Wondering how old we are (commando owners) (2009)

I'm early 40s, just got my Commando 18 months ago with a bad transmission. Been riding and wrenching on vintage bikes for 15 years, mostly airheads. I never kept score, since I supported my bike habit buying and flipping them. Only two vintage brit bikes so far - first was a '73 Tiger with a holed piston a few years back, with 30 years of dust on it. I loved rebuilding and riding that bike, but I couldn't take the vibration at speed. I love the Commando too, has the classic british feel but without the misery at 70mph. I'll love it even more once I get the riding position dialed in and the forks upgraded and some more range in the tank.

They're great bikes, with active parts suppliers, so I'm not too worried about longevity. In some ways it'd be great if they got cheaper, so some young wrenches could afford them. If I could've found more sub-$1500 brit bikes in more or less stock form, I'd have bought them. Well I guess technically I did, but they were all Hinckley Triumphs. That triple is a fantastic motor.

Turned 69 in December 2018. Got my '74 Mk IIA Interstate new from Waterton Cross Motors in Bridgend, Wales in early '75. Eventually brought it home late '75, took my now-wife on our first date on it and still got it. It was parked in my garage for about 20 years but went back on the road in the summer of 2015. Still got the original front tire! Didn't get it out last summer but definitely will this year (maybe with new tires!).

Tires are my new goal also. Dunlops are my flavor. It'll be a good birthday present to myself next week, or I could more appropriately wait until next month for the bike's birthday when it turns 45 to my 66.

Not to thread-jack, but would you guys use a condom you had in your wallet for 20 years? Good lord, get some new tires people!

37 year of age

I’m 39, owned my Norton for 17 years.

I'm going Dunlop. Hadn't thought of Trojans in some years now...4.10x19.

54. Been into bikes since my dad unwittingly bought me a z50 centrifugal clutch Honda in '75 when I was 10. I bought my '70 First Commando from a "passionista" in the US. I'm guessing that it's the only Commando that's ever been to Libya. It's now here with me in Malta. That bike needed the head replacing almost immediately. Someone had installed the spindles with the flats in the wrong direction. Got the bug from there and now own 3 including a Seeley with all the good bits.

59 in 4 weeks. Good to see that there are quite a lot of 'young' members, ie: under 40-ish. The thing with these old bikes is that they are just so bloody good. Nothing on sale today gives anything like that arm-wrenching torque of a good Commando, or the beautiful sound, or the direct, highly strung, part of the machine feel. That's why I've never got on with Japanese bikes, even back in the 70s when some of them were actually quite nice - GT750 and GT500 Suzukis come t mind as nice bikes to ride, with a bit of get up ad go about them. The 4 stroke 4s were dull as ditchwater in comparison.

I don't think the interest in proper bikes (whether Norton or Triumph or others) will ever die. People still love E Type Jags and Spitfires for similar reasons - they're just beautiful machines.

The Brits definitely had it going for them on sexy design and raw unadulterated power....some good handling too. The machines have that wanna run feeling...Lead, follow, or GTF outta the way feel. Makes me feel under 30 with just a little twist of the right wrist.

Sound good too.

Turning 70 this year, been with a Commando since I was 25, in fact, I've been longer with the Norton than I am with my wife.

yvesnorton said:

Hi Friends,
i am wondering how old we are?? I think that the majority of us must be between 50 and 60 no?
Cheers
Yves

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Well played, yes 60 this year.

I'm 60. I bought my commando at age 19 in 1978. My friend "animal" bought it from "toad", and animal couldn't keep it running. He would charge the battery, take it for a ride somewhere, then have to get picked up in a van or pickup truck to be hauled back home. This happened numerous times during that summer, so he finally had enough of that scenario and was done with the bike. I offered him $500. for the bike, he agreed and the bike was mine. When I got it home, my dad said, "Get rid of that thing, you'll never fix it!" and the challenge was born right there to get this dynasaur going and keep it going.

In 78, there weren't a lot of nortons around, but still a mix of triumphs, nortons, and BSA's around. People still knew what they were, unlike now where half the people who look at it stare in wonder and the other half nod their head in appreciation of a long gone era. I had no help back then, as there was no internet, nor proliferation of knowledgable british bike mechanics around. It was all a huge learning task to figure out WTF was going on. At one point my buddy Teddy dragged me around the block with a rope tied to his car to get the bike started... Even we realized pretty quickly how crazy that was and relented... It's been a 40 year battle to get my bike to where it is now. Having it at this level is so satisfying since I had little chance of learning all this stuff as a 19 year old in '78..

My bike kicks some major ass now. The dunstall pipes sound great. It handles excellently now, thanks to the kegler modification. My only complaint is top speed. It can do 100 mph, but it's not like my old honda 750F which could comfortably cruise at 95mph. I just don't want to flog the commando on the hiway to cruise that fast so I go 75 on the hiway and try to "look good, going slow"

I'm quite happy with the occasional sprint for a quick thrill and general cruising at 60mph. The venerable old lady is quickly approaching 50 with original internals and I'd like to keep things status quo as long as possible. Half the fun is the big twin at a steady rumbling purr, and 60 is nice and smooth on me also.

I'm hoping to hold on to mine until this spring to get it out again, but at 75 it's getting a bit iffy. I can still start it and all, but it's the balance and response time that gets me. I'd hate to go down with it at this age. Motivation is fast leaving too sorry to say, but I'll keep plugging away.

Hex bolts are a better choice than button heads in that application as it’s easker to get a spanner (wrench) on the heads than an Allen key.

But IMHO the factory had it right with studs and nuts as it’s far less likely to damage the fork legs by cross threading etc when fiddling with the bolts in a difficult position.

Fast Eddie said:

Hex bolts are a better choice than button heads in that application as it’s easker to get a spanner (wrench) on the heads than an Allen key.

But IMHO the factory had it right with studs and nuts as it’s far less likely to damage the fork legs by cross threading etc when fiddling with the bolts in a difficult position.

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Although I don’t think Fast Eddie has publicly admitted his age, there is obviously signs of senility creeping in - he has responded to the wrong thread here.

Oops!

I’m a spring chicken Cliffa, only 50.

Sounds to me like he's only in between working his way to both ends...I've got half & half in mine because once upon a time I was possessed by the riding gods whilst reassembling & couldn't locate all of the studs...and here we are.