John Player Norton value?

In the summer of 1975, I was in France, and ended up at the Bol d’Or 24-hour motorcycle race, which was won that year by the Kawasaki team of Godier/Genoud.

However, this was the time when race teams on old British bikes were still persevering, and a BSA/Triumph triple finished in 12th.

During the night, a Norton came to grief, and was parked against the Armco for the rest of the race, well protected by a straw bale. I have my own photo of it somewhere, but found this one in the Internet a while ago. As this was in September of 1975, it must have been an early MK3, as it shows the electric start primary case and rear disc hub. The start list has the only Norton as a 730, (possibly a misprint?).

It does have an unusual oil tank, with level indicator tube, which I’ve not seen on any other race bike photos.

Did this start life as a MK3 JPN, or a MK3 with JPN plastics and race adaptations? We’ll probably never know.

John Player Norton value?
 
Well it was over 48 years ago now when I brought my Norton new and Morgan & Whackers in Brisbane had all the 75 models at the front of the show room and the JPN sat on a stand at the front, they also had all the 75 Triumphs, my old stock 74 Roadster was right at the back of the show room, not sure if the JPN had an ES or not, I was only interested in the black Commando sitting all alone in the back of the show room, the old stock kicker was $450 cheaper than the ES model, that was a big saving back then and I was only earning $60 a week, I paid $1999 on the road for my Commando and the ES models was $2445 on road, not sure what price was on the JPN, too be honest I wasn't a fan of it.

Ashley
 
marshg246 said:
OK, making much more sense to me now! So, I suppose that the OP's question is not about one of the race bikes, but the Norton "John Player Norton" from the brochure which says that it was available with an 850 engine or a 750 short-stroke engine. In which case knowing real or not without a lot more detail is not possible.

Any info on telling the timeframe, serial range, etc. I currently state that they were a modified MK2A - any further info on that?
Click to expand...
From everything I found when restoring my original JPN, the factory records for 1974 MkIIa bikes are not to be found ANYWHERE.

Again, as far as I could find (researched for several months, daily) NOBODY can legitimately state that factory serial number range which includes ALL of the JPNs

@L.A.B.'s quote of @ZFD is the first I hear of any legitimacy to the MkIII JPN. I have yet to see an actual photo of one purported to be original.
 
grandpaul said:
From everything I found when restoring my original JPN, the factory records for 1974 MkIIa bikes are not to be found ANYWHERE.

Again, as far as I could find (researched for several months, daily) NOBODY can legitimately state that factory serial number range which includes ALL of the JPNs

@L.A.B.'s quote of @ZFD is the first I hear of any legitimacy to the MkIII JPN. I have yet to see an actual photo of one purported to be original.
Click to expand...
I do have a tank and side covers, White with Blue and Red stripes. The tank and one side covers seem to be original. The other side cover is repainted.

The 74 brochure shows no red stripe.

The tank and side covers I have:

John Player Norton value?


I found this picture on the web that looks like the tank and side covers and is clearly a MK3, but mine has no "Electric Start" on the side covers.


John Player Norton value?


Neither of them are JPN, just showing the paint scheme that I assume was inspired by JPN.

So, I assume that the three-color is MK3 and the two color is MK2A. It also could be a crossover just before MK3.
 
ashman said:
They were on the 75 sales poster and when I brought my old new stock 74 Commando in 76 all the 75 new models were in the front show room and they had a JPN there as well, but still went for the last kick start Norton in stock.
The sales poster still hangs proudly in my shed with my Triumph sales poster.View attachment 115962View attachment 115963View attachment 115964
Click to expand...
Wonderful posters from back in the day and a very well equipped workshop Ash! Carry on....
 
All were white/blue/red, this is finish 163 as listed for both the Mk2/2A and Mk3. The fuel tank in your picture isn't the Mk3 (06-2701) type and the left-hand side panel also isn't the Mk3 type.

The picture in the '74 brochure may show a thin blue line or it could just be a trick of the light as the photo was taken with the light behind the bike. I wonder if AN has the original brochure pictures.
John Player Norton value?
 
L.A.B. said:
All were white/blue/red, this is finish 163 as listed for both the Mk2/2A and Mk3. The fuel tank in your picture isn't the Mk3 (06-2701) type and the left-hand side panel also isn't the Mk3 type.

The picture in the '74 brochure may show a thin blue line or it could just be a trick of the light as the photo was taken with the light behind the bike. I wonder if AN has the original brochure pictures.
John Player Norton value?
Click to expand...
Thanks, helpful. I'll see if AN can help.
 
I do, however, remember seeing two with black stripes on UK ebay many years ago.

Does this look blue or black?
John Player Norton value?
 
marshg246 said:
The thin line definitely does not look red to me.
Click to expand...

No, so they never proceeded with the thin blue line version.
cars.bonhams.com

Bonhams Cars : Former property of Eddie Lawson, 8 miles from new,1975 Norton 850cc Commando Roadster Frame no. 317998

Norton's popular Commando had a fulfilling if all too brief lifespan, during which it scooped Britain's prestigious MCN Machine of the Year five years running, spawned eight different styling variations, and won numerous international Sidecar Motocross Grand Prix. During its lifespan the...
cars.bonhams.com cars.bonhams.com

I've yet to see one with a thin blue stripe.
John Player Norton value?
 
Last edited:
quawk said:
I've recently posted about a bike listed at an upcoming auction, as being a '73 Combat and asked members if there were any Combats produced in '73. At this same auction, there is a 1975 John Player Special model Norton being sold. It is said to be a "true" JPN and not a reproduction or copy. Can members knowledgeable about these bikes give their opinion about what these bikes might be worth? Listing says it runs and rides good, is titled, and from the pics looks to be in excellent condition.
.
Click to expand...
Without really good detail photos, and at least a video of it being kickstarted, idling, and driven around in front of the camera, there's no real way to get very close to a reasonable valuation.

If a very good replica with original AN parts (or maybe Viking reproduction black chrome exhaust), and fairing, POSSIBLY $7,500 or POSSIBLY a lot more, ASSUMING it's a 1 or 2 kick starter and it idles and runs perfectly.
 
OKAY, LET'S GET IT STRAIGHT:

JPN = John Player Norton. A MkIIa 850 with large white fiberglass bodywork and dual headlights, black chrome "bean can" annular discharge mufflers, and clip-on handlebars. 1974 only.

Not easily confused with 850 Roadsters from 74 to 75 with White tanks & sidecovers having a wide Blue and a narrow Red striping scheme, called John Player Special, or referred to as "John Player tribute livery".

@quawk let's start over...
 
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I’ve mentioned this before… and been shot down in flames for it…!

Norman White told me that the red, white and blue Roadsters were referred to at the factory as the Jubilee paint scheme.

According to him, there was no JPS association.

IMHO, FWIW, JMWO, ETC.
 
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Fast Eddie said:
I’ve mentioned this before… and been shot down in flames for it…!

Norman White told me that the red, white and blue Roadsters were referred to at the factory as the Jubilee paint scheme.

According to him, there was not JPS association.

IMHO, FWIW, ETC.
Click to expand...
That makes a lot of sense to me if it was Jubilee time. I'm little confused though due to the Triumph 1977 T140J Silver Jubilee. Would it have been to celebrate that far in advance or was it some other jubilee or what?
 
Fast Eddie said:
I’ve mentioned this before… and been shot down in flames for it…!

Norman White told me that the red, white and blue Roadsters were referred to at the factory as the Jubilee paint scheme.

According to him, there was not JPS association.

IMHO, FWIW, ETC.
Click to expand...
The keywords being "REFERRED TO"...

Way back when, might have been REFERRED TO as "Jubilee", these days REFERRED TO as "JPS" and "John Player Special". evidence all over the internet, every day, including here. in this thread.

Norton AS THE MANUFACTURER did not give them any OFFICIAL model name (evidence all official sales literature). Just the paint scheme, as a reference.
 
grandpaul said:
The keywords being "REFERRED TO"...

Way back when, might have been REFERRED TO as "Jubilee", these days REFERRED TO as "JPS" and "John Player Special". evidence all over the internet, every day, including here. in this thread.

Norton AS THE MANUFACTURER did not give them any OFFICIAL model name.
Click to expand...
Actually my point was “referred to at the factory”…
 
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I realize that sales brochures are about as authoritative as parts manuals are for the location of things. However:

John Player Norton value?


Notice the caption - it does not say "New first time Blue and Red Stripe finish"!

Then we have:

John Player Norton value?


Which appears to say "John Player Norton" on the side and is similar to the race bikes:

John Player Norton value?


Which also say John Player Norton on them.

Then we have many pictures on the Internet of MK3s with a paint job like the first picture but with the narrow stripe being red and they say electric start on the side panels.

Then we have the set I have that the tank and one side panel are absolutely paint of the era and like the first picture but with the narrow stripe being red.

So, I now know for sure is that what I thought I knew was wrong!
 

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