Commando numbers

Anyone have the rough numbers of Commandos built ie: pre combat, combat to final 750 and 850s. Cheers

It's a sad fact that of the original 650 production racers only 12,000 remain on the road

atmain said:

Anyone have the rough numbers of Commandos built ie: pre combat, combat to final 750 and 850s. Cheers

Click to expand...

You can get an extremely rough ideal studying the links below. However, Combat to final 750 will be even more rough since there is no record (I know of) that specified Combat or not. Also, after Combat there were standard and high performance (but not Combat). Also, many 850 records are missing so that's also a problem.

https://gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/Info/CommandoID.aspx

What's impressive is how many you still see around. Obviously, not common, but those that own them still seem to use them. Not special events, just general riding, usual cafe stops, I'll come across a couple a year. Maybe a testament to their reliability, they're still fun, with acceptable performance in modern traffic.
Edit: + parts are available when it goes tits up

Mart UK said:

What's impressive is how many you still see around. Obviously, not common, but those that own them still seem to use them. Not special events, just general riding, usual cafe stops, I'll come across a couple a year. Maybe a testament to their reliability, they're still fun, with acceptable performance in modern traffic.
Edit: + parts are available when it goes tits up

Click to expand...

I live in the U.S. and have been riding my 1973 Mk1 for 45 years now and have never seen another Norton on the road. I get an occasional " I used to have a Norton years ago" from people but I have never seen one in all these years.
Yes parts are available, in fact I am re bushing my swing arm this week.

What I remember from the early 70’s is that most went to America and they were a rare sight in the UK. Not many more than 50,000 in total.

What's so important about the numbers, seems to be more now back on the road than when they first came out, early days people were buying them, flog the crap out of them then put them away when things broke or wore out, worst in cold climate places where the riding times are shorter.
In my days back in the 70s Honda 4s were the bike all the young lads were getting into and only a few die-hard Norton/Triumph riders and even less unreliable Harley riders, well not until the Evo's came out.
But the older they have become the more popular Nortons have become and the prices they are asking for them these days, why a lot of retired or near retired men are wanting to get back into older British bikes and the rich ones buying new Harley's.
Me I seen the light and brought my new 850 Norton at 17 and didn't I cop crap from the Honda 4 mates, well I had the last laugh I still own and ride my old Norton and I just laugh at the mates now who put sh it on me when I did.
Don't see to many Commandos around my area but when I do I know just by the sound/note they make it's a Commando, as for numbers seems a lot more were exported to the US of A than anywhere else.

Ashley

They are not common in NZ but you would probably see 2 or 3 a year when riding about. And a lot more if you go to a classic show. All the guys I personally know have owned theirs 40 years or more.

The biggest issue with owning a British bike back in the 70s was that the bike gangs stole them. It was really challenging to keep hold of them unless you had a good garage etc. And back then we were mostly broke students and the bikes lived outside and were stolen. I had mine taken but fortunately the cops found it almost immediately.

Next biggest challenge was unavailability of parts. Lucas were the worst and manys the time I had very bad thoughts about the management of that company.

So overall they were not a very practical option as a daily rider. But fortunately with time the gangs moved onto Harleys and parts became more available. By the 1980s British Spares was one of the best parts suppliers in the world. Not just NZ.

Lots and lots of Commandos imported from the USA from the 80s onward and once the destroyed camshafts were replaced things were good. Just looking at the Trademe Norton adds I'd guesstimate a good 25 % plus of the Commandos in NZ are imports from the USA.

Yes we could not buy a Mk3 new, I can remember seeing a 850 Mk1 or 2 new at Tommys M/c in Christchurch $2250. add another 0 for a second hand one now!