How much did your Commando cost? (2016)

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I paid 4200 for mine. It was a pretty good deal and I feel was saved from a doomed existence.

I figure I have put around 10k into it over the past 8 years. My calculation might suggest a 2 to 1 payback. That is, for every $2 spent, the value goes up $1. I feel this could be a global revelation and not my particular circumstance.
 
pete.v said:
My calculation might suggest a 2 to 1 payback. That is, for every $2 spent, the value goes up $1. I feel this could be a global revelation and not my particular circumstance.
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2:1 is not bad!
 
grandpaul said:
pete.v said:
My calculation might suggest a 2 to 1 payback. That is, for every $2 spent, the value goes up $1. I feel this could be a global revelation and not my particular circumstance.
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2:1 is not bad!
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Ya, I might be a little optimistic, but there nothing wrong with that.
 
Craig said:
Optimism makes the world go round .... right.
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Extreme lack of optimism in the Northern hemisphere has made it go round LEFT for as long as history has recorded. So, must be the Southern hemisphere is really optimistic!
 
Paul ... if it wasn't for optimism there would be no one left here in Nova Scotia .... the nice ocean vistas and great twisting roads don't create wealth .... just happy people ....
Craig
 
mames said:
Bought my 1975 850 new in December of 1976 for $1,995
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That was when NVT was in trouble, and prices were falling.

I bought my '74 MKII in May of '75 for $2550. There were MKIII's in the showroom at the same time for $2995. Within 3 months the MKII price had dropped to $1995.

The only bike I've ever considered trading my Norton for was a 1976 Gold Wing, limited edition made to commemorate the US bicentennial. There were only about 2000 made, one per US dealership. But the trade in that the Honda shop would give me for my Norton was less than what I had left to pay on the bank note. The value had depreciated because of the drop in NVT's price.

In retrospect, I'm glad I kept the Norton anyway...
 
At about that time I was offered a new T160 in the crate for 1600 dollars!
No, I didnt have 1600 dollars. I did have a somewhat tired T150v though and
it kept me broke.
 
grandpaul said:
Craig said:
Optimism makes the world go round .... right.
Click to expand...
Extreme lack of optimism in the Northern hemisphere has made it go round LEFT for as long as history has recorded. So, must be the Southern hemisphere is really optimistic!
Click to expand...
Optimists can never be pleasantly surprised...
 
Not sure where I fall .... but an optimistic attitude sure helps and "I am pleasantly surprised" every time I open my shed door and see my fleet of 3 waiting to hit the road .... or my children arrive unannounced with Grandson in tow ...
Craig
 
Hang on let me check my CNW and Old Brits account and I'll let you know :D
Whatever the number is I'm sure my wife would x2 or x3. No sense of humor.
 
4K in 2006. A very nice, unmolested example with 12K miles. Have done most of the common Commando mods and probably have another 4K into it. Before and after photos:

How much did your Commando cost? (2016)


How much did your Commando cost? (2016)
 
back in 77, 800 bux for a 74 roadster ..sat outside quite a bit (looked like crap already) and head/barrels were already off once at that point
 
I paid $1400 for my '73 850 in 1995. It had been sitting for 12 years at that time. I spent a few hundred to get it running. New tires, mufflers, etc. I was in about $2000. I rode it a year, about 10,000 miles and then rebuilt the engine, gearbox, etc. I probably spent $1500 that time. I've rebuilt it a couple times since then. It has about 108,000 on it now. It had about 9,000 on it when I got it.
 
$300 in about 1985. It was filthy and had a big chrome sissy bar, and 30,000 hard miles. I made the only offer, and in this part of southern California, nobody else apparently wanted the thing. I rode it home, but probably shouldn't have; we didn't wear helmets in those days, I was wearing a t-shirt, it was night, I don't think the lights worked, and it was soaked in oil. The center stand was held up (sort or) by a oil-sodden bungy cord. I was nineteen and indestructible.

I knew it was in bad shape, but I didn't know how bad; the fiberglass tank was in a advanced stage of internal melt and it had a longish list of various other ailments, gradually revealed. I don't think I ever regretted it--well maybe a few times on the side of the road over the years. Objectively speaking, it was a pretty crappy motorcycle, and it took another decade and a lot of learning to understand what all the fuss was about.
 
(photos disappeared from my old photo host)

re-posted
 
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I think I paid 1500 bucks for mine about 10 years ago when I first bought it. I also have an old receipt from when the guy previous to me bought it...price was 517 bucks at the time in 1976. Since I bought it, I have put about 4900 bucks into it for parts, paint (paint purchase, application, striping, etc), power coating, battery, instrument overhauls/lube and so forth, plus MANY, MANY hours of my personal labor. Now it looks like this:

[imgHow much did your Commando cost? (2016)][/img]

It is a rider and NOT a show bike and is NOT a "Restoration"...tank is Norton (metal) High Rider, single Amal MKII carb, modern solid state electronics, some chrome plating on the triple clamps, big ugly old Lucas switches are gone as are the levers and mastery cylinder and all replaced by newer, better stuff (NOT Lucas!), Paint is Honda Clover Green with hand striping and stickers with a clearcoat over everything, seat is Corbin made to flow into/with the tank and the (original) front brake is now drilled....(see my thread about "Drilling a Norton Disc").

I have been told it is worth somewhere in the range of $8,000 to $10,000 now, and I suppose that depends upon how deep a prospective buyer's pockets are and how badly he/she may want it.

PS...it is NOT for sale!! Well, they say everything has a price and the last guy that tried to buy it, I quoted a price of $200,000 after he wouldn't take "NO" for and answer......He did get the idea and I still have it!!
 
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