Remanufactured Mk2A 850 Commando

Madnorton · Nov 25, 2017

If you could build a new bike, there will be one hell of a problem in the UK - DVLA, and into europe type approval, and no doubt the US would have another set of regulation. DVLA here seem to be falling into one of 4 camps -

Bike that was UK registered, but has old paperwork and or on system - keep original number or age related plate no problem.
A discrepancy in the above and a maybe a new 17 didgit VIN number supplied, and age related plate.
No paperwork, made from second hand and new parts, vehicle inspection, submit all receipts including proof of duty paid, age related plate or not registered at all - Q plates rare now in these cases.
New bike - SVA depending on the numbers you build - new current registrations issued.

In the UK bikes must ideally come with paperwork - just look at recent UK aution prices, not ebad, but auction houses, the difference in price is staggering.

rvich · Nov 25, 2017

I'm not going to sit down with my calculator and add up the cost of the all the parts. I'm curious, but not that curious, despite the fact that I think it was the original question. Regarding a title, in the backward state of Alaska, I submit a form along with proof of purchased parts to DMV for a home made or reconstructed vehicle and they issue a VIN and a title. They inspect it to ensure it meets street legal requirements. Note, this does not prove the vehicle is safe to drive. Pretty basic. No clue how the rest of the world treats it.

acotrel · Nov 25, 2017

Basically in Australia, vehicles must comply with Australian Design Rules which are developed through the Standards Association. If you want to register something you have built yourself, you need an engineers' certificate which usually costs around $2000. It is a problem, but not a big one.

Torontonian · Nov 25, 2017

You don't know what people can afford or not. Russians recently bought a mansion here and tore it down to build a new bigger super mansion one , purchased at 1.9 million. Basically for the lot to build it on. Happens every day here. Laundering ? Who's to say. So Vintage bike hobby stuff here is a joke at best.

Torontonian · Nov 25, 2017

Plus a very old painting recently sold at auction for $450 million U.S.D. Some guy named Leonardo. I'm changing my name.

worntorn · Nov 25, 2017

Torontonian said:
You don't know what people can afford or not. Russians recently bought a mansion here and tore it down to build a new bigger super mansion one , purchased at 1.9 million. Basically for the lot to build it on. Happens every day here. Laundering ? Who's to say. So Vintage bike hobby stuff here is a joke at best.

Try $4.5 million for a tear down shack on a 50' x 100' lot here in the Vancouver Bubble!

Fullauto · Nov 25, 2017

acotrel said:
Basically in Australia, vehicles must comply with Australian Design Rules which are developed through the Standards Association. If you want to register something you have built yourself, you need an engineers' certificate which usually costs around $2000. It is a problem, but not a big one.

AH! But all right hand change Nortons are pre ADRs so they only have to comply with what was current then. Rules change too and not always for the worse. It used to be anything '69 and on had to have indicators. I believe now in WA it is '73 on. That was just an example. I believe in indicators for safety. You seem to be able to get away with a lot with pre ADR bikes.

acotrel · Nov 25, 2017

Even if the design is pre-ADR, the remanufactured bike would still be new. I doubt you would get it registered without an engineers' certificate, at least in Victoria. Up with the hill-billies might be different.

acotrel · Nov 25, 2017

A friend of mine is currently building Ford GT40 replicas in Queensland. I don't know what he does about the ADRs .

marshg246 · Nov 26, 2017

rvich said:
I'm not going to sit down with my calculator and add up the cost of the all the parts. I'm curious, but not that curious, despite the fact that I think it was the original question. Regarding a title, in the backward state of Alaska, I submit a form along with proof of purchased parts to DMV for a home made or reconstructed vehicle and they issue a VIN and a title. They inspect it to ensure it meets street legal requirements. Note, this does not prove the vehicle is safe to drive. Pretty basic. No clue how the rest of the world treats it.

In Virginia, there is a relatively cheap process that is designed for titling homemade trailers that might work for motorcycles. However it would have to pass both safety and emissions inspections - safety is no problem, but emissions cannot be passed by anything approaching a standard Commando. Vintage motorcycles are exempt from emissions inspections but this would be a new motorcycle with a Virginia DMV assigned VIN and would not be exempt.

So, in Virginia, it's simply not possible to build and title a Commando from parts!

In Virginia, it's also not possible to rebuild a bike and get it titled if you don't have a valid title - I've tried!

acotrel · Nov 26, 2017

So it sounds as though there is no way back to the future ? Remanufacturing might have provided an economic pathway for backyard industry but for the emissions aspect of the exercise. How does the 961 comply with the emissions requirements ?

grandpaul · Nov 27, 2017

acotrel said:
How does the 961 comply with the emissions requirements ?

By strangling it of air, muffling all but a slight puff from the mufflers, and by allowing only a slight drizzle of fuel into the chambers. (Although apparently, they're not all that bad with those restrictions)

Hence, the aftermarket, as usual.

acotrel · Nov 28, 2017

If the 961 has an answer to the emissions problem, it would probably be applicable to an early Commando.

pantah_good · Nov 28, 2017

Probably not if it involves fuel injection.

grandpaul · Nov 29, 2017

pantah_good said:
Probably not if it involves fuel injection.

Yahtzee!

Of course Comnoz fixed that problem...

acotrel · Nov 29, 2017

A retro Commando similar to the Indian Enfield might be good. A 961 is not that - too much is different.

grandpaul · Nov 30, 2017

acotrel said:
A retro Commando similar to the Indian Enfield might be good. A 961 is not that - too much is different.

That's the PROBLEM with the retro Indian Enfield, it's TOO retro. You can't sustain highway speeds for more than a short jaunt without blowing up the engine.

pantah_good · Nov 30, 2017

That sounds like my BSA Starfire. Scary.

gripper · Dec 2, 2017

BSA Starfire, now there's a thing. Went like stink,......... for about 5 minutes.

Remanufactured Mk2A 850 Commando

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