1974 with fiberglass tank?

drones76 · Apr 21, 2014

I have come across a 1974 basket case. The bike was disassembled to paint and rebuild. I spoke to the current owner for a few minutes who has had it in the boxes since the previous owner passed away. He said the bike is all there and there are extra parts. He did say that it had a fiberglass tank. After I got off the phone with him, I realized that it may be a hi-rider. He seemed sure on the year.

He is asking 2k and said he is 'pretty firm' on that.

I have not seen it yet, nor any pictures. It is a couple hours away. Did any Roadsters or Interstates have fiberglass in '74?

ashman · Apr 21, 2014

As far as I know the 74s came with steel tanks. I brought a new 74 Roadster and it was a steel tank and so did the other models of that year that was in the show room.

Ashley

phil yates · Apr 21, 2014

ashman said:
As far as I know the 74s came with steel tanks. I brought a new 74 Roadster and it was a steel tank and so did the other models of that year that was in the show room.

Ashley

All Commando tanks from 73 on (except the Hi- Rider) were in steel.
i.e. Roadster, Interstate and Interpol.

drones76 · Apr 22, 2014

Thanks guys, that is what I thought. I also have a '74 and it is steel. My guess is that it either has an older tank, is a Hi Rider, or the guy is wrong on the year.

phil yates · Apr 22, 2014

drones76 said:
Thanks guys, that is what I thought. I also have a '74 and it is steel. My guess is that it either has an older tank, is a Hi Rider, or the guy is wrong on the year.

Or all three.
Good luck with the purchase. Changing configuration is not the end of the world, if necessary.
Not at the price you are buying in at.

Phil

Lorenzo · Apr 22, 2014

phil yates said:
ashman said:

As far as I know the 74s came with steel tanks. I brought a new 74 Roadster and it was a steel tank and so did the other models of that year that was in the show room.

Ashley

Click to expand...

All Commando tanks from 73 on (except the Hi- Rider) were in steel.
i.e. Roadster, Interstate and Interpol.

my commando roadster 750 year 1973 came with a fiberglass tank and side covers.. of course I cannot be fully sure of the owners who came before me..
perhaps this was a year of passage and both steel and fiberglass tanks could be found?

phil yates · Apr 22, 2014

Lorenzo said:
phil yates said:

ashman said:

As far as I know the 74s came with steel tanks. I brought a new 74 Roadster and it was a steel tank and so did the other models of that year that was in the show room.

Ashley

Click to expand...

All Commando tanks from 73 on (except the Hi- Rider) were in steel.
i.e. Roadster, Interstate and Interpol.

Click to expand...

my commando roadster 750 year 1973 came with a fiberglass tank and side covers.. of course I cannot be fully sure of the owners who came before me..
perhaps this was a year of passage and both steel and fiberglass tanks could be found?

Yes
There was a mix of the two for a short period with the Fastback disappearing altogether. My records indicate that year was 72.
I cried when the Fastback was dropped. Apparently it was not so popular in the USA so we all had to suffer.

phil yates · Apr 22, 2014

Road tested by Hobot. A steel tank LR Fastback.
He reported that it steered badly right, after he hit a tree at 300mph

Matt Spencer · Apr 22, 2014

" A steel tank LR Fastback. hit a tree at 300mph " :shock: sounds like mine .

Now a Mk IV Fastback if NOT a L R would have a fibreglass tank , if it were 73 sold in 74 , if they made them then .

Hi Riders had also STEEL tanks , at least on MkIIIs , which came after Mk IVs , if you follow .

If you can derive the Engine Number from the Lad , our slewths will extropolate the production date .

ILLF8ED · Apr 22, 2014

Yes
There was a mix of the two for a short period with the Fastback disappearing altogether. My records indicate that year was 72.
I cried when the Fastback was dropped. Apparently it was not so popular in the USA so we all had to suffer.[/quote]

Yea, Yea, it's always the US's fault. 8)

phil yates · Apr 22, 2014

Matt Spencer said:
" A steel tank LR Fastback. hit a tree at 300mph " :shock: sounds like mine .

Now a Mk IV Fastback if NOT a L R would have a fibreglass tank , if it were 73 sold in 74 , if they made them then .

Hi Riders had also STEEL tanks , at least on MkIIIs , which came after Mk IVs , if you follow .

If you can derive the Engine Number from the Lad , our slewths will extropolate the production date .

Matt
The answer to his original question, without extrapolation, is No.
But now it is a circa 74 being sold in 2014. So anything is possible.

Phil

phil yates · Apr 22, 2014

illf8ed said:
Yes
There was a mix of the two for a short period with the Fastback disappearing altogether. My records indicate that year was 72.
I cried when the Fastback was dropped. Apparently it was not so popular in the USA so we all had to suffer.

Yea, Yea, it's always the US's fault. 8)[/quote]

Well not fault, but cause.
The biggest market in the world was supplied with what it wanted. In Oz, we got what was left. That is business and if you don't make what the biggest market wants, bye bye business. But interestingly, today in America the Fastback is somewhat sort after and the body parts fetch a premium price. It just took you 40 years to figure it out

PeterJoe · Apr 22, 2014

phil yates said:
There was a mix of the two for a short period with the Fastback disappearing altogether. My records indicate that year was 72.
I cried when the Fastback was dropped. Apparently it was not so popular in the USA so we all had to suffer.

You're probably right. A lot of people, including me thought the Fastback was a bit odd looking. But I would take a Fastback over a Highrider ANY day. And the Highrider was supposedly made for the American market - I am amazed how many years they made that model!

gortnipper · Apr 22, 2014

When I bought my '74 in '89 it had a steel hi-rider tank, not fiberglass.

phil yates · Apr 23, 2014

gortnipper said:
When I bought my '74 in '89 it had a steel hi-rider tank, not fiberglass.

That would probably be about right. As I mentioned, Interstate and Roadster change over from fibreglass to steel was 72. That's how I read it, with Hi-Rider continuing fibreglass until probably 74 when these tanks were outlawed.

I can dig out the books if anyone particularly cares. I don't. The Hi-Rider was a terrible thing to me, it went against everything I felt a Norton should be. They must have sold a few to keep it alive right to 75. Once again, Americans (some) wanted them.
To each his own. None of my business what anyone prefers.

gortnipper · Apr 23, 2014

Yeah, it had a roadster seat and UK bars, too, but I quickly found an interstate tank.

phil yates · Apr 23, 2014

PeterJoe said:
phil yates said:

There was a mix of the two for a short period with the Fastback disappearing altogether. My records indicate that year was 72.
I cried when the Fastback was dropped. Apparently it was not so popular in the USA so we all had to suffer.

Click to expand...

You're probably right. A lot of people, including me thought the Fastback was a bit odd looking. But I would take a Fastback over a Highrider ANY day. And the Highrider was supposedly made for the American market - I am amazed how many years they made that model!

It was amazing Pete, right to the near bitter end.
Obviously popular.
I can't even say why, but the Fastback completely captured my imagination.
Unlike Triumph and BSA attempts at futuristic styling with their triples.
They are examples of a good idea gone bad.
Very bad!!

drones76 · Apr 23, 2014

The local Brit bike guy said that a lot of the Hi Riders were bought because they were easier to get and the buyer would immediately order a new tank, handlebars and seat. He said many of the tanks and seats were dumped behind the shop way back then.

I spoke to the guy who has this one and he said it is a large tank - he guessed 3-4 gallons. My guess is that it is a steel Interstate and he is confused about it being fiberglass. I could only hope. The bike has been boxed up for about 4 years. I should be going to look at it a week from Saturday. Getting giddy like I was when I got the first one.

phil yates · Apr 23, 2014

drones76 said:
The local Brit bike guy said that a lot of the Hi Riders were bought because they were easier to get and the buyer would immediately order a new tank, handlebars and seat. He said many of the tanks and seats were dumped behind the shop way back then.

I spoke to the guy who has this one and he said it is a large tank - he guessed 3-4 gallons. My guess is that it is a steel Interstate and he is confused about it being fiberglass. I could only hope. The bike has been boxed up for about 4 years. I should be going to look at it a week from Saturday. Getting giddy like I was when I got the first one.

Giddy when you got the first what?
I think this thread (or my mind) might be drifting.
Just relax, think of mother England!

Please let us know all if you buy the machine.

Phil

phil yates · Apr 23, 2014

drones76 said:
The local Brit bike guy said that a lot of the Hi Riders were bought because they were easier to get and the buyer would immediately order a new tank, handlebars and seat. He said many of the tanks and seats were dumped behind the shop way back then.

I spoke to the guy who has this one and he said it is a large tank - he guessed 3-4 gallons. My guess is that it is a steel Interstate and he is confused about it being fiberglass. I could only hope. The bike has been boxed up for about 4 years. I should be going to look at it a week from Saturday. Getting giddy like I was when I got the first one.

I never ever saw (nor have) a Hi-Rider on the street. So that is why, they were all sitting in the back of bike shops.
"Hi-Rider" maybe meant, sitting on a pile of tanks and seats.

1974 with fiberglass tank?

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