What’s that, you say? You thought the Commando needed mini-apes and a giant seat? Apparently, Norton agreed with you for some reason – the exact reason for why this bike came out isn’t documented, but most people agree that it was an odd attempt to try and capitalize on the “Easy Rider” movement that was taking over the States.
Ignoring how ridiculous it looks (and how badly derided it was when it came out), the Hi-Rider is now appreciating in of how rare and absurd it was. There is indeed a charm to this bike if you’re a fan of ugly ducklings – some consider this to be the first mass-produced custom bike. For more information on this odd factory custom, check out this article from Andover Norton.
This example has spent most of its time as a show piece for a collector who apparently didn’t ride it much. The bike has just 16,586 miles and is claimed to ‘run as beautifully as it looks.’ Find this Hi-Rider for sale in Sturgis, South Dakota with an unmet opening bid of $14,000