Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes 74 Norton 850 Commando

Some of you know i lost both of my Triumphs last year due to high water. (no they don't float ) My brother had his Norton Commando gathering dust in his barn and decided it was time to part with it. It's going to take a lot of "elbow grease" to get it back to a "daily rider".
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I'm not having any luck getting pictures to post. I'll reread the instructions tommorrow night and try again.

Wow, do I envy you! I`m truly sorry about the loss of your Triumphs, but the Norton is of such splendorous appeal that it should easily fill the void. A very nice gesture indeed on behalf of your brother.

that is so cool!

That's awesome, Gary! Can't wait to see it once it's all done. You going stock or cafe racer?

I would love to spend time cleaning that beauty.

If I was closer I would volunteer/apprentice. I love that bike!

Going to stay close to stock, I've already found a corbin seat for it. (the stock one really sucks for comfort). I put set of oem style tires on. Once i burn those off i'll go to Avons. The old style dunlops don't feel as good in the corners.

Looks to be pretty much stock, I restored a 73 a couple years ago for someone. It had sat a very long time and not long after I got it running something let go in the engine and it locked up. He didn't want to spend any more on it so I never figured out what it was.

You know it's just going to be one problem after another...why not let me take that stress machine off your hands and save you the headaches?

I hope you are a patient man. With lots of money. Start with adjusting the valves then rebuild the Amals. Convert it to electronic ignition(may already have an old Boyer conversion). And install a new battery attached to a battery tender. Try not to fiddle with the wiring unless you are tracking down a problem. And you should flush/clean and line the gas tank with Caswell's. Go the gym and strengthen your right leg.
Good luck with your new adventure.
PM me if you have any questions. I'll try to help you if I can.

That's going ot be one heck of a daily rider. Good luck with the reconditioning.

wow oh wow, that's gonna be sweet. We have a Norton guru here in Knoxville that has rebuilt many of those steeds.
So whatca guys hiding under the blankets in that pic

Looks like you put the dust cover on the wrong bike.

Just kidding, very nice bike!

It's all pretty much stock other than the slightly bigger turn signals, It has less than 19k on it. There's a bad connection or ground i need to track down. I stopped sat. to talk to an aquaintence and i couldn't get it to start when i was headed home. no voltage the low oil press. light wouldn't light. Pushed it the block home and left it sit while i cleaned off the lift table. Of course when i went out to push the bike back in the light was on nice and bright. Said to hell with it and put it up on the lift, I'll go after the electrical system when i've got a fresh fully charged battery to start with.
The other two bikes in his barn are a Honda VX75 ? V4 crotch rocket? and a Yamaha XS650.

sweet bike man.

Very nice, I had a go on a friends a few years ago, I could just about start it, embarrising when you stall outside the police station. ( electric foot was broken ) I regret not buying it when he sold it.

Very nice bike there, Gary. It looks as if it's an "Interstate" Commando there, right?! That was always my favorite gas tank style on those old Nortons.

Those carbs are a pain to take off and on the head and if you order new Amal carbs be ready to flatten one side of the flange where they attach to the head at the bolt hole. They bump each other if you don't.

Yeah, you're right. The Interstate models did have a wider, longer and smooth-sided gas tank on 'em. However from your picture I really couldn't quite tell which tank that was for certain, and I did think it kinda looked like this one, like the Interstate tank here...