JPN commando Mk3 ?

On a local market website is a Commando Mk3 (re-imported from the USA) offered in John Player trim, with fairing etc.
To my knowledge Norton never offered a Mk 3 in John Player trim, am I correct ??
I wonder if there is a way of telling if a bike is a genuine John P, or a stock Commando with aftermarket poyester trim .

Peter R said:

To my knowledge Norton never offered a Mk 3 in John player trim, am I correct ??

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Probably, however, according to "ZFD" Joe Seifert, some Mk3 JPNs may have been built?:

engine-numbers-help-needed-t12758.html#p150322

Interestingly, amongst the early ones are a bunch of "JPN"s. I know the brochure for the Mk3 shows a JPN Mk3, but I thought they were never built. I have never seen one in the flesh, but then they all seem to have been shipped to the USA and Canada.

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Well at least one as evidence from the poster. My understanding, but I don't recall the source - there were around 25 units build to JPN standard using MkIII Commandos.

Many moons ago.........
I had a 75 Mk3 interstate side cover that was painted in the JPN colors.
It was a nice (vintage) paint job, it sure looked like it could have been factory to me.

That probably wasn't as JPN Replica Commandos had black Roadster side panels.

Give us the engine number of the bike and I will check what it was listed as.
Joe/Andover Norton

Peter R said:

I wonder if there is a way of telling if a bike is a genuine John P, or a stock Commando with aftermarket poyester trim .

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If you can have a good look at the steering head, if the VIN plate has been shifted to somewhere more visible, as they should be on a true JPN, then its a fair sign it was not a JPN to begin with...

JPN's look a little difficult to shift anyway, is there anything anywhere that says they are more valuable ?

ZFD said:

That probably wasn't as JPN Replica Commandos had black Roadster side panels.

Give us the engine number of the bike and I will check what it was listed as.
Joe/Andover Norton

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Yeah, It would really surprise me because I have never seen another one.
The number of the bike that it was on when I got it was 325263.

The paint was similar to this, only an interstate instead of roadster:


A quick google search found this 1974 JPN with Interstate side covers: (probably also not stock)

Mark said:

I had a 75 Mk3 interstate side cover that was painted in the JPN colors.
It was a nice (vintage) paint job, it sure looked like it could have been factory to me.

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Someone here recently had an Interstate tank in JPN white with the blue and red stripes.
Showing the underneath, could be seen it had been repainted.

A lot can have happened in the past 40+ years.
Not everything that is 'old' is factory...

That JPN just above appears to have invisible exhausts.
And the front brake won't pass an mot.

Rohan said:

A lot can have happened in the past 40+ years.
Not everything that is 'old' is factory...

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No argument from me!
There are probably some motorcycle parts left out there that I modified 40 years ago.

I got into a big argument with ah INOA member at a rally about 20 years ago about the existence of a Mk3 JPN. Name withheld from this list.
I stated that there was one, because it was shown in the UK 1975 NVT Superpower (?) brochure.
He said he was at the US photo shoot (picture shown elsewhere in this posting) & it was air bushed up to look like a Mk3. If you look close you can see this.
The NVT brochure one looks legit to me, but was it ever released?

As I recall the '75 MkIII with the body work from the JPN was not called JPN, rather 850 café racer. No John Player Norton decal. Look at the poster photo above. By 1975 John Player was no longer sponsoring Norton.

This is the poster I got when I brought my new Norton in 76, it's the line up of all the 75 M111s models that were on offer, it shows a JP but wheather its a look a like straight from the factory, they had one in the show room at the time, I ended up buying the last new 74 model roadster (old stock at the time) but this was over 39 years ago, I have had this poster ever since and hangs proudly in my shed (workshop).

Ashley

Ashley,
I had an almost identical experience. I walked into the dealer Feb 20th, 1976 in the south side of Richmond, VA and had my choice between several MK3's, couple MKIIa's, a couple Moto Guzzi V7 sports, an Eldorado, Couple Ducati 860's, couple Bonnevilles, Couple T160's, and one lone 1974 T150V Trident. I rode out on the T150V. In fact, still have it. But over the years, I always wondered about the Commandos and the V7. Then in 1996 I got the opportunity to buy a MK3 with barely 5,000 miles on it in museum quality condition in JP colors and jumped on it. I love my trident and we have a lot of history together. But , I always choose the Commando to ride first. Its lighter, quicker, handles better, easier to ride.
Cheers,
C

Commando Cam said:

Ashley,
I had an almost identical experience. I walked into the dealer Feb 20th, 1976 in the south side of Richmond, VA and had my choice between several MK3's, couple MKIIa's, a couple Moto Guzzi V7 sports, an Eldorado, Couple Ducati 860's, couple Bonnevilles, Couple T160's, and one lone 1974 T150V Trident. I rode out on the T150V. In fact, still have it. But over the years, I always wondered about the Commandos and the V7. Then in 1996 I got the opportunity to buy a MK3 with barely 5,000 miles on it in museum quality condition in JP colors and jumped on it. I love my trident and we have a lot of history together. But , I always choose the Commando to ride first. Its lighter, quicker, handles better, easier to ride.
Cheers,
C

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Its good to see someone else that has the same history when buying our new bikes at near the same time, my dealer also had Harlies, BMWs, Triumphs as well the Nortons, I could have went for the Trident, but I was set on the last 74 black Roadster, but after a few years of riding it I ended up converting it to the Featherbed frame in 1980, but I still own it, I also brought brand new Triumph Thunderbird from the same dealer in 1981 and a new Harley 1200 Sportster in 1991 (both bike since gone, but wish I never got rid of the Thunderbird) but its been a great 39 year love affair, but now my Norton is semi retired (just like me) and now riding my new 2013 Triumph Thruxton which I brought before retiring from my job of 31 years, the Triumph has taken over from the Norton as my everyday ride, but its not the same as my light weight hotrod 850 Norton Featherbed, its a joy to ride.

It was the only time in that year (1976) that I ever seen a JPN on a show room floor but the price was over $600 more than then my 74 Roadster and the M111 Rosdster was $450 more, so I paid $1,999 on the road, I was 17 years old and only ernning $60 a week at the time.

Ashley