Post Sale Update: This Commando sold for $12,000 after 7 bids on eBay.
Bill Becker acquired this bike in 2004 with the intent of building a “cafe racer based on a 1970s superbike platform, but with contemporary improvements — with a ‘naked’ look fashioned after period-racers.” How do you think he did?
The seller calls this build show quality and notes that it took three years for it to come together after it started as pieces in boxes. For more on this interesting build, check out this feature on BikeEXIF.
The seller claims that Nortons of this caliber “are available from another custom builder, but sell in the range of $30,000 to $50,000.” I have to assume he’s referring to Colorado Norton Works, where Bike-urious reader David Sumner just visited. This bike has won “many awards at local vintage motorcycle shows”, People’s Choice at the Mid Ohio Vintage Festival, and was the cover story for issue 23 of Café Racer Magazine (Issue 23). The sale includes a binder with design/tuning notes, receipts, a spreadsheet of all expenses, and maintenance records.
Highlights of the work include a rebuilt motor with Superblend bearings by Baxter Cycle, Boyer ignition, new Amal concentric carbs, Supertrapp mufflers, Progressive front fork springs with Lansdowne cartridges, Hagon shocks, Pingle steering damper, Buchanan-built Excel wheels, custom alloy fuel tank, custom seat pan, Tommaselli clipons, LED lighting, and more.
Find this Commando cafe racer for sale in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with bidding up to $9,000