Snortin' Norton

[yellowperil]

850 Interstate, I had two just like that. A silver one and a red, white and blue one. Great bikes. But my favorite was a '73 750, black with gold. Bought it new and kept it till 2002. It's in Connecticut now. I'm bikeless.

[rfuerst911sc]

When I was in my teens a guy down the road had a black/gold Commando it was stunning to see in person . A real piece of art .

[Jeff Higgins]

One of my all-time favorites as well. I had several friends with them in the late '70's and early '80's. Very problematic back then, but there are apparently modern fixes for all of their original shortcomings. Kind of like my '76 Sportster, they are capable of being far more reliable bikes today than they were back then, which makes them somewhat more appealing.

The new Nortons don't interest me all that much. Especially at the prices they are asking. Granted, if I had money to burn on such frivolities, it might be fun to pick one up. Except one could buy a Bonneville and the new Ducati Supersport for the cost of a new Norton...

[yellowperil]

I had a bunch of Nortons over the years, at least a dozen. Some new, some were used . None gave me any trouble. I had Hondas , Bultacos, Triumphs, BSA, Harleys and so on.
but I always favoured the Nortons.

I was in Daytona a few times for bike week, the first time I was riding on Main (I think)
outside Boot Hill saloon on my '73 Norton and very nervous about whether or not I would survive as everyone else seemed to be on Harleys. A big hairy dude strolled over my way and I thought this is it, I'm dead. He looked at me, looked at the Norton and said
"righteous ride, bro" I never forgot that. Made my day, right there.

[Evans, Marv]

In the late 60's I had a '59 AJS twin 600cc bike as my transportation for about three years. I think it had something like 37 hp., which let it scoot down the road at whatever speed I wanted (mostly). I made the mistake of taking a Norton 750 Commando out for a test ride at a dealer once. Never looked at my bike the same after that. I saw a few old guys out for a ride on some old bikes a couple of years ago - BSA's, Triumphs, & a guy on a Norton. I was intensely envious of him.

[speeder]

I love Nortons. I was a Triumph guy back in the day but many close friends rode Nortons. What is the photos in OP? Vintage Nortons somewhere? Yours?

[yellowperil]

Originally Posted by speeder

I love Nortons. I was a Triumph guy back in the day but many close friends rode Nortons. What is the photos in OP? Vintage Nortons somewhere? Yours?

No, a friend sent this to me, said they just surfaced in Belgium. That's all I know. He and I had a lot of Brit bikes but always thought the Nortons were the best of the bunch.

[Yorkie]

I'm building two '72 Commandos right now. One an 850 as a gift for my older brother and a 750 hot rod for me. The spares availability is incredible and the development work that has been done since the 70s by guys like Colorado Norton Works is truly impressive. They build bikes that are not your leaking unreliable POS that the malcontents build back in the U.K.

[LakeCleElum]

Had many. Road Raced a John Played. 1\2 hour after the ride, UR balls are still are Numb.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by yellowperil

850 Interstate, I had two just like that. A silver one and a red, white and blue one. Great bikes. But my favorite was a '73 750, black with gold. Bought it new and kept it till 2002. It's in Connecticut now. I'm bikeless.

That picture really brings back memories. My buddy imported a 650(?) Commando back in the late '60s. There was no dealer around here. It arrived in the crate exactly as shown in this picture. His Snortin' Norton was the talk of the town until Honda came out with the 750 Four. Good times.

[Joe Bob]

While a different design and generation.....I am picking this purchase from Bob on Black Friday....

[rfuerst911sc]

Wow shows you how far out of the loop I am didn't know they were re-making Nortons . I knew about Triumph but not Norton . That blue/white Suzuki 1000 is a beauty , I had the shaft drive version back in the day it was a burgundy color . Mag wheels like in the pic , triple disc brakes it was a runner for sure . I sold it after having our first child that probably kept me alive

[Steve F]

Still have a 1965 Norton 750 CS , probably close to 35 years now. Needs some carb work, but still a blast to ride

[flatbutt]

scared the stuffing out of myself test riding a 750 Commando back in the 70's. And that is saying something because at the time I was riding a Kawi two stroke triple, the one with the hinge in the frame and no brakes.

[derek murray]

always loved Norton's... I passed on buying a local John Player Special many years ago... bad, bad decision.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Wow shows you how far out of the loop I am didn't know they were re-making Nortons . I knew about Triumph but not Norton . That blue/white Suzuki 1000 is a beauty , I had the shaft drive version back in the day it was a burgundy color . Mag wheels like in the pic , triple disc brakes it was a runner for sure . I sold it after having our first child that probably kept me alive

They are not re-making Nortons. Those are old ones. You may be out of the loop but what you didn't know was still wrong so that makes you even. Or something.

[Superman]

In college, a black 850 Commando seemed always parked directly out my living room window across the courtyard of an apartment complex. Facing to the right, so that I was looking at the Purdy side. That thing was a work of art.

[varmint]

Every few years some guy buys the Norton name and builds a handful of good looking bikes. But it never gets beyond that.

[LakeCleElum]

Joe Bob - Owned it 26 years. Never in snow till the day I leave....

[LakeCleElum]

Search "Kenny Dreer. The American Era of American Norton Motorcycles". I Visited Kenny's shop in Gladstone, Ore when he had a few prototype 961 Norton's. He talked of buying one of my ruff 850 Commando for his restore side of
The business. Sadly, it all fell apart..