The Perfect Commando

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grandpaul said:
Telly you what, anyone ready to plunk down $30K for a "perfect" Commando can have my silver monoshocker AND a new 961 (when they get here). That's close enough to perfect that other people's opinions won't matter!
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Sure, and you can have my 3 Honda's, 2 new minibikes, 4 gold teeth and a lot more nice stuff for $30k.
 
The perfect Commando is the one that I am going to go riding on just as soon as I click the submit button...the others won't matter much after second gear. :wink:
 
rvich said:
The perfect Commando is the one that I am going to go riding on just as soon as I click the submit button...the others won't matter much after second gear.
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hee hee

Perfect retort.
 
The "perfect" Commando is one that came out of the Norton factory in stock new condition. Apart from a handful that turned up at the Podevin auction a few months ago, the nearest thing is going to be a totally faithful restoration to the factory specification. Anything else is literally not a Commando by definition. Its is a personal interpretation. Given enough money someone with mechanical talent could arrange to fabricate a stupendous bullet proof high performance Commando. Its like you can build a Harley without any Harley parts, just order all the stuff out of catalogue. Is it a Harley?

That's my purist view and in terms of ownership, I don't subscribe to it. There's lots of sensible improvements to Commandos but anything after 1976 is entirely up to the individual so the meaning of "perfect" is highly debatable.

Mick
 
ML said:
That's my purist view and in terms of ownership, I don't subscribe to it. There's lots of sensible improvements to Commandos but anything after 1976 is entirely up to the individual so the meaning of "perfect" is highly debatable.

Mick
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The point of this whole thread is to describe what you would do to make your perfect Commando in comparison to the HNW one. What would you do differently?
 
swooshdave said:
ML said:
The point of this whole thread is to describe what you would do to make your perfect Commando in comparison to the HNW one. What would you do ferently?
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Layshaft roller bearing, sleeve and braid front brake, Mikuni, Boyer and fork dampers. All else stay stock. That's about it for me.

Mick
 
Monoshock and inverted forks, triple discs, triangulated steady system, solid engine beefing, positive crank venting...
 
speirmoor said:
That seat is a Corbin Gunfighter.That's a 50% + markup!
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Gunfighter is $369. That's more like a 171% markup.

(This one is slightly different, but not so much that it should cost more. )
 
If I had 30K layin around, I'd keep both my commandos the way they are, both running of course, repaint the beat up one and pay some fool to do the maintenance on them for a few years so I could just ride and not have to lift a wrench. Would pay for a couple of awesome riding trips to boot.
 
What about those New Nortons from Norvil?

http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/road.htm

My calculations show on about $18,000 for a brand new roadster.
British UK 1 Pound being at $1.55 USD.
I know you gotta ship it and Hawaii is much further than Boston or L.A.
They sure look "perfect" Nortons.
 
DonOR said:
with $30,000 I'd take six months off, ship my less-than-perfect commando to thailand, and live like a king.
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:lol: best idea yet, just watch out for the queens :wink:


Jean
 
They can be very difficult to spot, Crocodile Dundee had the best method I've seen!!!! LOL
 
I realize that this is not the intent of this thread...but are there Norton owners out there (I guess there must be) that are not hands on people when it comes to working on their bikes? I can't imagine why you would want one if you don't like to get your hands dirty once in a while (read as "continuously").

With that said, here are some things that I would put into my package:

JS pistons, rods and lifters (I became completely convinced after watching the video and have more or less become obsessed with the idea)
Fullauto head
Comstock breather and timing gears
(cam to be determined)

Everything else could be done a piece at a time, such as belt drive, electrics (although I am sold on Tri Spark now that I have one), wheels, seat, etc.
I could go on but the list is endless. (Also very intrigued with Jim's idea of using his lightweight pistons and going to solid rubber iso's...dunno if it would be "perfect" but it is just the kind of idea that gets stuck in my filter)

Russ
 
Totally agree that if I was going to do serious mods to my Commando - Jim's pistons/rods would be the thing. Othewise, I believe I HAVE the perfect Commando now that I converted my black roadster to a BRG fastback! :)
 
The Perfect Commando? It's like saying the "The Perfect Wife." LOL LOL. It's only a temporary state if one neglects one or the other. These machines need to be cared for and not abused, Maybe ridden hard once in awhile but never put away wet. Even if there was such a thing if you don't stay on top of it's state of tune or regular fluid changes she will start to bitch, Then that will cost more money to rectify. I think the closest thing I can think of as far as perfect goes is the perfect ride on a Commando, One that has a perfect running and handling bike with perfect weather and perfect roads. I have been lucky that my bikes have always run nice and I have been able to take them on some great rides in some awesome places, Utah Rally, Colorado Rally, Death Valley, Sierra Nevada and so on. So for me the Perfect Commando is one that I have built or kept running nice and has taken me on some rides that will always be a part of my Norton experience. Now watch one of them will break down on me. LOL :roll:
 
Ms Peel, my dream machine in gestation, will be the most perfect Commando, at least to me and by a lot of objective measures, sprinting, cornering, off roading, heavy cargo, long haul foot forward sofa, safe sex appeal? Weather and air station, stereo and deer weapon-video platform that a skinny dude can push up hill or load by them selves time to time. Should only take about 2 decades to pay back, if it or me lasts that long.

hobot
 
Hortons Norton said:
The Perfect Commando? It's like saying the "The Perfect Wife." LOL LOL. It's only a temporary state if one neglects one or the other. These machines need to be cared for and not abused, Maybe ridden hard once in awhile but never put away wet. Even if there was such a thing if you don't stay on top of it's state of tune or regular fluid changes she will start to bitch, Then that will cost more money to rectify. I think the closest thing I can think of as far as perfect goes is the perfect ride on a Commando, One that has a perfect running and handling bike with perfect weather and perfect roads. I have been lucky that my bikes have always run nice and I have been able to take them on some great rides in some awesome places, Utah Rally, Colorado Rally, Death Valley, Sierra Nevada and so on. So for me the Perfect Commando is one that I have built or kept running nice and has taken me on some rides that will always be a part of my Norton experience. Now watch one of them will break down on me. LOL :roll:
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WHAAAT?? They are sports bikes, meant to be ridden hard!!! end of!
 
Huh, I thought they were heavy cruiser girl magnets meant to carry their dearyaires in long range comfort between gas ups for bladder breaks.
Much as honeymoon climaxes excite us, after married long enough its the other stuff that makes ya want to just hang out on it flowing along here and there.

hobot
 
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