batrider said:
L.A.B. - I hope I'm not diverting this too far off track. I never heard the Mark numbers for 750s being referred to back in the '70s. The 850s yes. Is there a description of what the different features of the various Mark numbers for the 750s are? Thanks.
Russ
The Commando Mark numbering system is reasonably complex!
To list the different features of each individual Mark would be rather lengthy, so I will have to leave that, for now!
However, some "Marks" only lasted for a few months, and others lasted for over a year. New 750 model variants technically had no Mark number for the first production series, so there's no designated "MkI" version of any 750 model, for instance the first Roadster production series made from 3/'70-12/'70 was the "750 Roadster" model, the next Roadster series was 750 Roadster MkII.
The Interstate model, was introduced in early 1972, therefore technically that first model was the "750 Interstate" although it would have been built to MkIV specification (as the Roadster, Fastback Hi-Rider built during the same period were at MkIV spec.), the subsequent 750 Interstate production series model was then known as the Interstate MkV.
If anybody is totally confused by now, it's hardly surprising, as it does take a while to understand the system!
750cc
Original Commando 4/68-3/69
750 R 3/69-9/69
750S 3/69-6/70
Fastback 3/69-8/70
Fastback II 9/70-12/70
Fastback III 1/71-12/71
Fastback IV 1/72-3/73
Fastback LR (Long Range) 4/71-12/71
Fastback LR MkIV 1/72-2/73
Roadster 3/70-12/70
Roadster II 1/71-12/71
Roadster IV 1/72-2/73
Roadster V 3/73-10/73
SS (Street Scrambler) 3/71-10/71
PR (Production Racer) 4/71-10/73
Hi-Rider 5/71-12/71
Hi-Rider IV 1/72-2/73
Hi-Rider V 3/73-10/73
Interstate 1/72-2/73
Interstate V 3/73-10/73
850cc
Roadster I 4/73-12/73
Roadster IA 9/73-2/75
Roadster IIA 1/74-2/75
Roadster III 2/75-9/77
Interstate I 4/73-12/73
Interstate 1A 9/73-2/75
Interstate IIA 1/74-2/75
Interstate III 2/75-9/77
Hi-Rider I 4/73-12/73
Hi-Rider II 1/74-2/75
850cc
John Player Replica 11/73-2/75