Bacon's book is more than adequate for most as Rohan has pointed out - it contains the factory published details of the time, things that later changed and were not published by the factory when they changed did not get included it seems. The book is a good place to start, though it is now known it may not be accurate in a few places it combines the factory detail of the time, actual bikes of the time, updated with the experience in the Norton circles of the time at the book was published.
Many show and brochure pictures are not even that correct - look closely at the picture showing the right side of the Commando at the '67 show where it debuted - unless you want to lean your bike against a wall you'll see what I mean!! it is propped up by a bracket, chances are it would have not run either when you look closer at it.
For the US it seems that Berliner's changed items to what their buying public demanded, some of these are documented, but there are most probably many changes that are not. If Berliners sales ledgers exist then they would be valuable contribution to the knowledge of Norton's stateside.
Books and pictures are ideal as a guide, but not to be relied on - there are still many owners out there with one owner machines that have parts fitted to which are so different to those on other bikes sold at the time, can they be wrong, I doubt it knowing British Industry.
Many show and brochure pictures are not even that correct - look closely at the picture showing the right side of the Commando at the '67 show where it debuted - unless you want to lean your bike against a wall you'll see what I mean!! it is propped up by a bracket, chances are it would have not run either when you look closer at it.
For the US it seems that Berliner's changed items to what their buying public demanded, some of these are documented, but there are most probably many changes that are not. If Berliners sales ledgers exist then they would be valuable contribution to the knowledge of Norton's stateside.
Books and pictures are ideal as a guide, but not to be relied on - there are still many owners out there with one owner machines that have parts fitted to which are so different to those on other bikes sold at the time, can they be wrong, I doubt it knowing British Industry.
