What I like about Nortons

There is a group of motorcycles which I call 'thunderbikes' - air cooled four stroke singles twins and triples. They usually have torquey motors and frames to suit, so they go and handle really great. Laverdas a good things , but too heavy. BMWs and Guzzis have a torque reaction characteristic which makes them strange t o ride. Ducatis are really great but too expensive. Triumph twins and triples are great too, but nowhere as exciting to ride. Harleys could be good, but you'd be bankrupt long before you got sense out of one. That leaves the Norton Commando in the same market niche, a reasonably priced, functional bike that is totally rebuildable and responds extremely well to tuning. Norton Commandos are a better example of a big thunderbike than most others.
Amongst smaller thunderbikes, Manx Nortons and Inters are unobtainium, but extremely lovable . ES2s and Model 18s are good, but an SR500 Yamaha is a better single in the same niche.

I like All Motorcycles, I'm not that picky.

I like my Norton because it's a motorcycle (see above).

You can get into Bevel Ducatis for about the same as a Norton. Squarecase and not the SS style.

acotrel said:

That leaves the Norton Commando in the same market niche, a reasonably priced, functional bike that is totally rebuildable and responds extremely well to tuning. .

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Commandos go quite well on the road even without 'tuning'. ?
If you want modern bike performance, buy a modern bike....

Unless you are referring to bringing the brakes, suspension, carbs and ignition up to modern standards.
And sundry other improvements to keep things intact and bolted where they should be.
Like loctite....

I too used to think anything on two wheels was just fine, then P!! and later Peel Combat spoiled me silly for everything that's claimed to be desirable in cycling, minus the crashing and breakage. Until rump linked I thought I'd just be an old fart on quaint old smoothie, now I think everything else is buzzy diving broads corner cripples. I politely with life and death sincerity do not hold to theory that what works best on race track handling is troublesome in real life hazards except for poor ground clearance and no speedo. Take even a ratter Command to big biker collections and see what gets the most attention. Only downside is don't seen to attract opposite gender around Norton riders : (

Hmmm, I race a BMW, can't say I find it 'strange to ride",( maybe you are refering to the pre 81 models ) my Ducati mainly sits in the corner for reasons unknown to me, the Commando I tend to ride quite a bit, I ride a 30 year old 650 BMW to work every day.....some days I take the Norton....it requires more 'input' but it returns your efforts.
Currently tinkering on a 500cc Guzzi Monza.....I like them all.

I believe Triumph 650s are a better all-around bike and can ALMOST perform at the level of the 100cc larger Commando.

To top it off, they are less expensive to own and maintain.

...I still like Commandos, though...

I love my Norton, I have been riding it for the last 36 years now and still gets my blood flowing every time I ride it (6 days out of 7), but this Thrusday I am putting a deposit on a new Triumph Truxton, this will be my last new bike that I will ever buy till I die, I will still ride my Norton but only on the weekends on the open and twisty roads for what I built it for, the Truxton will be my every day bike, work and what ever else.

Ashley

ashman said:

I love my Norton, I have been riding it for the last 36 years now and still gets my blood flowing every time I ride it (6 days out of 7), but this Thrusday I am putting a deposit on a new Triumph Truxton, this will be my last new bike that I will ever buy till I die, I will still ride my Norton but only on the weekends on the open and twisty roads for what I built it for, the Truxton will be my every day bike, work and what ever else.

Ashley

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Be interested in how you find the Thruxton. Have you talked the dealer into throwing in some after market mufflers and some Ikon shocks?

They are throwing the hi perforance upgrade for free (reverse cone mufflers and remapped, K&N air filters) the Ikons will come later.

Ashley

They are a fun bike, I had a 04 for a while, sold it earlier in the year to finance other bike projects.

I have owned only two old eurobikes, my beloved combat (since '92), and the T120R I had as a college student. Love(d) 'em both... the torque and handling do it for me. Personally, I think the commando's isolastics and overall design make it the better of the two.

At times, I am tempted to replace my 19T sprocket with a 21 or so for the open road, but an expensive citation earlier this year has me holding it under 65mph (sigh)

ER a, The English did not consider them selves part of Europe during vintage era of production and likely the now population minority of British still left, still don't, even if forced on them.

grandpaul said:

I believe Triumph 650s are a better all-around bike and can ALMOST perform at the level of the 100cc larger Commando.

To top it off, they are less expensive to own and maintain.

...I still like Commandos, though...

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Ah ha...so you are a triumph man. Such a statement can only come from preference I have owned a '68 Bonneville and it's no match for a Commando. In my opinion it's the best looking of the Brits, though.

Wes finally got his '68 Bonnie sorted power wise and its pretty good up to about 80.
Wes likes it and says a bit handier on THE Gravel but every time he arrives on his '71 he says it feels like a flying saucer compared.

illf8ed said:

In my opinion it's the best looking of the Brits, though.

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Ban him! :mrgreen:

I think a Roadster is the best looking British bike ever made.

I have probably owned about ten 650 Triumphs during my lifetime, and I raced my 500cc Triton for about 12 years. I built my Seeley Commando 850 in 1978, but never really believed in it. I started racing it a few times in about 2003, just for something to do. It is a truly amazing motorcycle, and I believe the motor is better than the Triumph 650, even though it is more difficult to play with the cam timings. I'm amazed at how well it goes even though it is almost completely unmodified. It has standard comp. 34mm carbs with tapered ports, standard 850 cam advanced 15 degrees, rebalanced crank and a two into one exhaust, and runs on methanol. I use a boyer ignition with a double ended Honda coil. Those are all the modifications - no more than that! The bike really flies, and because it is based on increased torque output, with the light Seeley frame with a good gearbox, it is really great around tight circuits. It is fast enough to win races. My Norton is better than any Triumph I've ever ridden, including my mate's 650 Triton racer, which is a really great bike. I would love to own a mint 1963 bonneville. As a road bike they were very exciting, but a Manxman 650 was always a better bike, just too expensive.

swooshdave said:

illf8ed said:

In my opinion it's the best looking of the Brits, though.

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Ban him! :mrgreen:

I think a Roadster is the best looking British bike ever made.

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Sorry Dave...just an opinion. A 750 commando roadster is the second best looking and the one in my garage

A 1963 T120 Bonneville with rear sets and drop bars would be a very nice bike to own, especially if it was fitted with the E3134 profile exhaust cam. I can feel the urge coming again.