This numbers-matching, first-year example of the legendary Commando has been restored so that in the seller’s words, it’s now “a classic that you can ride safely in modern traffic, or just look at.”
From Walter Barlow’s “Brief History Lesson on the Norton Commando“:
The Commando was introduced in 1968 with the Fastback model-a very pleasing if understated cafe racer style bike. It solved the vibration problem that pretty much plagued all large displacement motorcycles of the time with an ingenious system that rubber-mounted the driveline in the new frame. The system flat out worked, as Norton overnight went from a company with arguably the worst vibrating motorcycles to just about the smoothest. It combined this smoothness with the power and handling for which they had been justly know to create what was arguably the first modern (if I can use this term in referring to a bike with an engine that was pretty old even then) superbike.
This example (VIN; 127905) was originally purchased new by the seller (though the wording seems like it might have jumped around a couple of times before it came back to the original owner). The restoration was claimed to be very easy because the bike retained all of its original parts through life – though you’ll get an additional modern steel tank that won’t be eaten up by ethanol. The bottom end is original and the cylinder head has been rebuilt. Norton fans will know that the frame from the first year bikes had some issues, so this bike has been given the ‘additional tube’ that was added by the factory in later years. It also has a new wiring harness and Boyer ignition. Find this Fastback for sale in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania with bidding up to $8,501 and the reserve not yet met