Sellers are asking 8-11K for good used Commando's now.
Oh , I know, I was doing a hard search for one to restore back about 14 years ago. I looked and looked and all I could find were either already restored and they wanted top dollar or they were basket cases. A guy I worked with , his dad had an old complete Commando tucked away in his garage. I kept working on him but he wouldn’t let it go, then one day he tells me he sold it to his next door neighbor! Grrr
I wound up buying a BMW R100/7 to restore. It was probably a better choice for me, those old Beemers are bullet proof and easy to work on. Later I found an old Triumph Bonneville to restore to get my Brit fix, also a good choice.
I will always love Nortons, but they seem like high bred race horses with weak ankles. Fast as hell and thrilling , right up to the point when they break.
A quick Norton story here. I have an old uncle who I dearly love. He has been a life long free spirit and a hippy who has always lived outside the cultural norms. He is an expert mechanic and professional welder who got rich working as an inspector for offshore oil drilling platforms. So my wild old uncle back in 1973 was doing his best Easy Rider impression , riding cross country on his Norton. He pulled into a roadside rest stop and met a girl from Connecticut, she hopped on the back of his bike and never got off. They are still together.
I keep photos of him up in my shop for inspiration.
YOU NEVER SLOW DOWN, YOU NEVER GROW OLD !!!
The bike being towed behind his Suburban, and the girl!
My uncle nearly 70.
YOU NEVER SLOW DOWN, YOU NEVER GROW OLD!!
Last time I saw him he was in his 70’s and he had this old BMW RG1000 that he fixed up. The black and yellow one they used to call the bumblebee. He rode that from Oregon to Phoenix with nothing but a bedroll on the back, sleeping out in the open. Crazy old man! God I love that guy.
Do not go softly into the night.
Rage, rage, against the dying of the light.