Two Commando Questions

Big_Jim59 · Nov 27, 2023

Back in the 90s I had a MKIII Commando Roadster. It was a great bike and it was painted in a dark green with gold pin stripes and badges. Did the factory ever produce this color scheme?

Did Norton produce the MKIII in an Interstate version? I am sure they must have (seems only logical) but I do not recall ever seeing one.

MichaelB · Nov 27, 2023

1. No, at least in the 850 MkIII they did not.
2. Yes, they did produce a MkIII Interstate.

marshg246 · Nov 28, 2023

Big_Jim59 said:
Back in the 90s I had a MKIII Commando Roadster. It was a great bike and it was painted in a dark green with gold pin stripes and badges. Did the factory ever produce this color scheme?

Did Norton produce the MKIII in an Interstate version? I am sure they must have (seems only logical) but I do not recall ever seeing one.

For color questions you can look here: https://www.gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/CommandoColors.aspx

It actually will answer both questions.

I welcome any corrections, comments, additions, etc.

Big_Jim59 · Nov 28, 2023

Thank you! So the Interstate was produced in 1975 (I do not ever recall seeing one) and the green was not a factory color. My curiosity has been satisfied.

lcrken · Nov 28, 2023

Besides the Roadster and Interstate, Norton also produced the Hi-Rider version of the MkIII. That's another one you (and most of us) have probably never seen.

Ken

swooshdave · Nov 28, 2023

lcrken said:
Besides the Roadster and Interstate, Norton also produced the Hi-Rider version of the MkIII. That's another one you (and most of us) have probably never seen.

View attachment 111173

Ken

I'm sure I've seen the MkIII Hi-Rider although I'm also sure I tried to scrub the image from my mine too.

robs ss · Nov 28, 2023

lcrken said:
Besides the Roadster and Interstate, Norton also produced the Hi-Rider version of the MkIII. That's another one you (and most of us) have probably never seen.

View attachment 111173

Ken

Now I wish I hadn't seem it!

Big_Jim59 · Nov 28, 2023

The Hi-Rider was just painful. I do like the shape of the tank but you gotta ride from gas station to gas station. The seat and the handlebars are just silly.

marshg246 · Nov 28, 2023

Big_Jim59 said:
The Hi-Rider was just painful. I do like the shape of the tank but you gotta ride from gas station to gas station. The seat and the handlebars are just silly.

While I agree completely, I bet dealers back then could move them the same or easier than an Interstate. IMHO, only the Roadster looks "right" and although I have no numbers to back me up, I bet there were more Roadsters sold than all the other models put together.

Big_Jim59 · Nov 28, 2023

marshg246 said:
While I agree completely, I bet dealers back then could move them the same or easier than an Interstate. IMHO, only the Roadster looks "right" and although I have no numbers to back me up, I bet there were more Roadsters sold than all the other models put together.

I bet you are right. A lot of dealers put low bars and roadster seat on the Hi-Riders just to get them off the floor plan. It was not that easy to do that with the Interstate. I love the Interstate tank because because of the fuel load but you have to admit that it's not too easy on the eyes. You do have to hand it to Norton. In those desperate days, trying to gin up sales, they came up with a pretty novel design with the Hi-Rider on a very limited budget.

johnm · Nov 28, 2023

Big_Jim59 said:
I bet you are right. A lot of dealers put low bars and roadster seat on the Hi-Riders just to get them off the floor plan. It was not that easy to do that with the Interstate. I love the Interstate tank because because of the fuel load but you have to admit that it's not too easy on the eyes. You do have to hand it to Norton. In those desperate days, trying to gin up sales, they came up with a pretty novel design with the Hi-Rider on a very limited budget.

I always preferred the Interstate for looks actually. This is my Mk11 with an Indian tank.

I thought the Roadster tank looked too small and sat a bit high on the bike.

Having ridden both the Roadster tank is much more flickable but impractical as a tourer. The Interstate tank is pretty big at around 24 litres. Back in the day when I used my Commando as transport I used an approx 18 litre alloy tank made by a local guy. The second photo with the blue tank is that tank. Now owned by a friend and installed on a project bitsa bike he built a couple of years ago.

Personally I think Norton slipped up here. A tank of about 18 litres would have looked perfect plus given a decent touring range.

baz · Nov 29, 2023

johnm said:
I always preferred the Interstate for looks actually. This is my Mk11 with an Indian tank.

I thought the Roadster tank looked too small and sat a bit high on the bike.

Having ridden both the Roadster tank is much more flickable but impractical as a tourer. The Interstate tank is pretty big at around 24 litres. Back in the day when I used my Commando as transport I used an approx 18 litre alloy tank made by a local guy. The second photo with the blue tank is that tank. Now owned by a friend and installed on a project bitsa bike he built a couple of years ago.

Personally I think Norton slipped up here. A tank of about 18 litres would have looked perfect plus given a decent touring range.

I found the range and riding position of the fastback tank/seat excellent for me, for solo riding with rearsets it was a shame when that tank melted
I keep thinking about buying an Indian steel replacement for it
I find the roadster tank a bit small

Onder · Nov 29, 2023

I changed my 74 Roadster to Inter tank. Exhaust unchanged. Bars changed though and put rear sets on it. Wide ratio TTI box.
The big tank is great for no worry riding but when full it is a pig in the garage or the lanes. But it is the best
compromise for me.

grandpaul · Nov 29, 2023

lcrken said:
Besides the Roadster and Interstate, Norton also produced the Hi-Rider version of the MkIII. That's another one you (and most of us) have probably never seen.

I saw one, and fixed it...

Fast Eddie · Nov 29, 2023

I wouldn’t have one myself, but I think it’d be a shame if they all got ‘fixed’ into extinction…

grandpaul · Nov 29, 2023

Fast Eddie said:
I wouldn’t have one myself, but I think it’d be a shame if they all got ‘fixed’ into extinction…

In MY case, the bike was a commissioned client project. His request: "find me an electric start Commando and turn it into a black cafe racer with CNW front brake, bum-stop seat, and alloy tank". This was the only e-start Commando on the market in September of 2005. I waited and looked for 3 weeks, then my available timeframe ended and I went and picked this one up the day that Hurricane Katrina hit Houston.

I swear, this is what it was like driving into town, ZERO vehicles on I-10 heading west into Houston, unbelievable overflow traffic ON THE GRASS heading east AWAY from Houston. I had NO CLUE what was happening...

Anyway, the tank took forever from T.A.Baker, and it ended up like this...

Here's the good part - I sold the High Rider seat, sissy bar and handlebars to a guy in Sweden that was restoring a High Rider, so the static count of complete High Riders remained the same.

ILLF8ED · Nov 29, 2023

baz said:
I found the range and riding position of the fastback tank/seat excellent for me, for solo riding with rearsets it was a shame when that tank melted
I keep thinking about buying an Indian steel replacement for it
I find the roadster tank a bit small

I agree. This has a Leighton seat which is very comfortable. I changed back to roadster, though. It is an aesthetic taste thing. For me a roadster is what a Commando is.

B+Bogus · Nov 29, 2023

baz said:
I found the range and riding position of the fastback tank/seat excellent for me, for solo riding with rearsets it was a shame when that tank melted
I keep thinking about buying an Indian steel replacement for it
I find the roadster tank a bit small

This is the style I'm going for for my Combat build.
I have a set of Dunstall rearsets, and I got an Indian tank which turned out to be a very good replica, based on recommendations from this Noble Forum.

Apologies for the crappy photo

baz · Nov 29, 2023

B+Bogus said:
This is the style I'm going for for my Combat build.
I have a set of Dunstall rearsets, and I got an Indian tank which turned out to be a very good replica, based on recommendations from this Noble Forum.

Apologies for the crappy photo

That's superb

acotrel · Dec 8, 2023

grandpaul said:
In MY case, the bike was a commissioned client project. His request: "find me an electric start Commando and turn it into a black cafe racer with CNW front brake, bum-stop seat, and alloy tank". This was the only e-start Commando on the market in September of 2005. I waited and looked for 3 weeks, then my available timeframe ended and I went and picked this one up the day that Hurricane Katrina hit Houston.

I swear, this is what it was like driving into town, ZERO vehicles on I-10 heading west into Houston, unbelievable overflow traffic ON THE GRASS heading east AWAY from Houston. I had NO CLUE what was happening...

View attachment 111183

Anyway, the tank took forever from T.A.Baker, and it ended up like this...

View attachment 111184

Here's the good part - I sold the High Rider seat, sissy bar and handlebars to a guy in Sweden that was restoring a High Rider, so the static count of complete High Riders remained the same.

With the high handle bars, the High Rider might be struggling if there was a head-wind.

Two Commando Questions

Big_Jim59

MichaelB

"Sons of Arthritus"

marshg246

Big_Jim59

lcrken

swooshdave

robs ss

Big_Jim59

marshg246

Big_Jim59

johnm

Attachments

baz

Onder

grandpaul

Fast Eddie

grandpaul

ILLF8ED

B+Bogus

baz

acotrel

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