Norton Villiers Triumph may have been phased out in 1978, but as fate would have it, both Triumph and Norton are still with us today. The lesser known of the two manufacturers struck gold in the late ‘60s with the Commando, which leveled up from 745 to 828 cubic centimeters in '73.
This fellow here is one of those bikes, and it’s currently going for $6,500 on Bring a Trailer at no reserve. With six days left to bid, a certain and very lucky someone could get this two-wheeled blast from the past on the cheap.
“Acquired as a dismantled project by the seller in 2018 and subsequently refurbished,” chassis number 300477 currently shows five miles on the odometer. Finished in white over gold garnish and chrome parts, the classic bike is offered with a “restored salvage” title that attests its roadworthiness.
Featuring a hemi-type head, the OHVparallel-twin engine was rated at 58 horsepower at 6,800 rpm when new, far fewer revolutions than the 10,000-rpm tachometer suggests. The suck-squeeze-bang-blow is sent to the rear wheel through a four-speed transmission. Even though 115 mph (185 km/h) is the most this thing can muster out of the box, the seller has replaced the original speedometer with a 150-mph unit. Wishful thinking, alright!
One of the most obvious differences over the original specification is the seat. The cafe racer-style unit is custom, and it certainly works nicely from a design standpoint with the rest of the motorbike. A Dunstall-style exhaust system and chrome-plated transmission cover add to the visual delight.
Staying true to the original, the braking system consists of a disc up front and a drum for the rear wheel. Wire-spoke wheels with shouldered rims are also featured, wrapped in 19- and 18-inch Avon Roadrider rubber boots.
Produce from 1967 to 1977, the Commando features a then-radical frame designed by former Rolls-Royce engineer Stephan Bauer who thought that the Featherbed Frame wasn’t up to snuff. Revived in 2008 by Stuart Garner, the Norton Motorcycle Company offers two modernized Commandos at the time of writing in the guise of the 961 Sport MK II and 961 Cafe Racer MK II.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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