The most collectible of the Commandos (in my humble opinion) was the John Player, a distinctive endurance-inspired Norton with unique bodywork surrounding a completely stock Mark 2A Commando. I’ve never cared for the dual headlights , but they caught they eyes of many fans who were obsessed with the hottest motorcycle racing competitions of the time – endurance races.
John Player refers to a tobacco company that sponsored Norton’s 750cc racers with distinctive black/gold and white/red/blue liveries. The replica you see in front of you was based on the 850cc bike, and features the large race fairing protecting low clipons, the lovely single-seat, and a black chrome exhaust. The initial plan was to produce 1,000 of these replica bikes, but only approximately 200 were made between ’74 and ’75. Very few were imported to the US, and because endurance bikes had not caught on in the States yet, even the small number of imports struggled to sell at a MSRP of $2,995. Weighing 475 pounds, the JPN was capable of 115 miles per hour. Want to learn more? Check out a great feature by Motorcycle Classics here.
This John Player (VIN: 305823) is a replica of a replica – it started as a 850 Commando Fastback and the seller picked it up in 1985 with the plan of converting it to what you see in front of you. There are some minor flaws like cosmetic wear and a stereotypical Norton oil leak, but like the seller says, this bike still looks sharp.
Find this John Player Special for sale in Brookfield, Connecticut with bidding up to $6,350 and the reserve not yet met