Introduced in October 1968 (and produced only until February of 1970), the Norton Mercury was considered by some to be a ‘parts bin’ bike when it was released. History has been a bit kinder to it – only about 750 were ever sold and it was the last of the Dominator twins.
When Norton Villiers took over what was left of AMC, their focus was on getting the new Commando out the door. But the new company had plenty of inventory from parts that had previously been used to build bikes like the Atlas or P11. The Mercury was created in part to use up this remaining inventory – the closest comparison would be to consider it a 650SS with a single carb. Most of these bikes were exported to the US and Canada. For a bit more information on the Mercury, check out this profile on Real Classic.
This numbers-matching example (VIN: 129838) was built in December of 1968 and it has 5,332 miles on the odometer, though the seller says he can’t guarantee that number. The bike was repainted Signal Red by a previous owner, and while the front fender and Dunlop rims have some corrosion, the bike is claimed to shine brightly. The tach drive is missing, the tires are over 20 years old and will need to be replaced, and the seller says the brakes perform “ok”. There are some scrapes on the left exhaust where it ‘has seen contact with the pavement’ and the rear fender has been modified to carry some luggage. It’s not perfect, and it hasn’t been registered since 1998, but the seller says it’s a very usable classic that’s suitable to ride as is or restore. And with only 750 ever built, it’s not like you’ll have many chances to acquire one. Find this Mercury for sale in Los Angeles, California with bidding up to $4,250 and the reserve not yet met