Help me out guys... What's it worth. 75 mk3

Jeff, buy it and enjoy it. But be prepared to spend money fixing the inherent faults that Commandos have. You will enjoy the bike and working on them can also be enjoyable. As said earlier they can have soft camshafts that wear down, the layshaft bearing should be replaced (for your own safety) some of the machining is not so good, etc, all can be read about here on this forum. I found the best fix for the front brake was a 12mm piston in the master cylinder. Graeme

Thanks for posting a picture, it makes all the difference.

That's a pretty nice bike. Looks like it's been ridden, not a show queen. That would bring $8500 all day on ebay.

Could you find a MkIII for less? Perhaps. Could you find a MkIII in better shape for that price? Probably not.

You're not getting a bad deal at $8500, but if it were me I'd at least offer $7500 and see what happens.

Search CL shows not a lot available.

http://nashville.craigslist.org/mcy/2748372982.html
Combat for $7700

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/2768409243.html
SS for $4400

yeah i hear ya. he was asking for 9k and got him down to 8.5 and he will deliver it to atlanta from New York for me. plus i am not sure, but I feel like I am also getting 4-600.00 in origional parts along with the bike. But I agree and I know this will be a marriage, Ill have to spend time and money on her.
Thanks again, this board is great!

Are you an accomplished mechanic? Will you be able to mess with all the bits that need messed with on a Commando? It's not overwhelming but they do need attention now and then. Although I'm still running stock Amals and points, oddly enough neither of those ever gave me trouble. the POS Barnett clutch the PO put in was the biggest issue. Once I went back to the stock bronzed plates it's been a gem.

And for a point of reference, mine was a barn find, sitting for almost 20 years in eastern Colorado, didn't run but did turn over, less than 5k miles, and ALL original paint, chrome, seat, exhaust, etc. $3500 plus another $700 for tires, brake, and carb parts got it to where it is today. That was 4 years ago.

It is curious why he would have removed the e-start. I wonder if it backfired and lunched all the bits in the primary.
If it were me I'd get the estart all back on it with the improved 4 pole motor.

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After:

Looks good in the picture....Go for it !! Ask the seller if it has a fiberglass or steel gas tank, if it's a fiberglass one then use that to try and get the price down, but even so ....get it... you know you want it. Cj

lrutt said:

It is curious why he would have removed the e-start.

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Mine was the same when I bought it. Great shape but minus the estart motor. It's unreliable and heavy. Lots of people took them off

Jeff stop fluffing around and get out there and buy it. It's only money after all. :lol:
Around here a bike in that condition for that price would last about 5 seconds.
I suppose the only thing you want to consider is whether you want the left hand gear shift and elec start( once it has been replaced). If not go for an earlier model.

Egad . while the Mk III updates increase durability / seviceability , the Weight of supourflous tripe impeeds
the lift / drag curve .
Besides , not many people know how to start em Swinging the Prop , these days . :shock: :lol: .

The foot bits on the wrong sides swap out / modify easy enough .

Traditionalists would dispose of all the little bits encrouching on and encrowding the primary primary function .
Purists would cast up a coustom primary outer of a more simplistic appearance , abhoring BULK & irellevancies
as regards function.( with the old AMC Clutch access cover removeable . ) ( maybe going a bit far there )
Besides , you dont need a battery then . :wink: ( obviously a Gentleman of refined Outlook has set it up :lol: )

Id look at rearsets , a right foot shift and L.H. Hydraulic foot brake , rattling up all the bits in the shed .
Vice hacksaw files , use the E.S. to drive a lathe or finance one . . . :lol:

Ballast Ressitor Ign . Start ; From Cold . Ign. OFF , Taps ON , Carbs DAMP , De Clutch = FREE , Push Ea. Cyl. through
Twice if COLD = To Prime / oil , Position foot crank.

Finger on Brake , Stands UP , SWITCHES ; ON . Leap Up, straight leg , Wt. on Starter .


Swing Through = She's running . ( Fire Extinguisher Handy in shed ) RIGHt . Warm up , Clear for take off .

FastFred said:

Re:

I love my Commando, but would not pay $8500 for another one. At that price you gotta ask what else can you get to ride.

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Yes you could buy a Japanese 600 that is the most amazing piece of engineering, will do 160mph, cannot be ridden anywhere near its intended performance level by probably 90 percent of all riders and as such is generally quite characterless and lost on anything other than a race track. Oh and you can watch it depreciate by 15-20 percent a year....

Wrong forum???

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Nah sonny. Check how long I've been on this forum. Like I said I love my Commando. Just won't pay collector prices for another one.

I hear everyone opinion and approciate them. It is the original metal tank. Lay shaft and bearings have been replaced per a callwithrhectech today. As for personal opinions and purist that's all good. But I'm not trying prove anything or myself. Right side or left side doesn't really impress me. Life is too short for such things. This seems like a solid bike. Am I a mechanic???? Not at all. Can u tear down a motor, bleed a brake line, replace a tranny.... Yes
Ride safe yall

Yea , ' We call them Technitions ' these days . :lol: Now , it all looks good . ! But A Single Carburator ! :shock:

Tames em no end , probly stops em overreving too . . . The Mk IIIS as good as any . But a Electric Start . Whatever Next .

Hymnm , gearshift on the side youre famliar with saves all sorts of black rubber marks and expensive noises .
Theres a reverse camplate , for either pattern , gearshift fore or aft on the shaft .

You'll figure it out, they all have there different quirks. I have a 77 mk3 and I assume yours is 75? Same beast just yours was built when they were still in business, so better than mine. The E start is ok as long as you have a good battery, leads, and you clean and lube the switches. Parts are cheap but buy them from a reputable seller or you will buy junk. They aren't a rocket ship and do weigh more than other Commandos but make a very good tourer or cruiser and will keep up with moderns to a point. Buy a workshop and parts manual, the other info you need can be found here. I have a Pazon E ignition, been through the soft cam, engine and gear box rebuild, valves and guides, etc. Once you get it sorted you'll have no problem jumping on it and doing big miles, just be prepared to do some work on it on the way and when you get home. graeme

I have said (typed) it before, one of the attractions to British bikes is that "they need me". Straddling some Carbonfiber superbullet, turning the key and going away just doesn't do it for me (I'm sick I know) when arriving somewhere on a motorcycle you SHOULD smell faintly of Gasoline and you SHOULD have an Oil spot somewhere on your clothes.

Sometimes keeping British iron on the road is like spinning plates on a boat but it sure is rewarding!, A well set-up Commando banging through the gears with the throttle cables pulled tight is NIRVANA! (sounds right, feels right, goes right, life is good!).

Vince

Nah sonny. Check how long I've been on this forum. Like I said I love my Commando. Just won't pay collector prices for another one.[/quote]

Totally agree,also I'd never buy a top $ for a bike off a guy with a collection' he didn't get a collection by fixing them up properly

Re:

Nah sonny. Check how long I've been on this forum. Like I said I love my Commando. Just won't pay collector prices for another one.

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Ok dad...

Those prices are real it seems unfortunately. It's the classic bike dealers that raise the prices. Here in the UK they are all at it and most offer no warranties and service facilities. Having said all that I paid £1000 for my first MINT Commando in 1982. Put that into a compound interest calculator and it's the same price today. They certainly weren't collectable in 1982, my mates thought I was crackers getting rid of my Suzuki GS750!

Will yr Commando run rings round the GS in the twisties ? Norton seemed steadier to me .

Broke thoracic vertebrae on that GS750 so yes Commando better handler. Lighter, quicker steering, more character. When i was racing a TZ350 I used to ride the old Commando like a tw*t, nothing ever came past except 'straight line merchants' on multis. Can't ride my Commando like that anymore or more correctly I could but old age and sensibility has kicked in.
Sorry for hijacking thread but that looks a good buy and you don't need to spend anything now as the original parts are plentiful. Do it later and ride it.

Unclviny said:

I have said (typed) it before, one of the attractions to British bikes is that "they need me". Straddling some Carbonfiber superbullet, turning the key and going away just doesn't do it for me (I'm sick I know) when arriving somewhere on a motorcycle you SHOULD smell faintly of Gasoline and you SHOULD have an Oil spot somewhere on your clothes.

Sometimes keeping British iron on the road is like spinning plates on a boat but it sure is rewarding!, A well set-up Commando banging through the gears with the throttle cables pulled tight is NIRVANA! (sounds right, feels right, goes right, life is good!).

Vince

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ha ha, yea, the old Amal stink finger

Cripes showing me pictures of a Commando is like taking me to the strip club. I fall in love pretty easily and just start throwing away money. So how much is this table dance? Have we arrived at a price yet?

I paid £5500 for a 1975 6000 mile MK3 .It had been dry stored since 1978, the vender replaced the exhaust,tyres ,hose's and battery, Then MOTed and taxed it. Starts and runs OK apart from a rough tick-over due to carburation set up.
I risked a bid on Ebay..I think the mid 2011 froth over here as settled, mine was not cheap,but not messed with,still as all the philips screws, with nice clean heads!