John Player Norton

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Any Commando is probably too expensive. I'd like to own a Blower Bentley or a Bugatti, just to have one. A Commando is about the same. I drive a Mazda 6 which has a six speed close ratio gearbox and I love it, but it is not the same as the other. Old stuff can be a pain, but it is nice to have something which most people do not have. I've watched a few videos about Jay Leno's Garage - that is just being silly with too much money.
 
I would not buy a modern Commando, but the reason some of us oldies have nice old bikes, is we bought them when we were young and kept them. A modern Commando will be the same, It will only ever increase in value. If you buy one in your twenties and keep it, when you are my age, you will really have something.
 
acotrel said:
Any Commando is probably too expensive. I'd like to own a Blower Bentley or a Bugatti, just to have one. A Commando is about the same. I drive a Mazda 6 which has a six speed close ratio gearbox and I love it, but it is not the same as the other. Old stuff can be a pain, but it is nice to have something which most people do not have. I've watched a few videos about Jay Leno's Garage - that is just being silly with too much money.
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When Jay Leno pushes up daisies, the recipients of his estate will put his stuff up for auction very quickly. That should make for a very interesting
Las Vegas auction. His stuff is very good and will bring big money. And that will be his legacy.
 
I restored JPN number 316895 in the '80's. It was understood to be a collector bike even then, though the Oklahoma red dirt and rusted out bean cans (think Filo dough) were intimidating. It ran red when I first hosed it down for inspection. Had a sticker from a Norton dealer in Oka. and I studiously left it there for the next owner, a Norwegian gentleman named Hans.

Quick check for authenticity is to check for a pair of machined square clamps on the downtubes and a pair of thin wires welded to the front fairing mount and intended to lie against the yoke stop to handle clip on's and a fatter fiberglass tank shroud. Most lost the wires through decay.

Once I found a place in California that did black chrome I had two pair of bean cans plated and sold one set to cover the overall cost. To be honest once the bike was together the break-in period was a bit brutal, what with the sound channeled into your face from under the instrument shelf and the position. That darn air box was horrible as well but there you are.
 
Wow, so we have '895 to '995 "nailed down" as almost half the JPNs that were produced!
 
Jdub said:
I restored JPN number 316895 in the '80's. It was understood to be a collector bike even then, though the Oklahoma red dirt and rusted out bean cans (think Filo dough) were intimidating. It ran red when I first hosed it down for inspection. Had a sticker from a Norton dealer in Oka. and I studiously left it there for the next owner, a Norwegian gentleman named Hans.

Quick check for authenticity is to check for a pair of machined square clamps on the downtubes and a pair of thin wires welded to the front fairing mount and intended to lie against the yoke stop to handle clip on's and a fatter fiberglass tank shroud. Most lost the wires through decay.

Once I found a place in California that did black chrome I had two pair of bean cans plated and sold one set to cover the overall cost. To be honest once the bike was together the break-in period was a bit brutal, what with the sound channeled into your face from under the instrument shelf and the position. That darn air box was horrible as well but there you are.
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I would be very careful about restoring old motorcycles. If you remove the patina you might devalue them. Something which is authentic is always worth more. When you see an old bike in all of it's original glory, it is usually a joy to behold. The best bike I've seen at a race meeting was a concours Thruxton Velocette at Phillip Island about ten years ago. It was nut and bolt perfect and to die for. I could not live with a bike like that, it would drive me insane.
 
Jay Leno's bikes are excellent, but most have been restored. I'd rather get bikes like that before they have been dolled-up to look better than original. The ISO900 definition of quality is 'fit for purpose'. A better definition is 'fit for purpose with obvious attention to detail'. What is often missing from restorations is attention to detail. Don't use stainless steel fasteners and other modern parts on old bikes. To anyone who knows, they stand out like dog's balls. I can tell the difference between stainless steel and cadmium plating at one glance.
I'm not a purist in anything I do, however I appreciate quality excellence in others. When I see Japanese levers or a Scitsu tacho on a Manx Norton, I stop looking any further.
You have to ask the question - 'what are we about ?'.
 
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On my Seeley 850, there are two obviously Japanese parts. The tacho looks as though it is out of the 1950s, but if you look through the glass, you can see the Suzuki 'S'. And the rear brake master cylinder and calliper are also obviously Japanese. I had a Brembo ,but it failed. Both of those things annoy me, but probably nobody else would notice.
 
acotrel said:
I would be very careful about restoring old motorcycles. If you remove the patina you might devalue them. Something which is authentic is always worth more. When you see an old bike in all of it's original glory, it is usually a joy to behold. The best bike I've seen at a race meeting was a concours Thruxton Velocette at Phillip Island about ten years ago. It was nut and bolt perfect and to die for. I could not live with a bike like that, it would drive me insane.
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My experience is if I want to buy a Norton they’re made of gold. If I want to sell one, made of lead. New plan, I don’t sell Norton’s anymore.
 
When I was a kid I was given a 500cc Indian Scout. I rode it for a few years then sold it for about $75. You would not buy it these days for less than $30,000. I have never sold a motorcycle without later regretting it. If you are smart, you do not sell anything which has to do with old motorcycles unless it is remanufactured.
 
When I sold my restored original JPN, they were selling between $12K - $20K. Mine sold right at the low end.

I would thunk that range is still likely, but as always, they fetch the most when there are two or more "motivated" buyers / collectors at the same point in time...
 
Is there anything about a JPN which is different but not cosmetic ? To me, if it was technically better than the usual, it would be worth more. If I owned any Commando, I would probably change the gearbox. It is possible to go very fast on a motorcycle which has a slow motor, depending on what the rest of it is like. I don't think the motor in my Seeley 850 is very fast, but the rest of the bike is fast. It can be ridden fast where most other bikes need to slow down.
 
acotrel said:
Is there anything about a JPN which is different but not cosmetic ? To me, if it was technically better than the usual, it would be worth more. If I owned any Commando, I would probably change the gearbox. It is possible to go very fast on a motorcycle which has a slow motor, depending on what the rest of it is like. I don't think the motor in my Seeley 850 is very fast, but the rest of the bike is fast. It can be ridden fast where most other bikes need to slow down.
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Nope ,

There is nothing hot rod mechanical about the JPN. But the feeling of the bike is.:) IMHO
 
I think the JPN looks excellent, but it is only due to the fibreglass - which can be bought and fitted to any Commando ? - If I ever get rich again, I might make one.
 
acotrel said:
I think the JPN looks excellent, but it is only due to the fibreglass - which can be bought and fitted to any Commando ? - If I ever get rich again, I might make one.
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if you are going to make a replica JPN why not make it silver? The correct brackets, fittings and all the details will make the difference . (personally because I am old, I would start with a MK3)

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