Roadster vs Interstate

Gadge said:

Running my Interstate with that set set-up and single humped seat. Works well for me.

Am planning to try a set of M bars on it but it's a bit of a faff with brakelines and master cylinder fit so might be a while before I can be bothered.

Click to expand...

M bars. are they what we called ace bars in the early 70's?

One of mine has Fastback LR tank, with reworked Roadster seat, the other is Roadster/Interstate dependent on what I'm using it for.
It's hard to beat an Interstate for practicality, but the Roadsters just look so good.

freddie1105 said:

M bars. are they what we called ace bars in the early 70's?

Click to expand...

No, M bars are Norman Hyde bars. Look them up

kommando said:

Never restored just maintained, when I got it I lived in a terraced house with a 6ft garden, it was parked overnight out in the open for its first few years. Greasing the rims just before winter kept them rust free, looks good from 5ft, not so good close up

Click to expand...

Looks good to me and I'm 200 miles from you !

Got a roadster now but wish I had my 73 interstate, spent my university grant money on that and very grateful to the UK taxpayer

I have Interstate steel tank with the Interpol seat with the front sliced off and built back up to clear the tank. Im so small the even that seat is excessive for my limited butt. Bars are AN euro bars and I dont like them too wide. Problem is clearance with the stock
master. This was all done to get some range. I dont ride off to John O Groats but I hate having to worry about petrol level riding out. Fewer petrol stations out there and fewer yet offering higher octane.

freddie1105 said:

M bars. are they what we called ace bars in the early 70's?

Click to expand...

Similar to Ace bars but higher:

Fast Eddie said:

I reckon an 850 Interstate and a 750 Combat Roadster would be an ideal combo.

Click to expand...

Other way around.. 72 Interstates were mostly (all?) Combat equipped. Just gotta deal with the fiberglass tank.
That with a 74 850 Roadster for the torque grin would be an ideal pair.

Yer think?

I was thinking nice low tuned torque 850 for touring, and high comp, big cam, small tanked Combat for hooliganing around on !

Need to sell one, is why I ask ; as I like them both!

I turned my roadster into an interstate mostly because of the scarcity of enthanol-free gas stations near me, and I wanted the greater fuel capacity of the interstate tank to make sure I didn't have to fuel up with E-10 fuel. If a person doesn't need the extra fuel capacity, then we're really just talking about which bike is more appealing to the eye...

I have a '70 commando, and I always hated the look of the key in the left side cover. With the exception of the key location, my bike looked great originally as a roadster. Once I began making changes, it didn't look as good until I finished the complete transformation. As I changed each thing one at a time, the bike looked disproportionate in different ways. Now that the transformation is completed, I think the interstate version looks as nice as the roadster.

One of the things that I thought looked great with the early roadsters was the chrome shock covers. When I changed to Koni shocks they disappeared for good unfortunately. I also liked the fenders painted to match the tank and side covers and my bike has been like that for 40 years in both configurations. I'm in good company with that opinion as Matt from CNW also paints his fenders to match, and his bikes are probably the nicest looking nortons around.

Pictures of the transformation on the "pictures thread" here:

Ok, looking at nortribuell's post, I'm tempted to follow suit. Same bike in both of my pictures in roadster, then interstate trim.



Here's the above bike transformed into an interstate.

nortriubuell said:

Need to sell one, is why I ask ; as I like them both!View attachment 16464View attachment 16465

Click to expand...

NOT a nice choice to have to make. I’d advertise both and keep whichever doesn’t sell first.

Fast Eddie said:

NOT a nice choice to have to make. I’d advertise both and keep whichever doesn’t sell first.

Click to expand...

No..... first to sell is obviously the most desirable.... so that's the one to keep Simples!!

Well that’s buggered up my theory !!

Jesting apart, not an easy decision perhaps? I'm sure most of us have a: 'Bikes/cars we never should have sold' list, even more so if you've rescued or rehabilitated them. I'd have happily borrowed money to buy back my P11, though offer me a different one for less and I'll pass, thank you. Can't guess or won't pry as to the reasons for sale, but why not include a: 'first refusal' clause should the new owner wish to pass it on later?

Personally If I saw them for sale and they were both the same price I would buy the Interstate as it's much closer to standard and if I wanted a Roadster I could just buy a tank and seat and swap them when the mood struck me.

It looks to me like you have a bigger decision to make than roadster vs interstate. That being 750 vs 850. I'm with cliffa, buy a roadster tank and decide which bike you want to keep, then swap stuff around so you sell a roadster and keep two tanks for your single bike.

Or, another option - keep the Orange (or is it nicely faded red?) tank sidepanels and seat for your mood swings (or visa versa), then replace all those parts on the bike you decide to sell. then you keep some of each.

Cheers,

cliffa.

Fast Eddie said:

That‘s not always the case chaps. I’ve got a Roadster and an Interstate Corbin. The Interstate version is essentially a Roadster version with the front chopped off. The rest of the seat, and therefore, the riders arse, is in the same place on both.

Click to expand...

Um, what?

The Interstate tank is longer which means your butt is further back. Care to post pictures of the bikes side by side?

swooshdave said:

Um, what?

The Interstate tank is longer which means your butt is further back. Care to post pictures of the bikes side by side?

Click to expand...

Interstate = longer tank, shorter seat.
Roadster= shorter tank longer seat.

As long as you ain't sitting right on top of the roadster tank your ass is gonna end up in the same place.