Replacement Tanks

Has anyone had any dealings with the Massachusetts company - Commando Specialties - and their production of steel replica tanks. I have just purchased a '72 Norton 750 Commando Roadster and it has a fiberglass tank. I'm new to Norton's and am seeking any help in locating suppliers of quality parts for this 2 yr. long restoration project. This is not my first restoration - I have restored a '69 Triumph 250 Trophy and a '69 BSA 650 Lightning.

Thanks - Oslo72 Roadster
'69 BSA 650 Lightning
'69 Triumph 250 Trophy

They're made in india tanks, but from second gen tooling with a one piece bottom die instead of some of the bad stuff out there. They're a good company and I've bought from them before (but not a tank, yet) and they do assure that they leak test each one, which is a big issue. They are cheaper than the Emgo's by nearly 50% so take that how you will.

Your options are so limited for a steel roadster tank that the pricepoint they have it at is hard to look over. Your only other options are to buy an original (which are rarely in good shape) or to buy a indian or chinese (EMGO) made replica. The EMGO's look very well made and have a good reputation for their triumph tanks, but the definition of good depends on how much nationalism the person you're asking has :roll:

I was reading some other posts here and discovered that Baxter Cycle in Iowa has a steel replacement tank for Norton Roadsters made in Korea. The tanks sell for 475.00 and they have lots of pictures of their tank. This looks more promising then what I'm seeing on E Bay.

OSLO72Roadster
'69 BSA 650 Lightning
'69 Triumph 250 Trophy

If was going to buy a new steel replacement Commando tank, I would go with the tank sold on CNW's site. We all know CNW has very high standards and from their description and photos it seems like a good replacement.

I believe the same tank is available through Al Maas from British Isles motorcycles, who tells me they are sourced from Wassel. Al is also impressed with what he sees. The tanks are made in Taiwan, and when you look at the underside of the tank, it is clear somebody has put a few buck into tooling to be used on a stamping press. This does not appear to be the hand built stuff we have seen from Indian.

Caveat bullshit etc: credible sources and what I have read and photos I have seen. Not based on what I have bought and run gas through.

Google CNW or contact Al Maas at British Isles if you need more info.

Stephen Hill

Ok......as I said in my original post......I'm new to the Norton world of suppliers and sources.....so I'm at a lost of what is CNW.....I did Bing it and got nothing to do with any kind of motorcycle stuff..........so Mr. Hill.........Help me out here......

Got it...........Colorado Norton Works..........took me a few......but I figured it out.

Let's try that again. There are 3 different common current sources for these tanks.

Source 1, looks to be older production indian stuff. Can find this either raw, painted, etc... Bottom is made of multiple pieces. Not leak tested, some people have had bad luck on here, actually. $200 for a raw one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-NORTON-COMM ... 7b&vxp=mtr

Source 2, looks to be made with a one piece bottom stamping also indian made, with welded in bungs and a seam. Leak tested. $250 for a raw one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-Commando ... 35d8a202d7

Source 3, made by EMGO (somewhere in the far east, not sure), made with a one piece bottom stamping, clean welded in bungs and a seam. Leak tested. $450 for a raw one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NORTON-COMMANDO ... 30&vxp=mtr

There are also a few makers of alloy tanks in India as well as boutique builders, but that's probably not in the interest of an average tank buyer in terms of price or timeframe.

You can get source 1 from a bunch of ebay vendors. There are reviews and pictures on this forum of tanks from source 1. They're made in multiple places and with different production runs so some people had great luck others had terrible luck. Source 2 appears to be only from commando specialists. Source 3 is available from baxter, bonneville shop, old-britts, CNW, etc... It costs a lot to tool up stampings for tanks, so keep in mind the number of people knocking out roadster tanks is VERY few so it's easy to see where they come from.

To reiterate, you're probably fine with one from source 2 OR source 3 as both are leak tested.

As mentioned, you want chaice number 3, the EMGO Taiwanese tank. You are indeed fortunate to be shopping for one now, just recently made available and a great value.

Of options 2 and 3, which is the most accurate reproduction?

Definatly the Emgo tank.

OP, you do understand that EMGO is a giant aftermarket parts company, and most every bike shop has access to them, right? For instance, Gate City Cycle here in Nashua, NH can get one for me. So, if you have a favorite local perveyor, just ask. :mrgreen: There is no need to use eBay, if you're not comfortable there.

http://www.emgo.com/

Only distributors are supposed to use the email contact so I used the website message system to ask if a Fastback fuel tank was in future production.

Time Warp said:

http://www.emgo.com/

Only distributors are supposed to use the email contact so I used the website message system to ask if a Fastback fuel tank was in future production.

Click to expand...

We can only hope so, and with the badge dents.

midnightlamp said:

They're made in india tanks, but from second gen tooling with a one piece bottom die instead of some of the bad stuff out there. They're a good company and I've bought from them before (but not a tank, yet) and they do assure that they leak test each one, which is a big issue. They are cheaper than the Emgo's by nearly 50% so take that how you will.

Your options are so limited for a steel roadster tank that the pricepoint they have it at is hard to look over. Your only other options are to buy an original (which are rarely in good shape) or to buy a indian or chinese (EMGO) made replica. The EMGO's look very well made and have a good reputation for their triumph tanks, but the definition of good depends on how much nationalism the person you're asking has :roll:

Click to expand...

Just to set the record somewhat straight, our tanks are made in Pakistan with our own dies and we use necks that we get from the UK. The shape is a composite of about 3 different Norton tanks as they had more than one source back in the day, so we had to pick a design and go with it. A few years ago we banged out about 500 or so and had pretty good feedback overall and no comebacks. Then we had the bright idea of shipping the dies back to the US to make them here. After a lot of negotiation and excuses we couldn't get a satisfactory tank made here in the good old USA, so the dies (weighing about 6 thousand pounds) went back overseas and we paid for another production run. We really tried to get them made here in the US but in the end we spent a lot of $$$ for nothing.
Anyway, that's the story and I'm sticking to it. Decent value for money.
Duane Commando Specialties

Norton_Guy said:

Decent value for money.
Duane Commando Specialties

Click to expand...

They look to be great value.
Eldorado and a Norton for the odd couple. :wink:

Time Warp said:

Norton_Guy said:

Decent value for money.
Duane Commando Specialties

Click to expand...

They look to be great value.
Eldorado and a Norton for the odd couple. :wink:

Click to expand...

Hey, for a big boned gal she can dance pretty good.....

Norton_Guy said:

Just to set the record somewhat straight, our tanks are made in Pakistan with our own dies and we use necks that we get from the UK. The shape is a composite of about 3 different Norton tanks as they had more than one source back in the day, so we had to pick a design and go with it. A few years ago we banged out about 500 or so and had pretty good feedback overall and no comebacks. Then we had the bright idea of shipping the dies back to the US to make them here. After a lot of negotiation and excuses we couldn't get a satisfactory tank made here in the good old USA, so the dies (weighing about 6 thousand pounds) went back overseas and we paid for another production run. We really tried to get them made here in the US but in the end we spent a lot of $$$ for nothing.
Anyway, that's the story and I'm sticking to it. Decent value for money.
Duane Commando Specialties

Click to expand...

You've got my vote of confidence, and will have an order from me soon

For me (and I'm assuming most people anyway) it's so easy to nickel and dime your self on a bike like this and it is easy to lose sight of how terrible some of the stuff coming off the bike was in the first place when buying new stuff. If I can save $250 on a tank and get something that looks and performs the same or similar to the original, I'll gladly do that and spend the $250 on the 50 other things that actually require $$$ on the bike. But some people have (understandably) different values.

Time Warp said:

http://www.emgo.com/

Only distributors are supposed to use the email contact so I used the website message system to ask if a Fastback fuel tank was in future production.

Click to expand...

That was a quick response, better get a world wide group buy list together then.
499 to go.

Thanks Les. It's not something we were planning on doing. We have to make
and sell at least 500 tanks to make it a viable proposition, so if the
demand is there we'll do it. Thanks again,

All the best
Paul Morgan

Click to expand...