Total Noob, wondering if I should get into this....

Oh man does this post hit home.
I bought my 73 750 from my cousin back in 2003. It had been sitting for over 10 years in his fathers garage having been involved in an accident in the early 1980's. It had a bent frame and I foolishly thought it only needed a new frame and maybe some freshening up. I paid him $750 for it.
I just tallied up the money spent just on parts and powdercoating and paint so far and I am well over the $6000 mark, and I have not yet put the motor back in the frame. The seat I bought for it is in fabulous shape but...it is for an Interstate and will not match up to my freshly painted tank. Whats a few more hundred dollars after I am this far into it?

I am looking forward to the day when I can hear it spark back to life again and am able to ride it back to my cousins to show him his old Commando. I have no doubt there will be more money spent before I manage to get to that point but working on it has kept me out of trouble. It has been a labor of love and truly a learning experience. Remember, any asshole with a checkbook can go out and buy a new bike. At least I will have the satisfaction in knowing I have built this in my livingroom from a bare frame.

I just picked up my barn find. Always wanted a Norton and I kind of fell into this one.
The right price and complete or not will make or break your project.
Mine was complete but rather neglected. I got it started after 18 years of sitting and now cant keep my hands off of it.
Going after it again this weekend. I cant wait to get to where I can actually ride it.
MikeM

Believe me, guys, when you get these Nortons done and running, hear the sound and feel the pull, you won't be worrying about the money or time you spent. Then there's all the accolades you get. That's the second half.

Dave
69S

Amend, its a life event mile stone to get a Commando fully fettered. It test me each time, but less and less wonder how anyone could do the time and detail they take or run crying out of shed into darkness at some impossible task or fault finding.
Then it fires off and the nursing begins and all is well inside. You can buy other cycles off the shelf but these you must garden.

It is simply rewarding to take something not running and getting her back into her environment! And the looks I get on the bike, seen plenty of double takes at stoplights and filling her up, and always someone comes up talking about how they either know someone who had one or are just proud to see an old English beast on the road. I can certainly say I am hooked after all the work I have put into my bike and chasing all the gremlins out of her!!

nate said:

Hey everyone, I've been riding for 20 yrs (dirt bikes mostly) but really want to build a bike this winter (in Edmonton that's 3/4 of the year!). I came across this ad and am just wondering if it might be worth it to start my project with this engine.......


http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicl ... Z294655295


I don't know if the link will work or not but thanks in advance to ANY response at all.

Click to expand...

In general most project bikes will end up costing much more money than buying a good runner in the first place, as price of used parts tends to be high and some things are very hard to find. Something else that you also need to look at is whether or not you will enjoy riding the finished bike, as its not that great a feeling to have spent an awful lot of time and money on building a bike, then when you come to finally ride it only then find out you dont like it much.

Boy carbo, i got tricked into the hobby past point of no return being told on couple lists how simple and ordinary Commandos were to service, just dive right in, so your advice might of prevented a whole bunch of brain and body straining break troughs. Read the forum life energy and think hard if ya could stand adding to it for next couple decades. I just started '72 factory Trixie, set up about 10 days because too scared to risk the close calls any more so close to towing to INOA rally, first kick after a tickling, berbbled so nice and authoritive, forgot about the 9 months of toiling, this time around. Let er warm a minute low throttle not to disturb the rural peace too much and putt putted her up to garage pad to catch first rays of sun while I'm suiting up and take my chances with two other Cdo'rs all day long. Come on in the water is wonderful and how many weekends left to feel this way.

Carbo, do you have or ride a Commando currently? Not everyone does on these lists.

hobot said:

You can buy other cycles off the shelf but these you must garden.

Click to expand...

Now THAT is a classic line. I'm keeping it.

I believe that within the digital code of this forum there lies a book that should be titled:

"The World According To hobot (with a small h)...Pashaw!"
By Dr. Steve Slideways

As for wondering if you might "like" it.

If you have ridden other motorcycles and have any clue what you are getting into, I doubt that you will dislike riding a Commando.

With that said I would not pick a Commando if:

-I wanted to put on lots of straight-road miles on the interstates. I would probably pick something heavier for those conditions.

-I wanted to let the bike sit for 51 weeks a year and then hop on to go for a week long vacation of motoring around.

-I thought it would be just like owning a modern sport bike but retro looking

-I really wanted a Harley

I would pick a Commando if:

- You enjoy the feeling of straightening out a winding road

- You can't resist goosing the throttle a bit just because you love the way it sounds

- You want to ride and tinker often, the more of both the better

- Problem solving is part of what you do to be you

- You enjoy the sense of accomplishment of having a fine running machine that didn't come in a box


Go find a complete bike and get busy!

Hi Nate,
http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicl ... Z282266814

This one was still available a month ago. I had contacted him to see if he would part it out to sell me the fuel tank. It's a little more complete and priced a bit more reasonalble. maybe see if he would take $1500 or $2000 as is?? As for parts, you are in luck. John at Motoparts has just about everything you could need to get it back up and running.

http://motopartsinc.com/index.asp

I'm just starting the rebuild part of my 74 850 commando. I got the frame back from powder coating last week, so it's time to make it whole again. Once you start, there is no turning back!

Take some time and look for the best bike you can find. When you find your bike you will know it. Just as I did after looking for a Commando for a few years.

I picked up my 74 a year ago. I know I was a lucky SOB, but patience does pay off. I paid $5750.

It was a 2 owner bike with 5100 original miles. It has all the provenance from day one when sold at Elite Motors in London. The second owner lavished it with bags of money, bringing it up to a nice standard because it had sat unused for many years. When I took it over it was a turn key operation, having had the brakes completely overhauled, new isolastics, paint, mufflers, electronic ignition, and much more. The only thing I have added of any significance is having the clocks properly restored over the winter.

Needless to say I am loving the bike!

re thttp://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehic ... Z282266814
this bike is either a rare R type or a fastback interesting!
Al

My .02c worth. Find as complete of a bike as you can, unless you enjoy hunting for parts on ebay and other sources. I started out with an engine and transmission. Built a bike, then parted it out. It was a lot of work. I found a complete running combat for $1000. Much easier. They are out there, you just need some luck. Try placing an ad on craigslist looking for a Norton, I have gotten 2 calls in the last 2 months. One was the combat, the other is a whole 75 that I'm trying to get. You might luck into a nice whole bike. For a nice price. Just research what it is and how much to pay. The cheaper the better.