With a steady schedule of acquiring, revamping and road testing classic and custom motorbikes, the CRM garage tends to get overfilled this time of year. There’s room to store and time to ride only so many bikes iun a given week, so tough decisions occasionally have to be made and the herd thinned. So with a heavy heart, we’re selling off the pristine, completely reconditioned 1974 Norton Commando we’re so painstakingly built over the past three years.
The 850cc model was the final and best version of the vaunted parallel twin that Norton produced, cranking out gobs of thudding torque and 54-odd horsepower though a four-speed gearbox. We set out to make ours the most rideable classic Norton around, focusing on radical suspension upgrades seldom applied to a classic British motorcycle.
First came a pair of Avon’s radial Roadrider tires: these vastly improve roadholding and cornering capability and make rain, steep lean angles and road camber all a breeze. Our friends at Race Tech pitched in with a pair of custom-made G3-S rear shocks: these fully-adjustable dampers are about 2″ taller than standard Commando shocks and offer a vast range of rebound and compression damping adjustments. This makes the bike more adaptable for street or track riding- as does that massive, 43mm set of inverted forks. They were originally made for a Honda CBR1000RR superbike and also offer a racetrack-level of adjustment for fine-tuning the ride. One of the most common complaints about Nortons and other vintage Birtbikes is the lack of damping on the front ends. And while Norton’s fabled Roadholder forks are considered the best of the lot when it comes to Mid-20th Century suspension systems, one ride aboard a classic equipped with modern forks will forever change your perceptions.
The braking is another area where Commandos can stand some serious improvement and the Honda’s dual radially-mounted Nissin four-piston front stoppers have a brick-wall stopping effect that changes the way this machine ceases rolling. Actuation comes courtesy of a black, powdercoated Magura radial master cylinder and braided front hydraulic lines while the forks triple clamps are from the high-tech machine shop at Cognito Moto and processed from billet grade alloy.
There’s plenty of other top-shelf accessories installed on the bike from the NYC Norton anti-sumping valve on the crankcase (to prevent oil leaks and “sumping” during storage) to the handmade Tab II Classics polished aluminum cafe bodywork. Starting is a push-button affair thanks to an Alton of France electric starting system that’s backed by a fresh wiring harness, new battery and new lighting equipment front and rear. There are one-off bits that make the Commando especially difficult to part with like the stainless steel gauge surround dreamt up at Cognito, while the peashooter mufflers from British Cycle Supply and 34mm Mikuni carburetor ensure a steady-pulsing engine at all times.
We’re asking just $13,750 for the Norton, which is a great deal considering full-restored machines with far fewer custom parts and modern accessories often go for far more. Interested? Send an email our way via rockersrule@caferacermag.com and take possession of a true modern classic cafe racer.
