New To Me 850

jaguar · Sep 9, 2015

So upstate NY seems to be dirty with Nortons.
I very much wanted to scratch the itch to get a brit bike. Found a 72 Commando and figured I would plug away with it.
Then I found a 1961 Featherbed local and coundnt not buy that.
And finally this guy followed me home last weekend.

Seems to have some neat parts on it. Unsure what they all are though.

grandpaul · Sep 9, 2015

Pretty nifty. I seem to recall using a stub of a handlebar to mount the choke up there, after seeing it done on a Dunstall. However, I don't think those are Dunstall rearsets.

jaguar · Sep 9, 2015

They have dunstall rubbers on the pegs, but that doesn't mean much.

Torontonian · Sep 9, 2015

Yes ,apparently upstate is the happy hunting ground as a lot were sold there way back when.

Ekvin · Sep 9, 2015

Hey Jaguar, nice find! Three Nortons!
Norton's are pretty rare in my neck of the woods (Northwestern Ontario).
Cheers,
Ekvin

acotrel · Sep 9, 2015

I'm going to have to stop looking at this forum, I am getting jealous. I'd like to own that sort of baby.

Torontonian · Sep 9, 2015

Drive around upper New york state and knock on barn doors with dust and cobwebs. If you see a shotgun run like hell. :?:

jaguar · Sep 10, 2015

They are actually just starting to come to me!

I do have a knack for finding rare and interesting parts, but this is comical at this point.

Torontonian · Sep 10, 2015

HaHa , I'll come visit , as just due south , but our dollar so low due to our P.M. putting all our eggs into the oil barrell /basket. Ha.

Interbak · Sep 10, 2015

Looks like a '73 850, if the seat is original. The shifter side is definitely a real Dunstall piece, can't really tell about the brake side from your picture. There were some pretty good Norton shops in upper NY years ago. Ace Cycle sales in Albion, we used to have our NYNOA chapter meetings and partys there. There was Walter Kohl's in Lockport. There were rumors that Walter and Anna had barns and warehouses full of stuff all over the country side. Anna was having motorcycle yard sales every month, about 25 years ago, selling off all kinds of interesting stuff, Brit, Jap, American, European, they sold just about everything over the years. There was another shop south of Buffalo that sold brit stuff back then as well, can't remember the shop name.

Nice find, B

Deckard · Sep 10, 2015

Details, details, details. Give us the engine number and the red tag plate info on the frame neck for the front fork. The mufflers look Dunstall, but the baffles don't. From the pictures, the fork angle looks more 750 than 850.

Rohan · Sep 10, 2015

Deckard said:
From the pictures, the fork angle looks more 750 than 850.

You can tell that from looking - at a pic too - I'm impressed !
Only one degree different.
Thats tough to even measure....

Pics without a headlamp may be deceptive ?

Looks to be a near totally stock 850 Mk 1, clipons notwithstanding.
Without a headlamp of course - and the sidecovers have lost their pinstripes (?).
No carb rubbers either.
Even has the Mk1 basketweave seat still...

850cmndo · Sep 11, 2015

Deckard said:
Details, details, details. Give us the engine number and the red tag plate info on the frame neck for the front fork. The mufflers look Dunstall, but the baffles don't. From the pictures, the fork angle looks more 750 than 850.

Those are Dunstalls. The baffles are original to that series and are removable. The tank has the "raised seam" in the front like my early '73. Barrels are the wrong color and there are still people who will argue that...Seat is correct. Pretty nice repair too.

Deckard · Sep 11, 2015

850cmndo said:
Deckard said:

Details, details, details. Give us the engine number and the red tag plate info on the frame neck for the front fork. The mufflers look Dunstall, but the baffles don't. From the pictures, the fork angle looks more 750 than 850.

Click to expand...

Those are Dunstalls. The baffles are original to that series and are removable. The tank has the "raised seam" in the front like my early '73. Barrels are the wrong color and there are still people who will argue that...Seat is correct. Pretty nice repair too.

Ah, that explains why some of the Dunstalls have a threaded nut in the middle of the honey combed baffle. Until now, I've never seen anything screwed into it. I'd certainly recommend removing them. The beauty of them is the sound under hard acceleration!

Great s/n on your 850, mine's about 50 behind

850cmndo · Sep 11, 2015

Deckard said:
850cmndo said:

Deckard said:

Details, details, details. Give us the engine number and the red tag plate info on the frame neck for the front fork. The mufflers look Dunstall, but the baffles don't. From the pictures, the fork angle looks more 750 than 850.

Click to expand...

Those are Dunstalls. The baffles are original to that series and are removable. The tank has the "raised seam" in the front like my early '73. Barrels are the wrong color and there are still people who will argue that...Seat is correct. Pretty nice repair too.

Click to expand...

Ah, that explains why some of the Dunstalls have a threaded nut in the middle of the honey combed baffle. Until now, I've never seen anything screwed into it. I'd certainly recommend removing them. The beauty of them is the sound under hard acceleration!

Great s/n on your 850, mine's about 50 behind

Yep, they sound good opened up. The 2-1-2 adds a unique something more. Haven't seen any vin's as close as yours. Wish my numbers matched but lost the case half's back in '77. It too is a one owner with the original bill of sale to make me feel a little better about it. Yer barrels silver?

N0rt0nelectr@ · Sep 13, 2015

Looks like you will have a serious winter project with this. keep us posted on your progress.
John Ebert
Texas

jaguar · Sep 14, 2015

Honestly I think this one will clean up fairly well and run without to much issue.
Woken up far worse before.

Some shots of the rearsets

Gunna need to replace this.

Engine number

Jagbruno · Sep 14, 2015

Mine is 304 245...not so much older...prepared engine...clocked at 130Mph...racer in a Slimline frame, full Dunstall fairing.

jaguar · Sep 14, 2015

grandpaul · Sep 16, 2015

Just look at that shiny spot on the muffler and imagine the whole bike can be that shiny!

New To Me 850

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