Looking for my first Commando

I have just sold my latest bike and i'm looking for a Commando MkIII ( a MKIII mainly because i'm going to find it hard after 30+ years of riding to switch gears and rear brake !!)
Any hints on what i should be looking for on the bike?

10 to 15 1000 dollar price tag fully fettered ready to ride. More if fancy paint and all upgrades possible.

Do you want one you can climb on and ride? Or one to rebuild/restore? Where it me, I would rather find a low mileage rust heap than a fully restored tart. The less wrenching somebody else has done, the less chances that they screwed something up. Unless you have the money to go to someplace like CNW and get 'er done.

I have to admit that I really don't like the extra complications the Mk3 configuration has just to put the shifter on the left. Not that it isn't without other desirable features. I just happen to prefer simpler machines.

Spend some time reading forum threads and watching Ebay ads, checking Craigslist, and so forth. You need to get enough of a feel for what you want that you can jump when you see it.

Good luck,
Russ

Welcome! First, you made a GREAT choice to begin by researching enthusiast forums. Are you a good mechanic? :lol: How much resto/wrenching are you wanting to do?

A decent Mark III can be had for under $10K, you just have to look.

If you see one on e-bay, ask around here if anyone is nearby that can have a look at it in person, then use Keyboard Motorcycle Shippers to get it home (I've used them over a dozen times with perfect results every time)

Welcome to the forum, and I hope you find one quickly.

Check Oldbritts website as they have a conversion option that you could use to take a pre MKIII and get you shifting on the ----wait for it----wait for it----correct side.

Quite a few" 'one year only" parts on the MKIII. Something I did not know til I bought one.

Knowing what I do now and w/o $10,000+ to spare, I'd keep eye on ebay &/or call Baxter's Cycles and other vendors and collect all the right stuff right off the bat to put together as most efficient cost effective learning curve to road joys. We are about 30 yrs too late to just fix one up in the flower shed like in jolly ole England of yore. Even better if you keep eye out, especially over holidays, you might find a distress sale of a fully fettered runner for under $6-7000. Both of my Combats were good runners when I got them, but very soon after I discovered stuff like bend crank shafts and cracked cases, or had bad parts let go, blow or sieze on first timid puttering about. Both of these cost at least what I paid for em to get back road worthy and still spending as other stuff wears out.