PLEASE for the love of God, SCAN and upload that manual to the internet. As an owner of an older/rare bike, finding a manual was such a struggle. There are so many project builders out there who could benefit from that manual that may be extremely had to get ahold of
As a life long biker, born in UK 1960, I can assure you this is a piece of motorcycling history. As a kid of 15, seeing this on the road was something special. For the price you couldn't go wrong. Great video guys !!
I used to own and ride similar model of bike back in the late 70’s here in the U.K. It didn’t have the electric start. You really had to jump on the kick start to turn it over and for someone who only weighed 12 stones (168lbs) I really had to jump.
I'm from The UK, and in around 1986 I worked for a company that made the exhaust pipes for Norton. I was surprised to find out that out of each batch of pipes, some would be stamped with the Norton logo and some were not. The ones with the stamp went to Norton and the ones left blank were sold as cheaper non original parts. But they were made in the same place and identical in every way.
I can't say for other manufacturers, but I know for sure if you have a had a Norton Commando back then you were wasting your money buying an "Norton" part. Unless you really really want the Norton stamp for authenticity/@@sbrunner69
I bought a 1975 Norton Commando (black) brand new, a beautiful motorcycle and rode that bike all over Texas. The bike felt alive with every thump of the motor and every shake of the bike a true classic.
As a biker and British I applaud and respect you for what you did. It shouldn't be left in a crate to gather dust for time in memorial, it should be used for what it's creator intended. Too many good bikes are squirreled away in "private " collections or museums stood dormant for all too long. keep unboxing them and giving them a life they deserve. Good man.
Hey Richard. As I recall we didn't have unleaded fuel in the UK until early to mid eighties. Did they just put unleaded fuel in an engine that's not unleaded ready or compatible?
OMG I thought I’d never see another Norton in my life. My first motorcycle was a 1974 Blue Norton 850 Commando. I loved that bike! It was stolen off my side carport the night my first love and I broke up. It was like I lost the love of my life twice in less than 24 hours. This episode sure has brought back some fond memories. Glad you spent the money. Listening to it run really brought it back. Thanks for the memories!
I'm an old Norton rider from Way back. First was (2) 650 Triumphs, then my '73 850 Commando. I restored (2) '75 MK3 850s. After my neck surgeries, I had to quit riding and sell everything. Too sad.
@Jon Tibbatts Plot twist: Some kid he bullied in the 3rd grade, went to the gym, and got his revenge by stealing his girl and his bike on the same day. Best served cold.
Awesome. I owned three Norton's and worked on them for years. You needed three sets of tools, SAE, Metric, and British Whitworth. Use the wrong tool and tears would flow. Never had the electric start or Disk brakes. People bought the Honda 750-4 because of four cylinders but I could still spank them on the Norton. Loved the sound of the Dunstall pipes. Thanks for showing this. It brought back many memories. Made me think of Barney Tillman again.
Me and my dad had always planned to build a bike when I got back from the war. Unfortunately, the rotation kept coming until I was injured in a combat jump and when I was healing after retirement, we found out that he had very aggressive cancer and couldn't finish the fight the way I wanted. Don't feel bad, he's pain free, racing the hills of Heaven and I'm fortunate to have been his son. Thank you guys for sharing this, he would have loved it as much as I do! Godspeed brothers. Sua Sponte
Put those restrictive mufflers in storage, they might be rare as hens teeth but the weight added to the poor exhaust flow are going to give the 850 very little horsepower. Buy a set of dunstall mufflers, rejet the carbs, put the factory airbox in storage (I suggest besides the mufflers) and install a pair of K&N filters. This should give approximately similar power rating to an earlier model. I purchased a 1975 T160 Trident new from a local Triumph dealer in 1975, couldn't believe how sluggish the bike performed, did the above modifications and the bike came to life.
Put. The. Original. Muffels (what is that?). On. The. Bike. What is wrong with Americans? Always taking the great parts of, replacing them for stupid after market junk. Do not do that!
You are a machine thanks for all you do and appreciate. As a Brit it's a crying shame what happened to the British bike industry and all the staff who lost their jobs because of lack of foresight and investment to fend off the Japanese dominance. I hope some of them are still around to see the resurgence of interest in British bikes.
I remember being given a tour of the Lucas offices in Solihull. It all seemed very modern for the time. It was only later that I learned what a mess they had made of their business.
FINALLY!!!! There's a lot of Harley Love on this channel...which is understandable. But I've been waiting for some cool British bikes because, let's face it, Classic British bikes are pretty frickin' cool!
@@BikesandBeards So you've done Triumph, now you've tried a Norton, next....get a BSA. I recommend the A65 Lightning. In 1973 BSA, Triumph and Norton merged. Most of these bikes were made at the BSA factory...even before the merger.
These old bike unboxings are my favorite episodes on your channel. When I was a teenager, this was considered the ultimate bike ,and Norton had the best ads in bike mags.
Yes, when I was 15 my friend and I both had small motorcycles and we also spent a lot of time looking at motorcycle magazines and we loved looking at this very Norton 850. It seemed so amazing to us. But I especially remember looking for a long time at the really pretty women who were sitting on those bikes. ( Don't tell my wife about that part.)
@David Raye The few flaws it did have (like many other new bikes) were corrected. It didn't win machine of the year for 5 years in row for nothing. Podium finishes at the isle of man TT with lap records, many wins at races around the world. Not bad for a bit of "junk"
The prir 650 Dominator was a far superior bike, especially if you dropped a Thruxton Bonnie engine into the Featherbed frame for a Triton Cafe Racer. There were a lot of those around. Best Wishes. Bob.
I’m 64 yrs old. In 1975 I worked for a motorcycle dealership in my hometown. I built new bikes from the crate. I built plenty of Nortons. That really brings back some great memories watching you build that bike. The guy that I worked for had a Norton still in the crate in his barn later on in life. I wonder if your bike is that bike? I’d love to hear your story of where that bike came from!
I'm 61 and worked in Suzuki and Kawasaki shops. Assembled a million from crates too. Often called in at the British bike shop. Triumphs and Norton's are awesome.
I just turned 66, a good friend of mine bought a 73 Norton Commando and took delivery sometime in 74 I believe. I've had an old 650 Atlas, about a 67, 441 Victor, 64 Triumph and currently have a 78 Triumph in my garage, along with a couple Harley's, the Brit bikes are fun to ride.
I worked in the late 70s at the factory that made those brakes (becoming a manager in 1984). Lockheed was made under licence by Automotive Products at its Tachbrook Road, Royal Leamington Spa site (long since knocked down and redeveloped). The only surviving part of that company is AP Racing, whose brakes you will still see today on high end and race vehicles.
My first motorcycle was a '75 Norton Commando Mk III Roadster. It was black with gold striping just like yours and it also had the interstate pipes. That is a spitting image of mine. I know every inch of that machine. What a treat! I never should have sold it. The torque heading up the canyons of Utah always brought a smile to my face. Well done, gents!
@@annpeerkat2020 Yep. I was 21 and I paid $2850 for it. 20 years later, when I sold it for $6500, the guy that I sold it to didn't even balk at the price. As he drove it away, I thought, "What did I just do?"😢
Thanks for this vid guys ... In my 50 years as a motorcycle mechanic, I unboxed hundreds of bikes. So wish i could do it one more time for myself, but sadly that will not ever happen. BTW the bag of "stuff" in there is Silica Gel and is deigned to absorb water to stop corrosion in transit/storage. Looks like it worked, another great Commando saved 😁
@@JesusLives889 And you need insight into how manufacturers perform recalls and warranty work, even on 20 year old vehicles that come in for service at an authorized dealer.
@@memewizard8372 Oh really? I have been working on antique automobiles and motorcycles since the 1970s. I have never needed anything besides the factory shop manuals and proper tools. I love how you condescend the very ones you would actually need to keep your dreams alive. Brilliant 👏
In 1975 I was 9 and my father's friend bought that exact bike in Pomona California and I asked if he could give me a ride and my dad yes he always said No to every thing. Man we hit the fast lane on the Pomona freeway and I was hooked big time best day of my childhood I was so in love I touched the beautiful exhaust when we got back and fried my hand true love for bikes thanks for sharing 👍God bless from Mt Dora Fla.
British aluminum castings were purposely made with a rougher than average surface finish, this was to facilitate cooling by providing a greater surface area. Many people have polished the cases, and heads only to discover that they would overheat far more easily. A great video, enjoyed it immensely. (You know why The Brits drink cellar temp Beer? they all have Lucas Refrigerators..)
I worked at a GM Pontiac dealership in the 70's and one of the mechanics brought in this exact same bike, but it had a bent fork. He fixed it, but had to sell it because he had bills. It circulated through about 7 people at the dealership- other mechanics, (me a 25 year old and I LOVED that bike), and the parts manager (who was my Dad and was 55) before it finally was sold to someone somewhere. We all regretted our decision to sell. NEAT little nuances was the owners manual said to "Kick start it while USING the electric starter to make it easier on the starter and possibly save it for longevity. The other was the fact that it had a 2 prong plug in (the FIRST EVER?) so gentlemen could plug in their electric shaver. What a feature! And yes I miss it and wish I still had it as it did it all very gracefully!!!
Schrodinger's bike: If you put a bike in a box and seal it, it's not alive until you open it and ride it! Thank you for bringing some true value and joy to this bike and sharing the experience.
My uncle Mike had one of these, brand new, back in ‘76. I remember riding on the back at 80 mph early in the morning on the way to breakfast. He only let me take it out once. I was 13 and I rode it to town, felt like a man. I loved it.
In 75, I was in high school and worked at Yamaha East in Portland Oregon, they sponsored Rick Burgett and Chuck Sun, btw. They sold BSA and Nortons, my first job every morning was to wipe up the leaked oil from the brand new British bikes. Good times
Ive never had a British vehicle that hasn't leaked and honestly its just the shitty seals, but id never not own something British because they run so well and have such character.
This Norton is an absolute classic, and not only has this one never been fully assembled, but it's never been ridden, never been fired up, never enjoyed. Enjoy this thing bud. I just started the unboxing part, but I know that you will enjoy it. It's part of the Ton Up club! Edit: I just wanted to say that I am absolutely in support of the unboxing of this beauty. It didn't just make for incredible content, it made for an incredible unveiling of a piece of history.
First thing I'd do with that is put a solid-state ignition on it. That gets rid of nearly all the problems with these Nortons. They were excellent bikes, unfortunately for Norton a little too little too late.
100% meant to be ridden! Completely agree it's sad to see these beautiful bikes rotting away in the dark. Not to mention the stupid mice. You guys do these things that many of us will never be able to! Keep the videos coming!
A german TH-camr (Andis Funktionspunk) just recently bought a Norton Commando with accidental damage and rebuilt it. The new, black painted Tank with all the trims and Logos came around 200 Euro, shipping from India included. So, unfortunately it's not worth 5000 bucks. Keep up the good work.
Here is why it was running rough: 1) May not have oil in the gearbox 2) May not have oil in the primary case 3) May not have lubricated the secondary (final drive) chain 4) The contact breaker points need dressing. After 48 years (even 1 or 2 years of winter sitting) they corrode. Don’t overdo or you will affect the timing. 5) The carb float levels may be off, a friend bought a new Commando in 1974 and he found that the float level in one of the carbs was way low 6) You may have been running it on ethanol / low octane gasoline, use non-ethanol in the highest possible octane rating, add lead substitute. 7) I don’t think there were mice but check inside the air filter for a possible nest. P.S.: There are two fuel taps (petcocks) one is MAIN and the other RESERVE, stock were crap, replace with modern ethanol resistant ones. To start, tickle the carbs first. (Also use choke in cool or cold temps). AMAL is short for “Amalgamated” and so should be pronounced that way but many say “A-mal” as in “anus”. I expect this makes people who worked for that company cringe. You can buy modern superior direct replacements.. Replace stock starter motor with better one (usually done). Replace points with electronic ignition and replace old rectifier and zenor diode with solid state. (Not needed if bike is not ridden a lot). Add zinc to the engine oil. Ensure there is oil in the forks, dunno if came from factory with oil in forks. The bottom end and gearbox problems were resolved by 1973.
It'd be wild if they didn't check any of that. You'd think if you had the money to buy an untouched British classic, you'd have enough sense to know what to check on it. May have and not thrown it in the video, but who knows. These old British machines run great with a little bit of attention every now and then.
The Norton Commando was a fabulous machine, not without mechanical Issues but a good one was an absolute joy to ride. Loads of character, tons of torque from that muscular vertical twin engine and pretty vibration free compared to other British twins. Out of interest the Norton Commando was voted machine of the year in the UK for 5 consecutive years - 1968 to 1972. You’ve got a real chunk of British history there.
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc The popular bike publication Motorcycle News annually asked readers to vote for their machine of the year - they could have chosen any bike available at the time.
Cool vid! I’m no bike expert but I’ve seen what happened to vintage snowmobiles that are 50 years old in a crate. It’s not good. Things dry rot. Piston rings seize to cylinder walls, mice eat their way into things and poo everywhere. Bearings set up. So yea I really enjoyed you bringing these bikes back from their tomb. I want to hear them run, not be a wall hanging.
Thanks for the great video. Brings back a lot of great memories of my old friend and I touring all around Texas on our bikes. Joe my friend had a 1967 750 commando and I had a 1967 650 BSA lighting. We turn some heads when we crank them up at the same time. I will never forget the sweet sound of those twin cyl engines. Those were the days of real freedom.
Even though i'm English and an ex-biker in my mid 50s,i've never really been a fan of British bikes but i would give an arm and a leg to have this.There's a famous place called 'Box-Hill' here in Surrey where all the bikers meet every Sunday.That Commando would turn some heads to say the least
LOL another Brit here from Staffordshire and bikers gather every Sunday through the summer time at a place called Matlock, a small town in the Peak District which gets packed with bikes of all sorts. Even Police bikers turn up!
You would have been a fanhad you been riding in the days when british bikes were the best , your not a fan because your from the era where the British areor were no longer building great bikes n the number that they used to .
Haven't been to Box Hill for years, used to be all the jap bikes met down the bottom and the old iron met at the top. It got a bit ruined when a reporter wrote a stupid item on it titled "the rocker Box where the bikers roar" and idiots started coming, it got too big and the council made a dedicated big park designed to halve our numbers. I remember Phil Read used to turn up, often on an MV Augusta. Before it got silly used to be just two bike cops, we called Pinky & Perky, who were ok..."I see you got no tax disc, come back next week with one and I'll forget your number plate".
In the U.K. Norton’s are legend. They have an amazing history you need to read up. You have a classic beast to be proud of. I had no doubt she would start. The engines were tank like in their reliability.
Very beautiful bike, and will last forever with the amount of engineering that went into those bikes, the way it was crated alone shows how the British build with care and attention.
@@johndoe-lo1yx Ultimately it was the Japanese brands that caused the demise very much like many car brands including giving the American brands a kick up it's Rs. They were cheaper and more reliable. As for unreliable British motorcycles, they were being designed and built on a mass scale since the twenties through to the eighties and fetch enormous prices so you really are talking out of the end of what should be sat on a lavatory.
@@QuoPaperPlaneBuilt on a mass scale......and fetch enormous prices.... could it be that the vast majority of those unreliable bike were just scrapped?
@@simonpaine2347 I don't see any Japanese motorcycles from yesteryear on the roads but I don't assume they were junk! Why quote 'on a mass scale' and 'enormous ' prices' ? They're sort after by many enthusiasts as there are plenty than haven't been scrapped but let's assume you're not the youtube expert, shall we? What brand/make of any vehicle where the majority that were made are are still on the road? Stone me!
@@QuoPaperPlane You're right, I'm no expert, just giving my opinion, but why you so angry? Did you miss your meds? A change in diet can make significant changes to your mood. Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki are still in business because they make durable, reliable products. British manufacturers of any bikes or cars, not so much.
I am 56 years old...when I was a kid, there was a sign artist across from his butcher shop. Jack was old school, fun to watch him letter signs, he even fixed neon signs... Jack had two Norton motorcycles...both Commandos (750 & 850) he goldleafed the tanks and side covers...the 850 had a supercharger that ate the belts... Jack never wore a helmet, just a British driving cap...this proved useless when a gal pulled out in front of him...thanks for the memories, he was a great guy to a kid
As a brit who bought a brand new Interstate 850 (silver tank) in 1975 I found this video amazing. My word of warning, watch out for the isolastic suspension.
And everything else either braking down or falling off. Like any British motorcycle of that era. Sorry but when I see all this excitement which were pretty awful, really, *And* horribly made, it just comes out of me. At least the Japanese were very well made, and the Ducatis very nice to ride.
@@semilog643 I know. The point with such bikes is to ride them, think of a supposedly wonderful past, and ignore all of their blatantly obvious problems. But at some point reason has to enter the equation. That's why what I ride is a 2008 CB1300, a yesterday throwback, without any of yesterday's drawbacks (Quote from J. Clackson, when he was reviewing the Weissman convertible).
I bought a brand new '75 850 Roadster in June of '76 from a dealer. It was exactly the same bike you have here. Over the years, I've had 7 other Nortons but have had to sell all of them due to financial difficulties. I just bought my 9th Norton 4 months ago and I'll never be without a Norton again. I love riding them. Okay, they're not as fast as todays bikes and you do need to fiddle with them occasionally, but they are very fun to ride. And that is what riding is all about. FUN! Note: The "bad" part in the motor was the main bearings, primarily in the '72 Combat motor. The fix is to install "Superblend" bearings. However, the '75 came with Superblend bearings, so no worries. There was another "faulty" part in the transmission that should be replaced also. In stock form there was a "ball" bearning on the end of the lay shaft and should be replaced with a "roller" bearing. The '75 was the slowest of the Commandos as the factory de-tuned them slightly to increase reliability. They can be made to go a lot faster with a few after market parts. If you make the trade with Jay Leno, I recommend getting another '75 that has been well sorted and ride it. Really ride it. It will bring a smile to your face every time. You will be amazed how well it corners and tracks.
Gotta add the Borroni Italian high speed aluminum rims with K 81 Dunlop tires! The car coils made it so easy to start, first kick almost every time! Wish l still had it! My Harley is ok I guess, FXRS Lowrider, I would trade it in a second for my old Norton. Only paid $1,000 back in 1975!
The Norton "Commander" was a rotary-engined bike built in the late 70s to early 80s. I had several Commando's. Including a 75 850 Mk III (mine was red), a 73 750 MkII, and a chopped 70 750. I also owned and rode a 68 Norton P11A 750 and a 65 Norton Atlas. I loved all my Nortons, and they are still my favorite brand of bikes. Thanks for this, it made my day.
I bought a new 1975 Norton 850 Commando when I was 22 years old. It was the most fun motorcycle I owned. The thin tires and wonderful balance the Norton had made it the best mountaineering bike available in 1975. I loved that bike. They look a bit boxy now days, but it's a great riding machine. It did have a box of cat litter under it on the showroom floor. It leaked oil until I had it rebuilt 9 years later. Leaking oil is a special feature Norton built in. So glad I found this video. Scrape the pegs, this bike loves it!
One more thing - while originality is key to a bike's ultimate value - the petcocks that came on the Commando do not handle fuel with Ethanol well, they will degrade quickly leading to fuel leaks. Andover Norton (the original and still Norton parts supplier) sells Ethanol safe petcocks you can install on the bike.
The original 850 Mk3 fuel taps/petcocks had a nylon spindle/cone that didn't handle anything well and usually broke at the lever after not a lot of use.
@@Simulera I used Royal Purple HPS Street Synthetic Motor Oil 20W50 in my Mk III. It was rated very highly by the NOC in the UK when they did a very thorough oil analysis for use in Nortons.
Beautiful bike. British bikes of that era are definitely my favorite. They are so beautiful. It's a terrible shame that lovely Norton has been sat unused so long. Bikes should definitely be ridden
The mandated left hand shift started in 1975. According to "The Comprehensive Vintage Motorcycle Price Guide" a 1975 Norton in "very good" to "excellent" condition average price is $9,000 to $12,000. They were made up until 1977. Definitely one of my dream bikes. That it's still in the box is very cool, but doesn't effect price that much, other than weathering. Bikes are meant to be ridden. That poor thing has been cooped up for far too long. Great that you're getting it back on the road.
Awesome work guys. As a 17 year old I worked my Willie's off, traded Thunderbolt towards a 1969 Commando 'S'. 2,700$ comes to mind. Was stolen, breaking my heart. But many bikes later absolutely nothing was a sweet as that ride.
I had the privilege to see the company's collection storage. Dozens of models of bikes they built throughout the history. From very early types to modern superbikes. Cool stuff.
When I was in the AF my buddy and I both bought new black 1975 Norton Commandos 850 cc V-twins. The electric start would sometimes start the bike, but it was a great kick-start assist. They handled like a 350cc bike of that time. The gold letters on the black tank looked wonderful. The Honda Goldwing 4 cylinder had more power, but on a twisty road, you would leave them in the rearview mirror. Compared to Harleys they were much quicker and handled better, but being cool is what a Harley is all about. I also had a canary yellow 1971 Norton 750 which was so much fun. Enjoy your bike.
I knew instantly the bike would kick over at 24:51 because the rear wheel was already spinned when you were messing with the clutch. Phenomenal craftsmanship from the decades old brits.
No, you're wrong. Japanese bikes gained popularity as they were better and reliable. The story at the time was anyone with a British bike had to leave cardboard under the engine to catch the oil. I'm sure it's an exaggeration but there's truth to it. It was the vibration. But the 850 Commando was the polices bike back then. But that was prob a political decision in that they "bought British". After the Commando they bought BMWs as there was no Brit motorcycle industry by then. But don't drink the koolaid. 🙂
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc Historically it was Honda which entered the UK with bikes which were cheaper and with favorable purchase terms. Once they had taken over the bread and butter market up went the prices. There were plenty of British manufacturers at the time catering for different markets.
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc I was brought up on British bikes, I stopped riding bikes when I was 21 years old (1965), then I bought a Yamaha XT 350 trail bike when I was 50. Put the bike in the garage and found an old tray to catch the oil from the engine/gearbox, all my British bikes had leaked oil. After a few weeks and no oil stains I asked some people at work and they said, Japanese bikes just don't leak oil, why did British bikes leak then??? I was soon so impressed with the XT and I started my trail riding career down here in South Wales, UK. I'm not sure it was just the vibration though on British bikes, castings on the XT were far superior to any on any British I'd ever had. Great days trail riding down here in South Wales, pity about the Countryside Rights of Way act 2000.
Wooh! There are a few British watching your channel you know! You seem to love bashing us, but it got me thinking, what's the quality of your engineering? , and what exquisite machinery are you renowned for? The Rolls Royce of earlier years, the Spitfire, basically the start of the industrial revolution, oh and basically the birth of the USA! Now we have our views of you folk over their, but with our good old fashioned sensibilities and manners we'll keep them to ourselves......... and do exactly the same as you and say it behind your backs 😂
Great stuff, I had a 73 Norton 850 Commando for over 25 years. It was great when it ran right. It taught me a lot about mechanics and road side repairs.
I'd love to return to my roots, old Triumphs. But I don't want a another hobby, wrenching. Diagnosing bike problems taught me a lot in the past however.
@@Spartansrule118 My father's cousin had a Norton. His ran well until it was wrecked. That cousin would probably be diagnosed as autistic today, though. Appeared to have little going on upstairs unless asked about motorcycles, whereupon he would be able to recite obscure details about vintage bikes few people even remembered had been made. He was generally brilliant at interacting with machinery, no good at all with people. If you need to be a savant to keep it running, beautiful though it may be, I think I'm OK with not having a Commando.
Right out of high school, I bought a new orange 1974 Norton. It will always be my favorite bike. I've had Harleys ever since, but none of them were as fun to ride as my Norton.
Same my dad had one, he usually buys 60s/70s triumphs and 60s/70s hondas, but this bike was special. Sadly he sold it, but he did buy a really nice Triumph to replace it, it was a project tiger he did really good job restoring it.
Great unboxing. I had a '71, 750 in the early '80's. That bike always got a lot of looks everywhere it went even then. It was also a lot of fun being very light and nimble. Just riding around or at idle it was fairly quiet. It just growled when opened up. Thanks for the fun memories!
You scored a nice find!The 1975 Norton has an electronic 'assist'.It is not a starter as you will find out.When it is real cold or hot you have to kick to help it start. Anything else,just ask.
Collectible vehicles are not the same as collectible toys, action figures, comic books etc. Vehicles have material that will rot if left in its original packaging. You'reabsolutely right for opening and giving these things what they deserve! Also, I never knew Jay Leno shouted you out, that's awesome!
What you don't know is those rough surface sand castings were more cooling efficient due to an increased surface area . So they don't bother to polish them smooth . I thought it was Norton Commando 850 . I had that motor in a dirt track side car many moons ago . Twin Amal fuely carbs running Shell A racing fuel and 12 to 1 compression . You could not kick start it , it could break your leg . We had to push start each time .
Thank you for knowing something about these bikes...it was painful to hear this guy go on about stuff he knows nothing about...Gee, why are the cylinders so smooth? Could it be cast iron vs. sand-cast aluminum? etc and so on...and Lockheed....the brakes must have come of a jet plane!
During our late teens, early twenties, in the late 1970s, my best mate had a Norton Commando 850 Interstate and I had a BMR R90S. He put VERY LOUD megaphone silencers on his Norton and I put VERY BRIGHT twin spotlights on the crash-bars of my BM. I can tell you that peoples' heads were definitely turning as we rode through the small villages around Leeds in Yorkshire, England. Happy days! 🙂 BTW, the Norton parts shop on Hunslet Road in Leeds is still open, so if you're stuck for spare parts for your Norton, check them out. They're called Startright Motorcycles.
I bought a new 850 Commando Mk 2a (the last version before the electric start model you have there), here in the UK in 1974, when I was 19. It was a lovely bike, so smooth with the Isolastic rubber mounts on the engine, and so much torque, but it used to break and unscrew bits of itself all the time, and I parted company with it after a couple of years. Despite that, I would love to have one now, but they are so expensive, and my Triumph 750 Bonneville, which I've had for 30 years now, is much better value for money, and more reliable. I was amazed at how easily it started, especially as I didn't see you "tickling" the carbs first (usually essential for a cold start on those Amal mk 1s). Kickstarting was never easy with those, and you had to practise a bit to get the right technique to start it first kick. This stirred up a lot of nostalgia for me.
@@rogerdodrill4733 not sure if you misunderstood what I meant by tickling - it's a process of using a plunger on the carb to hold down the float and allow extra fuel to flood it to give an extra rich mixture for cold starting. Even in hot weather, it's usually necessary for a cold start.
I have a close friend that has been repairing and restoring old British bikes, for around fifty years. Saw quite a few old Norton's at his shop. Very cool bikes. Yours has a great story along with the coolness factor.
OK I'm a 65+ y/o British guy and old biker. Before watching this video I'm going to tell everyone interested about the bike. It's a legendary problem child of the now defunct British bike industry. I love it, quirks, oil leaks and all. I'd have one today if I could.
I have a 1975 e-Start I purchased with 3800 origonal miles. It runs like a clock and I always consider that the main idea was that it was a electric "assist" with the kick start. Great u-tube guys!
Oh boy. Without doubt my favourite motorcycle of all time, and still in the box. The Norton 850 Commando. I remember when the police here in the UK used to ride them. Magnificent machine.
Yeah! Now I remember. I had Triumphs (Trophy 250, 650 Thunderbird, 750 Bonneville) and Lambrettas. The cops in cars were w_nk__s when I rode the scooters. I reckon they they were x-rockers from the 50/60s who hated scooterists. The amount of tickets I got I couldn't count . . .
Me too. The world is crazy but these guys are just doin their thing and navigating the crazy and taking us all along for the ride. Christian brothers too. Awesome.
@@valiant7357 Me three. I've appointed myself a Deputy Sherf. Mind you, in my culture the most infamous one was the Sherf of Nottingham. He probably road a Matchless.
Superb, as a child growing up in the UK these were a common sight on the roads, not to mention they were used by almost all the police forces. Norton was not only powerful for it's time, it was famous for the 'norton featherbed frame'. Great post, and I really hope Jay buys it and then I can watch that too.
I bought a brand new Norton Command Mk3 in 1978 for £1465. Registration number GFR 988S. I wish I still had it. I'm surprised the tyres weren't perished after so long in a crate. The exhausts supplied with your bike were the same as mine. They were designed to reduce exhaust noise but were very restricting.
Not a motorcycle rider, but love the videos. Always cool seeing something like this being found, like somebody finding a old car with not a lot of miles on it in some garage. 👍
That might be one of the last bikes shipped from the Wolverhampton factory, my father worked there as a research toolmaker until the factory was closed in October 1975. My father and his colleagues built these bikes to be ridden, not to sit in museums (or worse still in their original packaging), I am happy to reassure you that he would have been delighted that you are doing this.
My last name is Norton and I have always loved their bikes. I grew up in England in the 70’s and remember the 850 police bikes. Have wanted to find one for years. If you get a chance, arrange a trip to their new factory in England. They are building some amazing new bikes.
i guess there is an arguement that it was worth more in the crate.....lets face it that was a very unusual find and i am a bike collector.......would i take it out of the crate...yes...should i take it out of the crate..no
When I was in London in 1976 with my Triumph Twin 650 T 120 we visited a motorcycle store. Norton had gone bust in 1974 and gradually the rest was sold out. Now I stood in front of such a Norton 850 Commando MK3. The price shocked me. In Germany, the machine had cost over 7000 DM new and here it was now offered for 4000 DM. What a good price. That would be nowadays 2000 EUR for a British motorcycle of the super class in the 70s. Unfortunately I did not have the money to buy it. But I still think of the wonderful new motorcycle today. Sven German: Also ich 1976 in London war mit meiner Triumph Twin 650 T 120 besuchten wir einen Motorradladen. Norton war 1974 pleite gegangen und allmählich wurde der Rest ausverkauft. Nun stand ich vor so einer Norton 850 Commando MK3. Der Preis schockte mich. In Deutschland hatte die Maschine neu über 7000 DM gekostet und hier wurde sie nun für 4000 DM angeboten. Was für ein guter Preis. Das wären heutzutage 2000 EUR für ein britisches Motorrad der Superklasse in den 70er Jahren. Leider hatte ich nicht das Geld dafür um sie zu kaufen. Doch ich denke noch heute an das herrliche, neue Motorrad. Sven
Good job, Guys..!! Unpacking and assembling this old gal!! You did real Good!!! Bravo!! When I was in college, I owned a used 1963 BMW R-27 single vertical cylinder one-lunger, 250, with the engine being rubber mounted. It was black of course, with the ugly Earl's front fork, but rode beautifully, and with a mere 18 H P, it even had a side car mount! (Which I never used.... since I don't care for side cars.). The Beast weighed 445 lbs soaking wet. but was a great cruiser between 50-65 mph..... The longest trip I made on it was from Boston's North Shore (Beverly) to Lancaster, PA, in the Summer of 1973..... safely all the way. After restoring it, I sold it for more than three times what I paid for it, since both fenders were badly rusted out, and there were several dents in the gas tank. After painting, I found an older fellow in Essex, MA, who did a great job pin striping it with very exact "white lines..." Seeing you guys enjoying this Norton brings back some great memories. My two buddies at the time, both owned Harley Sprint bikes, one which was a 250 and I believe that the other might have been a 350.... but I'm not sure. As you probably know, The Sprint Series of Harleys were manufactured in Italy......:). Ted Schempp, Nashville. Ride safe...:)
1975 production bikes (so mid 75 model year) were subject to the fed "left shift, right brake" mandate. That "lousy finish" on your aluminum parts is because they were sand cast, not die cast. And yeah, those grinding marks on the fins are from the casting shop apprentice cutting off gates and risers to "remove it from the tree". Those 70s brit bikes are a mix of old production techniques and modern production standards. Great find, and my bet is the "not quite right" performance is due to the somewhat less than stellar brit ignition systems such bikes (and cars) were cursed with. If it has a points iggy, replace the condensers, even unused they go to hell over 50 years
I think the two bags you pulled out are desiccant for moisture. Harley used to put desiccant bags in their boxes before they switched to their new domestic transport system. They may still do it for overseas shipments. They are great to put in gun safes if your in a humid climate.
I drove one of these in 1975! WOW! Can I have it!! Congratulations. My neighbor owned one. Only issue is the brake pedal and shifter are backwards compared to my 1973 Honda. Incredible. They were so powerful. Ride. Ride. Ride.
A lot of people don't know that most motorcycles of that area require leaded fuel. The valves and seats are too soft for unleaded fuels, but you can run a lead substitute that you can buy at the autoparts store. There's several octane boosters that have a lead substitute in them, too.
@Classic Cycle Connection leaded fuel started to be phased out in the us in 1975, but it took a few years for most manufacturers to change their valves and seats. Most of the Japanese bikes had soft valves and seats till 79. Also, the bikes are usually manufactured the year before. so it may not have hardened valvetrain because it was made before the ban. Since it's a UK bike, I am seeing information that the uk allowed leaded fuel up to 1992. It's better to be safe than prematurely wear out the valves and seats.
Had a friend who bought a new Commando in 1972. There was enough engine vibration that it didn’t take long for the very cool low exhaust pipes to break near where they connected to the exhaust manifold. Warranty replacements broke the same way.
I've got a soft spot for Norton (or any other British and British style bikes) I'm glad you guys are getting these old bikes and actually giving them a chance to see the glory that they should get! Also on the topic of Norton, I'm really hoping that their new bike is gonna be worth it, and if it is, that it comes Stateside.
@Retired Bore Very true. But even if it's not truly Norton, as long as the bike is actually good, I'm ok with that. BTW, I'm actually kinda happy to say that I'm an Enfield owner. Love the Continental GT 650
I’m an English biker. Thank goodness you saved the 850. What a waste in a box. The Commando 750 was the first with kick start and she was a difficult bike to kick. The 850 had the electric start because they were losing sales due to the hard kick. You won’t beat a Norton
secretspy... me too..ex London courier from mid 70's to 2009...I still ride small bikes...I'm glad these 2 saved it...I only wish it was back here...and i was rich enough to afford it...also I've read many comments..none have mentioned the Isolastic frame mounts...rubber blocks to reduce vibration...I never heard of a Commando without them
My brother had a Norton 850 Commando 1975. When I came back from overseas it was the first bike I got to ride. I had spent the previous 4 years on Guam. I think it was 4 miles wide and 7 miles long. I had a Suzuki 400 which I thought was pretty hot at the time. My first trip on the commando was about 225 miles. I did most of it nonstop and decided to get gas. I had been so unused to long rides that when I pulled up to the gas pump, I forgot to put my feet down. LOL hilarious
My dad had a commando. His was a kick start and said if you were to own a bike like that you have to be married it. They were temperamental, hated heat soaking , but if you had it running RIGHT for the increments of times where it would run good. Those things are a blast. My pops just did some porting and a higher comp piston and valvework. I guess STOCK there's alot of unused potential. Even then idc if it's an electric start. It's still just so gorgeous
My first wife left me in 1975 after 2 yrs married... She came downstairs at 2am to find me cleaning and polishing my Commando MkIIa 850 Interstate in the living room... She commented that "You love that bike more than me!" ... I apparently took a bit too long to reply, as the next day - returning home from work - all her stuff had gone! I had many enjoyable adventures on that bike! 😂😂😂 (At 69yrs old I currently ride a cb1300, a cbr750f Hurricane, and a handbuilt chopper with a cbx750f engine) 😁
Loved, friggin loved this episode. I was a Yamaha/BSA guy in the 70s but I had two pals who were Norton guys and it brought back great memories as they have passed on now. I'am a lucky guy to still be around and riding. Cheers 🇨🇦
nortons build quality hasnt really improved over the last 50 years, theyre still pretty rugged looking. i can respect the fact that they kept their old style though. its always nice to see a company that doesnt "update" the style of their bikes and they still sell the commando today.
That’s unbelievable 😍 my dad bought an ex police Norton commando in the 70’s and turned it into a chopper and he’s owned it ever since. After 20 years of it sitting in the garage he’s planning on reviving it as a flat-tracker 🤌🏻
Sean you have entered in a respecticle world of Snorton Nortons. I owned a 1973 Norton 750 Commando kick start. Anyone who knew bikes, it was a cult bike comming from England, BSA,Triumph was the faster record bike in mph. IT's great it gets mentioned in all 52 black vincent songs. Jay Leno owns one. I just turned 70 years old, but right after the movie EZ Rider, I chopped my norton, hard tail twisted steel chrome struts, 6 bend z bars,killer king and queen seat, strait bologa plpes, side eagle tail light and custom paint job of the Leslie West Mountain climibing album, ilived and loved the 70's best music. I love your Bikes and Beards , been following a long time.I retired from life long Maine, now retired in Tucson, riding Kawa Concours 1400 abs that eats the miles out here. Stay cool man Tucson Tim
Fantastic video guys. This bike would have made me a great high school graduation present in 1975. I remember shopping for a new bike in 1975 at my local Harley Davidson dealer when they were AMF bikes. Now those should have been left in the crates.
Awesome find guys. But, we all know that Sean was just pretending to clean up the bike at the end and then Craig came in off camera to do the actual work. Lol 😆
New to watching this channel and love it, just letting TH-cam autoplay your videos and come across this absolute gem. My grandpa used to race motorcycles back in the 70’s and early 80’s. At one point he raced a Norton commando. The story he told me was that he was waiting for his order of his Norton Commando 850. But as an engineer who built his own race bikes he got impatient and bought a commando 500 and then bored then engine up as much as he could. Never ended up racing his 850
My friend daily drives his 1970's Norton Commando 850. This bike is made of quality materials which are not available in modern bikes. The steel frame is made of a steel you will not find in modern times. This is a fantastic find. Properly serviced this bike will go for ever!
PLEASE for the love of God, SCAN and upload that manual to the internet. As an owner of an older/rare bike, finding a manual was such a struggle. There are so many project builders out there who could benefit from that manual that may be extremely had to get ahold of
dont say the lords name in vein :)
i agree
@@sketchwizard08
Vain not vein
@@vertmicko4763 idk how to spell bruh 😭🙏
@@sketchwizard08
Thats ok, mate.
l'm not very good at Maths.
Good idea
Hey man, bikes are meant to be ridden. I hate seeing bikes rotting away not living their purpose. Keep saving em. You guys rock.
thanks
@@BikesandBeards thats an awesome bike. Keep up the great work, love how positive all your content is.
Aymen to that, my old man rides a 1928 Norton almost daily so it can be seen and used. No one gets to appreciate a garage queen.
Agreed, the only thing worse than a bike not ridden, is a bike never seen.
Let Jay put the miles on it.
As a life long biker, born in UK 1960, I can assure you this is a piece of motorcycling history. As a kid of 15, seeing this on the road was something special. For the price you couldn't go wrong. Great video guys !!
i had a 750 comando in the 70s as daily transport , (no car ) yes just walk away from it.
@@nickbrowning6652 Happy and sad to hear. Happy you had a Badass Bike! Sad it was a Norton! Not the most reliable bike,but so kickass!
Norton Rules.
@@keithhampton9700 But the only thing from anywhere than jap, that could win over them on tracks back then, it was claimed. HP isn't everything.
I used to own and ride similar model of bike back in the late 70’s here in the U.K. It didn’t have the electric start. You really had to jump on the kick start to turn it over and for someone who only weighed 12 stones (168lbs) I really had to jump.
I'm from The UK, and in around 1986 I worked for a company that made the exhaust pipes for Norton. I was surprised to find out that out of each batch of pipes, some would be stamped with the Norton logo and some were not. The ones with the stamp went to Norton and the ones left blank were sold as cheaper non original parts. But they were made in the same place and identical in every way.
I always wondered about things like that. …..:-)
I can't say for other manufacturers, but I know for sure if you have a had a Norton Commando back then you were wasting your money buying an "Norton" part. Unless you really really want the Norton stamp for authenticity/@@sbrunner69
Stop fooling around and open the damned box, JESUS!
I found the best old school motorcycle story' teller.
Bag of moisture free pellets
I bought a 1975 Norton Commando (black) brand new, a beautiful motorcycle and rode that bike all over Texas. The bike felt alive with every thump of the motor and every shake of the bike a true classic.
I had one too. Bought it for myself as a graduation present from college. Still have the owners manual.
@@rogerjohnson8707 there is a guy asking for a copy of that owners manual up in the comments. @kg_canuck is his namething.
As a biker and British I applaud and respect you for what you did. It shouldn't be left in a crate to gather dust for time in memorial, it should be used for what it's creator intended. Too many good bikes are squirreled away in "private " collections or museums stood dormant for all too long. keep unboxing them and giving them a life they deserve. Good man.
A Britain
@@flynick😂😂😂
Except it all went out the window when he offered to trade a Norton for a Honda....
@@osric1730can't blame him for wanting something reliable
Hey Richard. As I recall we didn't have unleaded fuel in the UK until early to mid eighties. Did they just put unleaded fuel in an engine that's not unleaded ready or compatible?
OMG I thought I’d never see another Norton in my life. My first motorcycle was a 1974 Blue Norton 850 Commando. I loved that bike! It was stolen off my side carport the night my first love and I broke up. It was like I lost the love of my life twice in less than 24 hours. This episode sure has brought back some fond memories. Glad you spent the money. Listening to it run really brought it back. Thanks for the memories!
I'm an old Norton rider from Way back. First was (2) 650 Triumphs, then my '73 850 Commando. I restored (2) '75 MK3 850s. After my neck surgeries, I had to quit riding and sell everything. Too sad.
Coincidence? Hell hath no fury.
Bet she is still riding round on it! Second Hell have no fury …………
@Jon Tibbatts Plot twist: Some kid he bullied in the 3rd grade, went to the gym, and got his revenge by stealing his girl and his bike on the same day. Best served cold.
Double heartbreak! That’s terrible. Is it ok to ask after all these years, which you miss the most? 😉
Awesome. I owned three Norton's and worked on them for years. You needed three sets of tools, SAE, Metric, and British Whitworth. Use the wrong tool and tears would flow. Never had the electric start or Disk brakes. People bought the Honda 750-4 because of four cylinders but I could still spank them on the Norton. Loved the sound of the Dunstall pipes. Thanks for showing this. It brought back many memories. Made me think of Barney Tillman again.
so true
Me and my dad had always planned to build a bike when I got back from the war. Unfortunately, the rotation kept coming until I was injured in a combat jump and when I was healing after retirement, we found out that he had very aggressive cancer and couldn't finish the fight the way I wanted. Don't feel bad, he's pain free, racing the hills of Heaven and I'm fortunate to have been his son. Thank you guys for sharing this, he would have loved it as much as I do! Godspeed brothers.
Sua Sponte
Judgement day has not happened yet, so NO ONE is in heaven at present.
@@garyfardon8841
Even worse there has never been a demonstration of a heaven (or hells existence for that matter )to warrant Belief
That was and still is my dream bike…….I’ve been riding 55 years and this bike in its time looked like pure muscle.. what a beauty.
Dear Lord, why...
@@robspear03 Because harleys look like golf buggies
Put those restrictive mufflers in storage, they might be rare as hens teeth but the weight added to the poor exhaust flow are going to give the 850 very little horsepower. Buy a set of dunstall mufflers, rejet the carbs, put the factory airbox in storage (I suggest besides the mufflers) and install a pair of K&N filters. This should give approximately similar power rating to an earlier model. I purchased a 1975 T160 Trident new from a local Triumph dealer in 1975, couldn't believe how sluggish the bike performed, did the above modifications and the bike came to life.
Put. The. Original. Muffels (what is that?). On. The. Bike. What is wrong with Americans? Always taking the great parts of, replacing them for stupid after market junk. Do not do that!
In 1975, I went to the Norton dealer where I lived and test drove this bike. Wow. I was actually amazed that he let me take it for a ride. So cool.
You are a machine thanks for all you do and appreciate.
As a Brit it's a crying shame what happened to the British bike industry and all the staff who lost their jobs because of lack of foresight and investment to fend off the Japanese dominance.
I hope some of them are still around to see the resurgence of interest in British bikes.
The Japanese used to say you won the war but we won the peace
The Lucas electronics gave Brit anything a bad name here in America.. I have a 1970s jag. It’s a nightmare when she’s grumpy. Lol.
I remember being given a tour of the Lucas offices in Solihull. It all seemed very modern for the time. It was only later that I learned what a mess they had made of their business.
FINALLY!!!! There's a lot of Harley Love on this channel...which is understandable. But I've been waiting for some cool British bikes because, let's face it, Classic British bikes are pretty frickin' cool!
yeah they are
I want a Triumph Bonneville bobber so badly.
My eyes lit up when I saw this. I have an INT650 and hope to get a Triumph
@@BikesandBeards So you've done Triumph, now you've tried a Norton, next....get a BSA. I recommend the A65 Lightning. In 1973 BSA, Triumph and Norton merged. Most of these bikes were made at the BSA factory...even before the merger.
@@BikesandBeards someone using ur name and cheating people. Take action against him, please
These old bike unboxings are my favorite episodes on your channel. When I was a teenager, this was considered the ultimate bike ,and Norton had the best ads in bike mags.
Yes, when I was 15 my friend and I both had small motorcycles and we also spent a lot of time looking at motorcycle magazines and we loved looking at this very Norton 850. It seemed so amazing to us. But I especially remember looking for a long time at the really pretty women who were sitting on those bikes. ( Don't tell my wife about that part.)
True but the bikes were made out of junk let alone all the major flaws.
@David Raye The few flaws it did have (like many other new bikes) were corrected. It didn't win machine of the year for 5 years in row for nothing. Podium finishes at the isle of man TT with lap records, many wins at races around the world. Not bad for a bit of "junk"
The prir 650 Dominator was a far superior bike, especially if you dropped a Thruxton Bonnie engine into the Featherbed frame for a Triton Cafe Racer. There were a lot of those around. Best Wishes. Bob.
They sure did !..awesome ads...
I’m 64 yrs old. In 1975 I worked for a motorcycle dealership in my hometown. I built new bikes from the crate. I built plenty of Nortons.
That really brings back some great memories watching you build that bike.
The guy that I worked for had a Norton still in the crate in his barn later on in life. I wonder if your bike is that bike?
I’d love to hear your story of where that bike came from!
I hate the crowd that let BSA slip into the void!
I'm 61 and worked in Suzuki and Kawasaki shops. Assembled a million from crates too. Often called in at the British bike shop. Triumphs and Norton's are awesome.
I just turned 66, a good friend of mine bought a 73 Norton Commando and took delivery sometime in 74 I believe. I've had an old 650 Atlas, about a 67, 441 Victor, 64 Triumph and currently have a 78 Triumph in my garage, along with a couple Harley's, the Brit bikes are fun to ride.
I worked in the late 70s at the factory that made those brakes (becoming a manager in 1984). Lockheed was made under licence by Automotive Products at its Tachbrook Road, Royal Leamington Spa site (long since knocked down and redeveloped). The only surviving part of that company is AP Racing, whose brakes you will still see today on high end and race vehicles.
Your name is perfect for your role and Britishness
My first motorcycle was a '75 Norton Commando Mk III Roadster. It was black with gold striping just like yours and it also had the interstate pipes. That is a spitting image of mine. I know every inch of that machine. What a treat! I never should have sold it. The torque heading up the canyons of Utah always brought a smile to my face. Well done, gents!
unboxing old crap, why you trashed it ?
@@lucasRem-ku6eb Bad England you talks.
first bike a commando? sheesh.... some people have the luck/money
@@annpeerkat2020 Yep. I was 21 and I paid $2850 for it. 20 years later, when I sold it for $6500, the guy that I sold it to didn't even balk at the price. As he drove it away, I thought, "What did I just do?"😢
Thanks for this vid guys ... In my 50 years as a motorcycle mechanic, I unboxed hundreds of bikes. So wish i could do it one more time for myself, but sadly that will not ever happen. BTW the bag of "stuff" in there is Silica Gel and is deigned to absorb water to stop corrosion in transit/storage. Looks like it worked, another great Commando saved 😁
Who's going to perform warranty work and recalls without the dealer network?
Bikes & Beards gift this man a motorcycle to let him unbox it!
@@memewizard8372Are you serious? Sounds like you need to stick to new bikes
@@JesusLives889 And you need insight into how manufacturers perform recalls and warranty work, even on 20 year old vehicles that come in for service at an authorized dealer.
@@memewizard8372 Oh really? I have been working on antique automobiles and motorcycles since the 1970s. I have never needed anything besides the factory shop manuals and proper tools. I love how you condescend the very ones you would actually need to keep your dreams alive. Brilliant 👏
In 1975 I was 9 and my father's friend bought that exact bike in Pomona California and I asked if he could give me a ride and my dad yes he always said No to every thing. Man we hit the fast lane on the Pomona freeway and I was hooked big time best day of my childhood I was so in love I touched the beautiful exhaust when we got back and fried my hand true love for bikes thanks for sharing 👍God bless from Mt Dora Fla.
British aluminum castings were purposely made with a rougher than average surface finish, this was to facilitate cooling by providing a greater surface area. Many people have polished the cases, and heads only to discover that they would overheat far more easily. A great video, enjoyed it immensely. (You know why The Brits drink cellar temp Beer? they all have Lucas Refrigerators..)
Yeah, I was thinking exactly the same thing when he was remarking about the rough castings.
100%
That doesn’t explain the rough yokes.
No. That was simply the best finish possible at the time for the right price.
@@paultinwell5557, back atcha with my ‘NO’.
I worked at a GM Pontiac dealership in the 70's and one of the mechanics brought in this exact same bike, but it had a bent fork. He fixed it, but had to sell it because he had bills. It circulated through about 7 people at the dealership- other mechanics, (me a 25 year old and I LOVED that bike), and the parts manager (who was my Dad and was 55) before it finally was sold to someone somewhere. We all regretted our decision to sell. NEAT little nuances was the owners manual said to "Kick start it while USING the electric starter to make it easier on the starter and possibly save it for longevity. The other was the fact that it had a 2 prong plug in (the FIRST EVER?) so gentlemen could plug in their electric shaver. What a feature! And yes I miss it and wish I still had it as it did it all very gracefully!!!
Schrodinger's bike: If you put a bike in a box and seal it, it's not alive until you open it and ride it!
Thank you for bringing some true value and joy to this bike and sharing the experience.
My uncle Mike had one of these, brand new, back in ‘76. I remember riding on the back at 80 mph early in the morning on the way to breakfast. He only let me take it out once. I was 13 and I rode it to town, felt like a man. I loved it.
80 mph? Sounds like 2nd gear.
@@PaulHarris-sl1ct 3rd. Just not wide open.
In 75, I was in high school and worked at Yamaha East in Portland Oregon, they sponsored Rick Burgett and Chuck Sun, btw. They sold BSA and Nortons, my first job every morning was to wipe up the leaked oil from the brand new British bikes. Good times
Ive never had a British vehicle that hasn't leaked and honestly its just the shitty seals, but id never not own something British because they run so well and have such character.
This Norton is an absolute classic, and not only has this one never been fully assembled, but it's never been ridden, never been fired up, never enjoyed. Enjoy this thing bud. I just started the unboxing part, but I know that you will enjoy it. It's part of the Ton Up club!
Edit: I just wanted to say that I am absolutely in support of the unboxing of this beauty. It didn't just make for incredible content, it made for an incredible unveiling of a piece of history.
First thing I'd do with that is put a solid-state ignition on it. That gets rid of nearly all the problems with these Nortons. They were excellent bikes, unfortunately for Norton a little too little too late.
100% meant to be ridden! Completely agree it's sad to see these beautiful bikes rotting away in the dark. Not to mention the stupid mice. You guys do these things that many of us will never be able to! Keep the videos coming!
A german TH-camr (Andis Funktionspunk) just recently bought a Norton Commando with accidental damage and rebuilt it. The new, black painted Tank with all the trims and Logos came around 200 Euro, shipping from India included. So, unfortunately it's not worth 5000 bucks. Keep up the good work.
Here is why it was running rough:
1) May not have oil in the gearbox
2) May not have oil in the primary case
3) May not have lubricated the secondary (final drive) chain
4) The contact breaker points need dressing. After 48 years (even 1 or 2 years of winter sitting) they corrode. Don’t overdo or you will affect the timing.
5) The carb float levels may be off, a friend bought a new Commando in 1974 and he found that the float level in one of the carbs was way low
6) You may have been running it on ethanol / low octane gasoline, use non-ethanol in the highest possible octane rating, add lead substitute.
7) I don’t think there were mice but check inside the air filter for a possible nest.
P.S.: There are two fuel taps (petcocks) one is MAIN and the other RESERVE, stock were crap, replace with modern ethanol resistant ones. To start, tickle the carbs first. (Also use choke in cool or cold temps). AMAL is short for “Amalgamated” and so should be pronounced that way but many say “A-mal” as in “anus”. I expect this makes people who worked for that company cringe. You can buy modern superior direct replacements.. Replace stock starter motor with better one (usually done). Replace points with electronic ignition and replace old rectifier and zenor diode with solid state. (Not needed if bike is not ridden a lot). Add zinc to the engine oil. Ensure there is oil in the forks, dunno if came from factory with oil in forks. The bottom end and gearbox problems were resolved by 1973.
WZ
Do you have your wallet you had your phone it’s not right lol OK, so why are you here if I listenijjjjnnjiiiip
It'd be wild if they didn't check any of that. You'd think if you had the money to buy an untouched British classic, you'd have enough sense to know what to check on it. May have and not thrown it in the video, but who knows. These old British machines run great with a little bit of attention every now and then.
Nah, there's only one reason: made in England.
@@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040 Copium.
@@PushrodMutant
48 year old oil is cool ain’t it?
Craigs face when the engine started was priceless. He looked like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and he knows what’s comin’😂
Yep, he looked like the little kid who got caught doing something his dad told him not to do.
My dad had that exact bike. It kicked like a mule
Every Norton rider gets that look if it starts.😁
My thoughts exactly. Put a smile on my face after a rough week at work. Thanks guys for the great content.
If a Norton is tuned at all,tickle the carbs and it should start first or second kick.
The Norton Commando was a fabulous machine, not without mechanical Issues but a good one was an absolute joy to ride. Loads of character, tons of torque from that muscular vertical twin engine and pretty vibration free compared to other British twins. Out of interest the Norton Commando was voted machine of the year in the UK for 5 consecutive years - 1968 to 1972. You’ve got a real chunk of British history there.
Any chance Norton had organised the poll? 🙂
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc any chance you are a f'wit?
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc The popular bike publication Motorcycle News annually asked readers to vote for their machine of the year - they could have chosen any bike available at the time.
@@TeddyBear-ii4ycI could see that.
@@robspear03 It's only since twitter that some people think everything is fake lol
Cool vid! I’m no bike expert but I’ve seen what happened to vintage snowmobiles that are 50 years old in a crate. It’s not good. Things dry rot. Piston rings seize to cylinder walls, mice eat their way into things and poo everywhere. Bearings set up. So yea I really enjoyed you bringing these bikes back from their tomb. I want to hear them run, not be a wall hanging.
Thanks for the great video. Brings back a lot of great memories of my old friend and I touring all around Texas on our bikes. Joe my friend had a 1967 750 commando and I had a 1967 650 BSA lighting. We turn some heads when we crank them up at the same time. I will never forget the sweet sound of those twin cyl engines. Those were the days of real freedom.
Even though i'm English and an ex-biker in my mid 50s,i've never really been a fan of British bikes but i would give an arm and a leg to have this.There's a famous place called 'Box-Hill' here in Surrey where all the bikers meet every Sunday.That Commando would turn some heads to say the least
LOL another Brit here from Staffordshire and bikers gather every Sunday through the summer time at a place called Matlock, a small town in the Peak District which gets packed with bikes of all sorts. Even Police bikers turn up!
You would have been a fanhad you been riding in the days when british bikes were the best , your not a fan because your from the era where the British areor were no longer building great bikes n the number that they used to .
Don't know if they still meet there but in the 1950s/60s we met at the Saltbox café at Box Hill. Maybe it doesn't exist nowadays.
You're far too young to appreciate how great British bikes were.
Haven't been to Box Hill for years, used to be all the jap bikes met down the bottom and the old iron met at the top. It got a bit ruined when a reporter wrote a stupid item on it titled "the rocker Box where the bikers roar" and idiots started coming, it got too big and the council made a dedicated big park designed to halve our numbers. I remember Phil Read used to turn up, often on an MV Augusta. Before it got silly used to be just two bike cops, we called Pinky & Perky, who were ok..."I see you got no tax disc, come back next week with one and I'll forget your number plate".
In the U.K. Norton’s are legend. They have an amazing history you need to read up. You have a classic beast to be proud of. I had no doubt she would start. The engines were tank like in their reliability.
Very beautiful bike, and will last forever with the amount of engineering that went into those bikes, the way it was crated alone shows how the British build with care and attention.
commandos were awful unreliable vibratory rubbish, like most other British motorcycle products, there is a reason all those companies went bust
@@johndoe-lo1yx Ultimately it was the Japanese brands that caused the demise very much like many car brands including giving the American brands a kick up it's Rs. They were cheaper and more reliable. As for unreliable British motorcycles, they were being designed and built on a mass scale since the twenties through to the eighties and fetch enormous prices so you really are talking out of the end of what should be sat on a lavatory.
@@QuoPaperPlaneBuilt on a mass scale......and fetch enormous prices.... could it be that the vast majority of those unreliable bike were just scrapped?
@@simonpaine2347 I don't see any Japanese motorcycles from yesteryear on the roads but I don't assume they were junk! Why quote 'on a mass scale' and 'enormous ' prices' ? They're sort after by many enthusiasts as there are plenty than haven't been scrapped but let's assume you're not the youtube expert, shall we? What brand/make of any vehicle where the majority that were made are are still on the road? Stone me!
@@QuoPaperPlane You're right, I'm no expert, just giving my opinion, but why you so angry? Did you miss your meds? A change in diet can make significant changes to your mood.
Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki are still in business because they make durable, reliable products. British manufacturers of any bikes or cars, not so much.
I am 56 years old...when I was a kid, there was a sign artist across from his butcher shop. Jack was old school, fun to watch him letter signs, he even fixed neon signs... Jack had two Norton motorcycles...both Commandos (750 & 850) he goldleafed the tanks and side covers...the 850 had a supercharger that ate the belts... Jack never wore a helmet, just a British driving cap...this proved useless when a gal pulled out in front of him...thanks for the memories, he was a great guy to a kid
Poor jack
@@Aevoguitar He was a neat old guy...kinda looked like Stan Lee...
As a brit who bought a brand new Interstate 850 (silver tank) in 1975 I found this video amazing. My word of warning, watch out for the isolastic suspension.
And everything else either braking down or falling off. Like any British motorcycle of that era. Sorry but when I see all this excitement which were pretty awful, really, *And* horribly made, it just comes out of me. At least the Japanese were very well made, and the Ducatis very nice to ride.
@@nomayor1 ❤ Asian here watching listening and reading comments
@@Fake_Sailor They might as well do.
@@nomayor1 You're not wrong, but you're still missing the point.
@@semilog643 I know. The point with such bikes is to ride them, think of a supposedly wonderful past, and ignore all of their blatantly obvious problems. But at some point reason has to enter the equation. That's why what I ride is a 2008 CB1300, a yesterday throwback, without any of yesterday's drawbacks (Quote from J. Clackson, when he was reviewing the Weissman convertible).
I bought a brand new '75 850 Roadster in June of '76 from a dealer. It was exactly the same bike you have here. Over the years, I've had 7 other Nortons but have had to sell all of them due to financial difficulties. I just bought my 9th Norton 4 months ago and I'll never be without a Norton again. I love riding them. Okay, they're not as fast as todays bikes and you do need to fiddle with them occasionally, but they are very fun to ride. And that is what riding is all about. FUN! Note: The "bad" part in the motor was the main bearings, primarily in the '72 Combat motor. The fix is to install "Superblend" bearings. However, the '75 came with Superblend bearings, so no worries. There was another "faulty" part in the transmission that should be replaced also. In stock form there was a "ball" bearning on the end of the lay shaft and should be replaced with a "roller" bearing. The '75 was the slowest of the Commandos as the factory de-tuned them slightly to increase reliability. They can be made to go a lot faster with a few after market parts.
If you make the trade with Jay Leno, I recommend getting another '75 that has been well sorted and ride it. Really ride it. It will bring a smile to your face every time. You will be amazed how well it corners and tracks.
Gotta add the Borroni Italian high speed aluminum rims with K 81 Dunlop tires! The car coils made it so easy to start, first kick almost every time! Wish l still had it! My Harley is ok I guess, FXRS Lowrider, I would trade it in a second for my old Norton. Only paid $1,000 back in 1975!
I can hear this box's sigh of relief as Craig cuts the packing straps. It has been waiting to be opened for decades, and you guys fulfilled its wish
Yes, it's like Christmas in....whenever.
The Norton "Commander" was a rotary-engined bike built in the late 70s to early 80s. I had several Commando's. Including a 75 850 Mk III (mine was red), a 73 750 MkII, and a chopped 70 750. I also owned and rode a 68 Norton P11A 750 and a 65 Norton Atlas. I loved all my Nortons, and they are still my favorite brand of bikes. Thanks for this, it made my day.
it's my only brand of bike..but there again I'm a tad biased
@@the195111 I would love to have one of the new ones! Norton is still my favorite brand.
What do you mean by “rotary engined” as it obviously is not a rotary engine
@@patpatpat999 it’s also not a Commander, but a Commando. The Commander was indeed a rotary, and extremely rare. Only a few hundred were made.
@@BrianRLange The Norton Commando was an old fav.,then people took bits from a Triumph and a Norton and the hybrid Triton appeared
I bought a new 1975 Norton 850 Commando when I was 22 years old.
It was the most fun motorcycle I owned. The thin tires and wonderful balance the Norton had made it the best mountaineering bike available in 1975. I loved that bike. They look a bit boxy now days, but it's a great riding machine.
It did have a box of cat litter under it on the showroom floor. It leaked oil until I had it rebuilt 9 years later. Leaking oil is a special feature Norton built in.
So glad I found this video.
Scrape the pegs, this bike loves it!
One more thing - while originality is key to a bike's ultimate value - the petcocks that came on the Commando do not handle fuel with Ethanol well, they will degrade quickly leading to fuel leaks. Andover Norton (the original and still Norton parts supplier) sells Ethanol safe petcocks you can install on the bike.
Agreed, the ones on my dads 850 comando literally disintegrated after sitting with gas for a year.
The original 850 Mk3 fuel taps/petcocks had a nylon spindle/cone that didn't handle anything well and usually broke at the lever after not a lot of use.
@@les3066 Another reason to upgrade to the beefier Ethanol-safe version.
Modern oil in these old engines is tricky also
@@Simulera I used Royal Purple HPS Street Synthetic Motor Oil 20W50 in my Mk III. It was rated very highly by the NOC in the UK when they did a very thorough oil analysis for use in Nortons.
Beautiful bike. British bikes of that era are definitely my favorite. They are so beautiful.
It's a terrible shame that lovely Norton has been sat unused so long. Bikes should definitely be ridden
The mandated left hand shift started in 1975. According to "The Comprehensive Vintage Motorcycle Price Guide" a 1975 Norton in "very good" to "excellent" condition average price is $9,000 to $12,000. They were made up until 1977. Definitely one of my dream bikes. That it's still in the box is very cool, but doesn't effect price that much, other than weathering. Bikes are meant to be ridden. That poor thing has been cooped up for far too long. Great that you're getting it back on the road.
Awesome work guys. As a 17 year old I worked my Willie's off, traded Thunderbolt towards a 1969 Commando 'S'. 2,700$ comes to mind. Was stolen, breaking my heart. But many bikes later absolutely nothing was a sweet as that ride.
I had the privilege to see the company's collection storage. Dozens of models of bikes they built throughout the history. From very early types to modern superbikes. Cool stuff.
When I was in the AF my buddy and I both bought new black 1975 Norton Commandos 850 cc V-twins. The electric start would sometimes start the bike, but it was a great kick-start assist. They handled like a 350cc bike of that time. The gold letters on the black tank looked wonderful. The Honda Goldwing 4 cylinder had more power, but on a twisty road, you would leave them in the rearview mirror. Compared to Harleys they were much quicker and handled better, but being cool is what a Harley is all about.
I also had a canary yellow 1971 Norton 750 which was so much fun.
Enjoy your bike.
The Commando engine is NOT a V-twin, it is a parallel sloped twin based on the legendary Combat engine.
@@125brat It's a parallel V-Twin. ;)
I knew instantly the bike would kick over at 24:51 because the rear wheel was already spinned when you were messing with the clutch. Phenomenal craftsmanship from the decades old brits.
No, you're wrong. Japanese bikes gained popularity as they were better and reliable. The story at the time was anyone with a British bike had to leave cardboard under the engine to catch the oil. I'm sure it's an exaggeration but there's truth to it. It was the vibration.
But the 850 Commando was the polices bike back then. But that was prob a political decision in that they "bought British". After the Commando they bought BMWs as there was no Brit motorcycle industry by then.
But don't drink the koolaid. 🙂
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc Historically it was Honda which entered the UK with bikes which were cheaper and with favorable purchase terms. Once they had taken over the bread and butter market up went the prices. There were plenty of British manufacturers at the time catering for different markets.
@@TeddyBear-ii4yc I was brought up on British bikes, I stopped riding bikes when I was 21 years old (1965), then I bought a Yamaha XT 350 trail bike when I was 50. Put the bike in the garage and found an old tray to catch the oil from the engine/gearbox, all my British bikes had leaked oil. After a few weeks and no oil stains I asked some people at work and they said, Japanese bikes just don't leak oil, why did British bikes leak then??? I was soon so impressed with the XT and I started my trail riding career down here in South Wales, UK. I'm not sure it was just the vibration though on British bikes, castings on the XT were far superior to any on any British I'd ever had. Great days trail riding down here in South Wales, pity about the Countryside Rights of Way act 2000.
Wooh! There are a few British watching your channel you know! You seem to love bashing us, but it got me thinking, what's the quality of your engineering? , and what exquisite machinery are you renowned for? The Rolls Royce of earlier years, the Spitfire, basically the start of the industrial revolution, oh and basically the birth of the USA! Now we have our views of you folk over their, but with our good old fashioned sensibilities and manners we'll keep them to ourselves......... and do exactly the same as you and say it behind your backs 😂
Great stuff, I had a 73 Norton 850 Commando for over 25 years. It was great when it ran right. It taught me a lot about mechanics and road side repairs.
how often would it run right though
I remember they spent a lot of time being worked on
I'd love to return to my roots, old Triumphs. But I don't want a another hobby, wrenching. Diagnosing bike problems taught me a lot in the past however.
if you upgraded the ignition and carbs they could be very reliable.
@@Spartansrule118 My father's cousin had a Norton. His ran well until it was wrecked. That cousin would probably be diagnosed as autistic today, though. Appeared to have little going on upstairs unless asked about motorcycles, whereupon he would be able to recite obscure details about vintage bikes few people even remembered had been made. He was generally brilliant at interacting with machinery, no good at all with people. If you need to be a savant to keep it running, beautiful though it may be, I think I'm OK with not having a Commando.
I bought a 1974 850 Norton Commando brand new!! It was a gorgeous metal flake blue. My favorite bike, ever!
Right out of high school, I bought a new orange 1974 Norton. It will always be my favorite bike. I've had Harleys ever since, but none of them were as fun to ride as my Norton.
Same my dad had one, he usually buys 60s/70s triumphs and 60s/70s hondas, but this bike was special. Sadly he sold it, but he did buy a really nice Triumph to replace it, it was a project tiger he did really good job restoring it.
Great unboxing. I had a '71, 750 in the early '80's. That bike always got a lot of looks everywhere it went even then. It was also a lot of fun being very light and nimble. Just riding around or at idle it was fairly quiet. It just growled when opened up. Thanks for the fun memories!
You scored a nice find!The 1975 Norton has an electronic 'assist'.It is not a starter as you will find out.When it is real cold or hot you have to kick to help it start.
Anything else,just ask.
Buddy of mine had one. We called it “The Lizard” because it would only come to life once ya shoved it into the sunlight. Great memories.
Collectible vehicles are not the same as collectible toys, action figures, comic books etc. Vehicles have material that will rot if left in its original packaging. You'reabsolutely right for opening and giving these things what they deserve! Also, I never knew Jay Leno shouted you out, that's awesome!
You got an absolute bargain. Not to mention a British Legend. Worth every penny. Well done guys. Cheers.
What you don't know is those rough surface sand castings were more cooling efficient due to an increased surface area . So they don't bother to polish them smooth . I thought it was Norton Commando 850 . I had that motor in a dirt track side car many moons ago . Twin Amal fuely carbs running Shell A racing fuel and 12 to 1 compression . You could not kick start it , it could break your leg . We had to push start each time .
Thank you for knowing something about these bikes...it was painful to hear this guy go on about stuff he knows nothing about...Gee, why are the cylinders so smooth? Could it be cast iron vs. sand-cast aluminum? etc and so on...and Lockheed....the brakes must have come of a jet plane!
Hi the Netherlands here.
A Norton Commando was my first motorcycle (second hand) back in 76.
I loved that bike
Greetz from Amstedam.
During our late teens, early twenties, in the late 1970s, my best mate had a Norton Commando 850 Interstate and I had a BMR R90S. He put VERY LOUD megaphone silencers on his Norton and I put VERY BRIGHT twin spotlights on the crash-bars of my BM. I can tell you that peoples' heads were definitely turning as we rode through the small villages around Leeds in Yorkshire, England. Happy days! 🙂
BTW, the Norton parts shop on Hunslet Road in Leeds is still open, so if you're stuck for spare parts for your Norton, check them out. They're called Startright Motorcycles.
You’ll remember that then there was great many ‘No bikers allowed’ pubs.
We used to have to go out of the way to find a bike friendly pub….
I bought a new 850 Commando Mk 2a (the last version before the electric start model you have there), here in the UK in 1974, when I was 19. It was a lovely bike, so smooth with the Isolastic rubber mounts on the engine, and so much torque, but it used to break and unscrew bits of itself all the time, and I parted company with it after a couple of years. Despite that, I would love to have one now, but they are so expensive, and my Triumph 750 Bonneville, which I've had for 30 years now, is much better value for money, and more reliable.
I was amazed at how easily it started, especially as I didn't see you "tickling" the carbs first (usually essential for a cold start on those Amal mk 1s). Kickstarting was never easy with those, and you had to practise a bit to get the right technique to start it first kick.
This stirred up a lot of nostalgia for me.
Being in hot Florida, may have had" thick" enough air to fire with closed throttle
@@rogerdodrill4733 not sure if you misunderstood what I meant by tickling - it's a process of using a plunger on the carb to hold down the float and allow extra fuel to flood it to give an extra rich mixture for cold starting. Even in hot weather, it's usually necessary for a cold start.
I have a close friend that has been repairing and restoring old British bikes, for around fifty years. Saw quite a few old Norton's at his shop. Very cool bikes. Yours has a great story along with the coolness factor.
What is the great story?
John - it was sitting in the original shipping crate for the past 48 years even though it was sold numerous times. That’s a story.
OK I'm a 65+ y/o British guy and old biker. Before watching this video I'm going to tell everyone interested about the bike. It's a legendary problem child of the now defunct British bike industry. I love it, quirks, oil leaks and all. I'd have one today if I could.
I have a 1975 e-Start I purchased with 3800 origonal miles. It runs like a clock and I always consider that the main idea was that it was a electric "assist" with the kick start. Great u-tube guys!
Oh boy. Without doubt my favourite motorcycle of all time, and still in the box. The Norton 850 Commando. I remember when the police here in the UK used to ride them. Magnificent machine.
Yeah! Now I remember. I had Triumphs (Trophy 250, 650 Thunderbird, 750 Bonneville) and Lambrettas. The cops in cars were w_nk__s when I rode the scooters. I reckon they they were x-rockers from the 50/60s who hated scooterists. The amount of tickets I got I couldn't count . . .
My favorite TH-cam channel. I genuinely look forward to Sean and Craig’s motorcycle shenanigans
Me too. The world is crazy but these guys are just doin their thing and navigating the crazy and taking us all along for the ride. Christian brothers too. Awesome.
Same.. addicted
@@valiant7357 Me three. I've appointed myself a Deputy Sherf. Mind you, in my culture the most infamous one was the Sherf of Nottingham. He probably road a Matchless.
same here! love this channel! pure love on motorcycles
Norton, now owned by an Indian company TVS. Love to see these beauties in India soon..!
Superb, as a child growing up in the UK these were a common sight on the roads, not to mention they were used by almost all the police forces. Norton was not only powerful for it's time, it was famous for the 'norton featherbed frame'. Great post, and I really hope Jay buys it and then I can watch that too.
Yep, featherbed frame&" roadholder" forks. I think referred to the Atlas & older Norton's, not the commandos
@@rogerdodrill4733 you are correct, it was made famous by the feather bed frame but used Isolastic anti vibration technology.
This Norton definitely deserves a better home than these guys. I hope they don't damage it too badly before they trade it.
I bought a brand new Norton Command Mk3 in 1978 for £1465. Registration number GFR 988S. I wish I still had it. I'm surprised the tyres weren't perished after so long in a crate. The exhausts supplied with your bike were the same as mine. They were designed to reduce exhaust noise but were very restricting.
Not a motorcycle rider, but love the videos. Always cool seeing something like this being found, like somebody finding a old car with not a lot of miles on it in some garage. 👍
That might be one of the last bikes shipped from the Wolverhampton factory, my father worked there as a research toolmaker until the factory was closed in October 1975.
My father and his colleagues built these bikes to be ridden, not to sit in museums (or worse still in their original packaging), I am happy to reassure you that he would have been delighted that you are doing this.
My last name is Norton and I have always loved their bikes. I grew up in England in the 70’s and remember the 850 police bikes. Have wanted to find one for years. If you get a chance, arrange a trip to their new factory in England. They are building some amazing new bikes.
i dont understand how can someone say you are "devaluing" the bikes. Keep up the good work saving these beautiful bikes and getting them out there.
i guess there is an arguement that it was worth more in the crate.....lets face it that was a very unusual find and i am a bike collector.......would i take it out of the crate...yes...should i take it out of the crate..no
When I was in London in 1976 with my Triumph Twin 650 T 120 we visited a motorcycle store. Norton had gone bust in 1974 and gradually the rest was sold out. Now I stood in front of such a Norton 850 Commando MK3. The price shocked me. In Germany, the machine had cost over 7000 DM new and here it was now offered for 4000 DM. What a good price. That would be nowadays 2000 EUR for a British motorcycle of the super class in the 70s. Unfortunately I did not have the money to buy it. But I still think of the wonderful new motorcycle today. Sven
German: Also ich 1976 in London war mit meiner Triumph Twin 650 T 120 besuchten wir einen Motorradladen. Norton war 1974 pleite gegangen und allmählich wurde der Rest ausverkauft. Nun stand ich vor so einer Norton 850 Commando MK3. Der Preis schockte mich. In Deutschland hatte die Maschine neu über 7000 DM gekostet und hier wurde sie nun für 4000 DM angeboten. Was für ein guter Preis. Das wären heutzutage 2000 EUR für ein britisches Motorrad der Superklasse in den 70er Jahren. Leider hatte ich nicht das Geld dafür um sie zu kaufen. Doch ich denke noch heute an das herrliche, neue Motorrad. Sven
Good job, Guys..!! Unpacking and assembling this old gal!! You did real Good!!! Bravo!! When I was in college, I owned a used 1963 BMW R-27 single vertical cylinder one-lunger, 250, with the engine being rubber mounted. It was black of course, with the ugly Earl's front fork, but rode beautifully, and with a mere 18 H P, it even had a side car mount! (Which I never used.... since I don't care for side cars.). The Beast weighed 445 lbs soaking wet. but was a great cruiser between 50-65 mph..... The longest trip I made on it was from Boston's North Shore (Beverly) to Lancaster, PA, in the Summer of 1973..... safely all the way. After restoring it, I sold it for more than three times what I paid for it, since both fenders were badly rusted out, and there were several dents in the gas tank. After painting, I found an older fellow in Essex, MA, who did a great job pin striping it with very exact "white lines..." Seeing you guys enjoying this Norton brings back some great memories. My two buddies at the time, both owned Harley Sprint bikes, one which was a 250 and I believe that the other might have been a 350.... but I'm not sure. As you probably know, The Sprint Series of Harleys were manufactured in Italy......:). Ted Schempp, Nashville. Ride safe...:)
You guys love those brand-new old bikes! I love these videos!
Glad you like them!
@@BikesandBeards I hope Jay does the trade with you guys!!! 🙏
Yes they love the "Commander" ha ha
1975 production bikes (so mid 75 model year) were subject to the fed "left shift, right brake" mandate. That "lousy finish" on your aluminum parts is because they were sand cast, not die cast. And yeah, those grinding marks on the fins are from the casting shop apprentice cutting off gates and risers to "remove it from the tree". Those 70s brit bikes are a mix of old production techniques and modern production standards. Great find, and my bet is the "not quite right" performance is due to the somewhat less than stellar brit ignition systems such bikes (and cars) were cursed with. If it has a points iggy, replace the condensers, even unused they go to hell over 50 years
Condensers (aka capacitors) "go to hell" FASTER when unused.
I think the two bags you pulled out are desiccant for moisture. Harley used to put desiccant bags in their boxes before they switched to their new domestic transport system. They may still do it for overseas shipments. They are great to put in gun safes if your in a humid climate.
I drove one of these in 1975! WOW! Can I have it!! Congratulations. My neighbor owned one. Only issue is the brake pedal and shifter are backwards compared to my 1973 Honda. Incredible. They were so powerful. Ride. Ride. Ride.
A lot of people don't know that most motorcycles of that area require leaded fuel. The valves and seats are too soft for unleaded fuels, but you can run a lead substitute that you can buy at the autoparts store. There's several octane boosters that have a lead substitute in them, too.
@Classic Cycle Connection leaded fuel started to be phased out in the us in 1975, but it took a few years for most manufacturers to change their valves and seats. Most of the Japanese bikes had soft valves and seats till 79. Also, the bikes are usually manufactured the year before. so it may not have hardened valvetrain because it was made before the ban. Since it's a UK bike, I am seeing information that the uk allowed leaded fuel up to 1992. It's better to be safe than prematurely wear out the valves and seats.
Ever use Amaco un-leaded premimum/hi-test gas, sold from the 50's on?
850 Commando valve seats have no problems with unleaded. I have put 100000ikms on my 73 850 without using additives at all.
Had a friend who bought a new Commando in 1972. There was enough engine vibration that it didn’t take long for the very cool low exhaust pipes to break near where they connected to the exhaust manifold. Warranty replacements broke the same way.
I've got a soft spot for Norton (or any other British and British style bikes) I'm glad you guys are getting these old bikes and actually giving them a chance to see the glory that they should get! Also on the topic of Norton, I'm really hoping that their new bike is gonna be worth it, and if it is, that it comes Stateside.
@Retired Bore Very true. But even if it's not truly Norton, as long as the bike is actually good, I'm ok with that.
BTW, I'm actually kinda happy to say that I'm an Enfield owner. Love the Continental GT 650
I’m an English biker. Thank goodness you saved the 850. What a waste in a box. The Commando 750 was the first with kick start and she was a difficult bike to kick. The 850 had the electric start because they were losing sales due to the hard kick. You won’t beat a Norton
secretspy... me too..ex London courier from mid 70's to 2009...I still ride small bikes...I'm glad these 2 saved it...I only wish it was back here...and i was rich enough to afford it...also I've read many comments..none have mentioned the Isolastic frame mounts...rubber blocks to reduce vibration...I never heard of a Commando without them
I have a very modified 1972 Norton Commando fastback that I have owned since 1976. So much fun on winding country road's.
My brother had a Norton 850 Commando 1975. When I came back from overseas it was the first bike I got to ride. I had spent the previous 4 years on Guam. I think it was 4 miles wide and 7 miles long. I had a Suzuki 400 which I thought was pretty hot at the time. My first trip on the commando was about 225 miles. I did most of it nonstop and decided to get gas. I had been so unused to long rides that when I pulled up to the gas pump, I forgot to put my feet down. LOL hilarious
My dad had a commando. His was a kick start and said if you were to own a bike like that you have to be married it. They were temperamental, hated heat soaking , but if you had it running RIGHT for the increments of times where it would run good. Those things are a blast. My pops just did some porting and a higher comp piston and valvework. I guess STOCK there's alot of unused potential. Even then idc if it's an electric start. It's still just so gorgeous
My first wife left me in 1975 after 2 yrs married... She came downstairs at 2am to find me cleaning and polishing my Commando MkIIa 850 Interstate in the living room... She commented that "You love that bike more than me!" ... I apparently took a bit too long to reply, as the next day - returning home from work - all her stuff had gone! I had many enjoyable adventures on that bike! 😂😂😂 (At 69yrs old I currently ride a cb1300, a cbr750f Hurricane, and a handbuilt chopper with a cbx750f engine) 😁
Loved, friggin loved this episode. I was a Yamaha/BSA guy in the 70s but I had two pals who were Norton guys and it brought back great memories as they have passed on now. I'am a lucky guy to still be around and riding. Cheers 🇨🇦
nortons build quality hasnt really improved over the last 50 years, theyre still pretty rugged looking. i can respect the fact that they kept their old style though. its always nice to see a company that doesnt "update" the style of their bikes and they still sell the commando today.
I love this old unboxing videos is actually a good way to preserve history by showing the process for everybody to see
You guys didn’t even find the tickler and it started that quick?!?! Love the power of Norton!
Total BS they never started on the electric start like that either!
That’s unbelievable 😍 my dad bought an ex police Norton commando in the 70’s and turned it into a chopper and he’s owned it ever since. After 20 years of it sitting in the garage he’s planning on reviving it as a flat-tracker 🤌🏻
OMG that is an amazing find. The 850 Commando is the holy grail of British bikes. It will be worth a fortune.
I love the fact you guys are bringing this bike to life after sitting unused for so long!
That’s spectacular, I’m always impressed by these NOS bikes you keep finding. This one is tops though.
Glad you like them!
@@BikesandBeards Next find a NOS CB400F.
I’d like to see Sean ride a working Kawasaki H2 triple.
Sean you have entered in a respecticle world of Snorton Nortons. I owned a 1973 Norton 750 Commando kick start. Anyone who knew bikes, it was a cult bike comming from England, BSA,Triumph was the faster record bike in mph. IT's great it gets mentioned in all 52 black vincent songs. Jay Leno owns one. I just turned 70 years old, but right after the movie EZ Rider, I chopped my norton, hard tail twisted steel chrome struts, 6 bend z bars,killer king and queen seat, strait bologa plpes, side eagle tail light and custom paint job of the Leslie West Mountain climibing album, ilived and loved the 70's best music. I love your Bikes and Beards , been following a long time.I retired from life long Maine, now retired in Tucson, riding Kawa Concours 1400 abs that eats the miles out here. Stay cool man Tucson Tim
Fantastic video guys. This bike would have made me a great high school graduation present in 1975. I remember shopping for a new bike in 1975 at my local Harley Davidson dealer when they were AMF bikes. Now those should have been left in the crates.
Right on
Awesome find guys. But, we all know that Sean was just pretending to clean up the bike at the end and then Craig came in off camera to do the actual work. Lol 😆
New to watching this channel and love it, just letting TH-cam autoplay your videos and come across this absolute gem. My grandpa used to race motorcycles back in the 70’s and early 80’s. At one point he raced a Norton commando. The story he told me was that he was waiting for his order of his Norton Commando 850. But as an engineer who built his own race bikes he got impatient and bought a commando 500 and then bored then engine up as much as he could. Never ended up racing his 850
I meant 750 not 500
My friend daily drives his 1970's Norton Commando 850. This bike is made of quality materials which are not available in modern bikes. The steel frame is made of a steel you will not find in modern times. This is a fantastic find. Properly serviced this bike will go for ever!