When the owner dropped off this 1974 Norton Commando 850 back in February, he was excited to finally customize it. Having owned it since he was only 19 years old and now in his 50s, this project held special meaning.
The primary goal of our work was to return the wheel to stock size and modernize the lighting system. Specifically, we were to address the rear rim and tire, headlight, handlebars, seat, side stand, and add a center stand.
At intake, this bike’s aesthetic screamed “1980s” with a small 16″ rear tire that was much thicker than stock to give it a “muscle” look. The Z-bar handlebars matched the square front headlight. The seat was homemade and couldn’t accommodate a proper taillight.
We ordered brand new spokes, nipples, and a rim from Buchanan’s Spoke & Rim, Inc out of Azusa, CA. The stock size called for a larger 18 inch tire that was also narrower, undoubtedly better for handling.
We polished the original hub, which proved to be a lengthy process due to the poor finish from the factory. We sent it to our local machinist, who machined it flat. We purchased a new buffing machine specifically for this job, which was fantastic at helping us achieve a high-luster finish.
Previously in the bike’s history, during a tire change, the speedometer drive and hub cap had been damaged. This occurs either from improper alignment or overtightening. We ordered new EMGO replacements from Baxter Cycle, which were a perfect fit and offered an improved look.
We addressed the seat next and opted to order a brand new reproduction from Klempf’s British Parts. It features the classic Norton logo on the back in gold lettering. We also installed new seat bolts and brackets.
Never underestimate the visual difference a handlebar swap can make to a bike, and this project was no exception. We fitted “sport” handlebars, which changed the entire look immediately. We were able to save the original grips and controls by carefully removing, cleaning, and reinstalling them.
For the headlight, we ordered a standard size chrome headlight bucket from Parts Unlimited, as well as an LED headlight with built-in turn signals. We were pleasantly surprised by how well these parts fit. For the tail light, we had to custom fabricate a mount to fit the original-style light and turn signals. This proved to be a difficult task as the fender had been cut shorter, leaving little room to mount. We also wired a universal flasher relay as there was no wiring left for turn signals.
To repair the side stand, John welded a stop to the original that had worn down after years of use. The center stand was an even more challenging task, as it was not obvious how the return spring was mounted. We found it was missing a small peg that mounted to the frame, so John created one from a bolt. The spring was incredibly stiff, and getting it in place required fabricating a spring puller with a ratchet strap and a washer.
Worth noting is the beautiful chrome tank on this motorcycle. Chrome tanks have become increasingly rare, and nearly everyone who stopped in the shop took time to appreciate the beauty of this show-quality tank.
For the mechanical aspects of our work, this Norton had some upgrades, including a modern Mikuni smoothbore carburetor and straight-through pipes. The upgraded carb will help the machine run smoother, stronger, and more reliable than the original. The straight-through pipes offer an improved sound.
Dain described this bike as “hard to kick but easy to start”. He had to jump on the kicker several times to get past the compression. Once he did, however, it fired relatively easily. This was a welcomed relief, as we wouldn’t have wanted to have to kick this bike more than a few times. To our surprise, it fired up within four kicks!
John excitedly jumped on, wasting no time in test riding it. He was especially excited because this motorcycle is the last year for right-hand shift. Despite his recent foot operation, this made it so he could easily ride it. Check out the video here.
We’re thrilled with how this bike turned out and grateful that, overall, the project went smoothly and as expected. It looks closer to stock now, while offering some modernized upgrades. It rides better, runs extremely well, and no doubt will catch the appreciative eye of any onlookers.
Have a project you’re interested in having us work on? Call (740) 747-2299 during normal business hours!
