looking at a 750 and an 850

looking at both a 750 and an 850 commando. the 750 is a bit closer to home.

how big is the performance difference between the two?

i.e., would the 750 be comfortable at 70mph on the interstate?

thx

ed

That Green sure is pretty to me! However the 850 has different steering geometry that would make it more comfortable on the Interstate.Cj

Depends where you ride . Its milage / hours are most relevant . If nearly ' as built ' its not been wrecked . i.e. ORIGINAL .

The little gussets going aft under the seat loop designate the ' late ' frame , 750 or 850 . (828) .Look at the steering stops .If the one on the frames ' gone ' , a degree of caution / expertise for inspection advised ,Thats natta bada bike .Flipping the bars over gets the crick out of your back .Swap em left for right , at about 90 deg to where they are . Up .

A few bikes were riden into the ground , so see etc . Id prefer faded factory paint to a respray .Either way mate , Would
you cruise at 70 mph in a Maseratti Sebring ?? Either engine will easy , probly a 20 T sprocket though NOT a 19 , 22 is ok
but a bit awkward about town .

ON the other hand , a DECENT overhaul , it could sit at 100 mph all day , but there not cheap . Suggest he does this on your test ride , Bring valium . That one'll be more comfortable at 100 , unless you use a tank bag . :mrgreen:

A bike as built , by the factory , with under 10.000 miles , is worth something .Anything else , be circumspect .
Things like ' Dunlop ' rims etc dictate resale value . Very nice ones come up periodically . Though generally require elbow grease , familiarity , and EFFORT / involvement . Either you do it youreself , or you PAY .

And as for the Paint , BLACKs COMMON . What you need are S or SS Pipes . :lol:

Just get both of them .

Sweet bike ,get rid of the green and paint it in Roman Fireflake Purple ,now we're talkin'.

That's a very very nice 1970 Roadster, I'd replace the handle bars, put a 21 or 22 tooth sprocket on the front and ride the shit out of it .

I am partial to a colour change, any colour, as long as it's black:




Good buy !!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Welcome to the forum. You don't have to worry about a 750 being able to keep up with highway traffic. A good 750 will easily stomp an 850. I would go with a later disk brake model '72-on. A very general question like this is gonna generate a lot of opinions because it is really a matter of one's own riding preferences. Research before buying.

If you do get the green one have the sidepanels redone so the lettering is not going uphill like that. Yuggh.

The 750 is an early version, 69/70 with the central oil tank, low seat, but the headlamp holders are 71 or later. Not that it matters. I can't see the 850, not showing up in my computer. I've never ridden an 850 but I understand they are heavier and take better to highway driving. The 750 will be more nimble in the twisties. You can change the gearing by the drive sprocket to your liking.

Yes if you get the 750 change the lettering.



Dave
69S

I own an 850 & a 750. Spoken to people with 850's.
850's are more powerful.
No weight difference you would notice.
Unless you are comparing with a mk3 850.

Flo said:

I own an 850 & a 750. Spoken to people with 850's.
850's are more powerful.
No weight difference you would notice.
Unless you are comparing with a mk3 850.

Click to expand...

Not faster than all 750s...

i don't need a lot of 'whoop ass' anymore, just enough. just turned 65
i had plenty for 30 years flying these for northrop grumman,

..
it doesn't look like anybody in the above posts thinks their 750's are underpowered.
i would primarily use it as a local ride. got a bmw r1200r for long distance.

one or two questions,
what's the stuff that breaks the most on nortons in general?
is this stuff hard to get?
it is hard to remove & replace?
are the drum brakes on the 750 adaquate?
thx,
ed

I would not say the 750 is under powered. 25 to 70 in 2nd gear pulling like a train the whole way. That's plenty of whoop for me at almost 68.

Dave
69S

goo said:

one or two questions,
what's the stuff that breaks the most on nortons in general?
is this stuff hard to get?
it is hard to remove & replace?
are the drum brakes on the 750 adaquate?
thx,
ed

Click to expand...

You should serious consider searching and reading the forum.

But don't worry, someone will be along to answer these questions.

goo said:

one or two questions,
what's the stuff that breaks the most on nortons in general?
is this stuff hard to get?
it is hard to remove & replace?
are the drum brakes on the 750 adaquate?
thx,
ed

Click to expand...

1. anything and nothing, they can be made quite dependable.
2. No, just need a large bank account sometimes it's less expensive to buy stuff from UK if it's not large.
3. Some yes, some no but that's part of owning a Norton. Search horn.
4. If the front brake has not been improved, you may find it lacking. It can be greatly improved by arcing the drums, there is a stiffening kit too, but don't know how much it helps. I just don't drive in traffic and don't follow close. Upgrade to disk if necessary.

Dave
69S

One way to look at this is like comparing a Chevy 327 to a 350. Both have plenty of "go" but if you are going to be towing a boat, you are gonna want the torque of the 350. There will be lots of people who disagree with this next statement but here goes. A Norton will keep up with traffic on the Interstate, but due to its relative light weight is not the perfect bike for this kind of riding. It will get buffeted about. Now, get it out on the country roads where you have a little room and have some fun. If most of my riding was on the Interstate with a few other lanes jammed in around me...hmmm, I'd probably get a convertable and leave the bike at home actually.

rvich said:

One way to look at this is like comparing a Chevy 327 to a 350. Both have plenty of "go" but if you are going to be towing a boat, you are gonna want the torque of the 350. There will be lots of people who disagree with this next statement but here goes. A Norton will keep up with traffic on the Interstate, but due to its relative light weight is not the perfect bike for this kind of riding. It will get buffeted about. Now, get it out on the country roads where you have a little room and have some fun. If most of my riding was on the Interstate with a few other lanes jammed in around me...hmmm, I'd probably get a convertable and leave the bike at home actually.

Click to expand...

Having just a few miles of freeway riding I'd say that a Norton isn't bad at all. All about having the right seat, handlebars and foot pegs. Aside from semis which blow everything around you won't notice the other vehicles. Still there are better bikes for long distance trips.

Speaking of freeway riding, I just back from our club's annual Plains Ride. About 120 miles of riding for me today, with the first 25 miles being a 75 mph run down I25 to the meeting point. The rest of the outing was all back roads, very nice. I rode my 850 today as I have the 750 down for some maintenance. Both bikes run down the highway just fine. I have a 21 on the 850 so it's a little nicer for the high speed cruising on the interstate.

750 vs. 850? Doesn't matter, it's all in how you set them up. Buy the best bike you can find and afford, and run with it. They're all good.

Debby

Your bike is also fitted with the far superior cush drive type rear wheel ( has rubber blocks inside the rear wheel to take "bumps" and jolts away from the drive chain ).

Must be a pretty sweet tune from that exhaust system.

goo said:

one or two questions,
what's the stuff that breaks the most on nortons in general?
is this stuff hard to get?
it is hard to remove & replace?
are the drum brakes on the 750 adaquate?
thx,
ed

Click to expand...

A service history will help but you can't count on it completely. There are too many PO horror stories.
In my mind, as demented as it is, I think anything with a bearing and seal should be either validate to be good or replaced. I am not saying the you need to think about opening the crankcase.

These bikes consist of many assemblies to create a unit. Front wheel, back wheel, Primary, gearbox, suspension, head, electrical, swing arm, isolastics and on and on, all should be thought of as individual assemblies. Take it one at a time to keep your self feel overwhelmed. Maybe start with drive train components, fluids and electrical, I don't know. It will really depend on what you get.

Don't let a couple bad entities stop you from a purchase. Everything is available and almost everything will be assessed at some time by you. If you get a runner that takes you on down the road, great. Just pick away at it as you go.

For example, the gearbox may seem scary. Ask anyone who has gone through one a couple of time and they will tell you it is a piece of cake, and it is, once you have been in there once or twice.

Please don't keep us waiting. Document and send lots of photos as you go. No matter what happens, you will not be sorry and the rewards from riding a Norton that you yourself work on is unmeasurable

Dogt, I think you might want to clean your glasses, that 750 appears to have a halo ?. :mrgreen:

Josh, you're right, it must have been the NY fog that threw me off. It's not the first time.

Dave