New guy checking in.

Another new guy checking in. I just got a 73 Commando, my first Norton and brit bike in general. I've been doing a lot of reading lately and have some questions about the early 70's Commandos.

Are all the 73 engines 850cc or did it switch over at some point? And what's the deal with the Combat motor? Was it in all bikes or just some?

Where the electronics worked out at this point, or am I still dealing with the Prince of Darkness.

Thanks in advance, and pardon my new guy ignorance. I'm trying to learn fast.

Others will be able to confirm dates better than i but 750 and 850 production did overlap. Not all 750's were combats.
By the look of your bike you should not have to worry about the electrics, or much else for that matter. If it isn't one of Matt Rambows (Colorado Norton Works) its look was inspired by his work. In any event someone who has put as much work into a bike as yours has had must have sorted the electrics.

Nearly forgot, welcome to the forum and to the Norton world.

Welcome fellow new guy

Hi, nice looking bike you have there, if it has a 1973 850 motor it shouldn't be the Combat motor, they were, I think confined to the 1972 750's. You can tell easily by the engine breather, the Combat had the breather set up at the lower rear of the crankcase, before that, left front below the cylinder /crankcase joint, and after from the rear top of the timing cover. In any case with the amount of work and detailing your bike has, I think that even if it was a Combat it would have been sorted out and wouldn't be a problem now.

Graeme

Graeme,
The breather was moved to the rear on the '72 Combat motor, but remained there on the MkV 750's of 1973.

Va Beach Biker
The 1973 MkV's 750 began with engine number 22XXXX, while the '72 models began with 20XXXX or 21XXXX. They built the 750 MkV from about 10/72 to 4/73 after which the 850 (engine number 30XXXX) was introduced. The MkV 750 was available in two different compression ratios, with the RH6 9.3:1 head the most abundant. The ports are 32mm with 932 Amal carbs. The cam was the standard Commando grind. The '73 750 was probably the strongest crankcases of any 750 and had the good Superblend bearings.

If indeed that is a CNW rebuilt Norton, you shouldn't have any electrical problems, but the original wiring on the '73 was indeed standard Lucas.

Welcome to the forum!!

va beach biker said:

Are all the 73 engines 850cc or did it switch over at some point?

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850 production began around March 1973.

850 engines have 3xxxxx serial numbers.

Production of the 750 models also continued until October 1973, the last 750 engine number is reported to be 230935.

The (CNW?) Commando shown in the photos appears to be a 750 model, as it has 750 style barrels.

va beach biker said:

And what's the deal with the Combat motor? Was it in all bikes or just some?

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Combat engines were available first as an option, but were later fitted to *most* standard production models during 1972 and some of the available information is contradictory, the Combat engines apparently being fitted between serial numbers 200976 to 211110.

va beach biker said:

Where the electronics worked out at this point, or am I still dealing with the Prince of Darkness.

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Generally the electrics carried on much as before, but there are several electrical upgrades available, and I expect your Commando could have them already?

Ron L said:

They built the 750 MkV from about 10/72 to 4/73 after which the 850 (engine number 30XXXX) was introduced.

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The actual start of 750 MkV production seems unclear, this has been mentioned previously here, as there are no known official records of any 750 MkV models being produced before March '73, although we do know from comments made by the members here that some 220000 serial bikes built to MkV specification were produced for the US market before the March '73 date. The production of 750 models continued until around October '73.

Commando model & history info.:
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/ ... etail.html
http://www.nortonmotors.de/ANIL/Commando.htm

Les,
I have two MkV 750's both with 11/72 build dates and serial numbers 220808 and 2207xx. Now if they started at 220000 this means at least 808 were built prior to 1/73. This would be typical of building a new model late in the previous year for release in January. Sinced I have owned these for many years, I have been aware of the build controversy on the '73 models and do not miss a chance to check the frame plate when I see another MkV. I have yet to find a Mk V in the US with a build after April of '73. Does anyone on the list have one built after 4/73?

I have seen many conflicting lists with the last 750 build date from 3/73 to 9/73, but no first hand observation after 4/73. Perhaps the later models were replacement engines or short stroke racers or home market only?

Just a personal observation.

Va. Beach Biker,
What is the build date on your 750?

I'm picking the bike up tomorrow, I'll have the numbers then, and probably some more questions too.

Ron L said:

I have seen many conflicting lists with the last 750 build date from 3/73 to 9/73, but no first hand observation after 4/73. Perhaps the later models were replacement engines or short stroke racers or home market only?

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Ron,

I think it is quite probable that very few 750s would have been sent to the USA once 850 production had got underway, and any 750 models that were built after that would have probably been sold on the UK market or elsewhere in the world, so I don't believe it would be impossible for production to have continued up to October '73 as reported in several publications.
The INOA Tech Digest serial number information cannot really be relied upon as the serial numbers are logged in numerical order giving the appearance that serial 230935 is an earlier build than serial 300000.
As no date information is given along with the serials then the information is, at best, misleading.