Evolution of the Commando?

........."sourcing parts and repairs say in 10 yrs compared to the old Norton owners? I don't see vintage vendors taking on the task. " .........Hopefully the new company will stay afloat and then parts can continue to come from the factory and factory suppliers. If enough new bikes are sold then it would spawn a new batch of aftermarket vendors etc... I for one hope that the new bike & and factory effort do well, I can't see how it does anything negative to the nortons that are already "old". I just turned 50, and if someone who is 18-20, just read about a Norton in a magazine then he/she will probably already know what my ride is without me explaining it to them. Then they can ride to Norton rally's and events on their 961's too, the family just gets bigger, that's all. Cj

Here is a better one.
Or more 'rijjinal' at least...

Rohan said:

Please don't use this pic as an example of an 'original' Commando.

I know you got it off Wiki, but it doesn't even have proper peashooters on it !!!!!!!!!!

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worntorn said:

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" Damn, you guys take this new bike / old bike crap SERIOUS! " :?: :shock: :wink:

Why , Thats Not a NORTON , THIS is a NORTON . They Havnt Built REAL Nortons since the WAR . The Great War , WW 1 . That Is . :shock: :lol: :wink:



One of the most famous Nortons ever, 'The Old Miracle'; again a brilliantly clear postcard contributed by Martin from the USA. As Martin remarked, little can be said about this bike that has not been said already. It's a 1912 3 1/2 HP model with a 500cc side valve engine and direct belt drive that secured some 112 speed records before the first World War with a top speed of over 80mph. Note the incorrect 'Curly N' logo on the tank.


Norton was a good engineer but the business struggled and was on the verge of insolvency in 1913 when R.T. Shelley & Co., the main creditors stepped in and saved it. Norton Motors Ltd. was formed. Brooklands was becoming established as a speed and testing centre at this time. R.T. Shelley's brother in law was the ace tuner Dan O'Donovan so new engines were sent along for testing by him in a rolling chassis known as 'Old Miracle', holder of many speed records and now preserved in a museum. Tested engines were not offered for sale until the appropriate performance was obtained. A government contract was secured in WW1 for supplying machines to the Russian army and in 1916 a move to a larger premises in Bracebridge Street, Aston was made.

Two Thirds of Wartime ( WW II ) Harley Production went to Russia Too . 80.000 out of 120.000 . :| Whereve they all gone ?? H.D. Owners Club , Siberia . :shock:

Matt Spencer said:

"

Why , Thats Not a NORTON , THIS is a NORTON . They Havnt Built REAL Nortons since the WAR . The Great War , WW 1 . That Is . :shock: :lol: :wink:

One of the most famous Nortons ever, 'The Old Miracle'; again a brilliantly clear postcard contributed by Martin from the USA. As Martin remarked, little can be said about this bike that has not been said already. It's a 1912 3 1/2 HP model with a 500cc side valve engine and direct belt drive that secured some 112 speed records before the first World War with a top speed of over 80mph. Note the incorrect 'Curly N' logo on the tank.

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As was said somewhere else recently, real Nortons were designed by Pa Norton...

There was a apparently a trick to getting 80 mph out of a belt drive sidevalve Norton.
Brooklands had quite a steep banking - they got very high up on the banking, and then swooped down (think Biggles in a dogfight here), and 80 mph was the result !

Matt Spencer said:

Two Thirds of Wartime ( WW II ) Harley Production went to Russia Too . 80.000 out of 120.000 . :| Whereve they all gone ?? H.D. Owners Club , Siberia . :shock:

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.

That number is no-where near right. Most HDs went out on Lend Lease, all over the place, and most can be accounted for in the records. Besides, comrade, they didn't want to pay for them. I've seen a 'taxi' in India that had been a WLA - there were once fleets of them apparently - after the engine had had its 9 lives in rebirths, it had been replaced with a large diesel, of the stationary engine kind. The odometer probably couldn't be trusted, but it musta said something like 3 million miles. Lots of military english bikes too - now somewhat revered...