phone calls I gave them my credit card number and they shipped the bike sight unseen ($4850 + $474 shipping). It was as smooth a transaction as possible. The bike arrived with a few of the regular Norton issues (IE weepy rocker covers and head gasket), unfortunately the shippers had dropped something and dented the gas tank. After an insurance claim with the shippers it got repainted, frame too, and much more nicely I might add. During the first winter I also took the opportunity to rewire and go through the head and tranny. Since then its been a great bike and with various upgrades, layshaft roller bearing, transmission cover lipseals, 520 "O"ring chain conversion, single carb (first Amal now Mikuni), primary belt drive, Japanese switch gear, tie-rod headsteady, probably a few other things that I have forgotten.
Parts are NO problem, I'd wager that there are more parts and dealers available right now than when these bikes were in their heyday (thank computors for that). If you check Ebay there are probably a half dozen Commandos on any given day.
I envy you for staying in the service, if I had stayed I could have retired with 30 years, seven years ago, but no I got out, still kicking my ass.
GB
PS. I also have an 02 Bonneville (great bike)