About to buy a Commando

A suzie 750 gt front end ,if its a 4 leader is a find, well over here it it is...$500 worth!

Even if something is cheap doesn't make it a bargain except for the seller sometimes.
A bike like that still needs detailed checking,even $600 for a Norton that revealed cracked cases including the trans case along with other calamities hidden by rose coloured glasses is what.
If it was cheap had matching numbers,good castings,no broken fins on the head or cylinder and a straight frame it might be a start for something but there are better complete bikes for $3000 +
It depends what you want and will except but at the end of the day even if you can polish a turd it will still be one.
It seems there are plenty of Commando's in the USA that just need tracking down.
Party pooper perhaps but Commando's cost a lot of money to rebuild even if you do it yourself,the end result is only as good as the foundation.

As for the tach drive question. My guess is that most of us have never worked on a 750 motor with the tach drive on the timing case. Therefore I don't know whether it is a concern or not.

I do get the idea of wanting a project. Ultimately if it is something you want to do a few hundred bucks one way or the other on the price shouldn't matter much.

Russ

Htown16: Yes, timing case. Points are behind the RH cylinder. No opportunity to remove the timing case, so can't tell what might have been done to the cam end. Engine cases/fins look very good except for the patch on the timing case. Good tip on the Atlas case, Thanks.

TimeWarp: Access to this bike is limited, but I will be giving it one more close look before I pull the trigger. Do not want a turd in my garage.

Chips

Interesting, my list has 131257 as an S with camshaft points, Mar 69. Don't know if that's the first S?

Look at the 1/2" nut on the left side rear iso and see if it's all beat up from the exhaust? It may have a flat spot on it where the S type exhaust was rubbing on it.

Dave
69S

Yeah, I just noticed the fastback switch was later. Anyway, this bike predates both numbers.

The early ones Norton built , wheere villiers built the motors , later .

Someone here had a few ' Combat ' cams , for those cases .
A man of wealth and taste , would fit a Krober impulse Electronic tachometer . save the problem .

if its not beat up & abused , you cant loose ( NO - just that in Rhymes :x ) if all the nuts are rounded off , it could be general .
A bit of forthought on inspection should tell you if its been misstreated . If so youd pay to be cautious . Not to worry . think .

check sprockets , cables , etc & see if theres bruise marks . also if the colours match , under respray . If basically original ( 75 % )
youd be doing well .

all the little things add up though , like grotty instrument dial faces , however - a coustom leaves YOU free , to muck it up . !

Mrchips said:

TimeWarp: Access to this bike is limited, but I will be giving it one more close look before I pull the trigger. Do not want a turd in my garage.
Chips

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Mrchips said:

This would be my first Norton, but not first Brit bike...somewhat rough piece...extended forks...a Harley rear wheel... Stock Norton front wheel and brake...Tank & seat are ok....No tach or speedo.

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The only reason I said that is,lots of posts say buy buy buy but where is the information regarding what to look for given you mentioned straight off this would be your first Norton. ?
It might be a good buy,who knows but plenty of these bikes ended up parked up or parted out because either the previous owners ambitions far outweigh-ted their abilities or they had a terminal problem putting them off the road.
Some just languished because life priorities got in the way.
The mission is to find which it was.

I see the eBay MkIII went for US$6500 so who knows,maybe prices are on the up.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ebaymotors/1975- ... v4exp=true

I have a photo and write up of an early commando but dont know how to attach it to this blog. Its a pdf .
Help.

Don Tovey said:

I have a photo and write up of an early commando but dont know how to attach it to this blog. Its a pdf .
Help.

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There is a post near the top of the forum with tech info about posting pictures.

You may be able to just copy the info from the pdf and paste it into a post.