Angloclassics are a Classics British Motorcycle import and sales business based in Auckland, New Zealand. Here we upload startup videos of our classic British motorcycles for sale. We mainly work on classic Norton and Triumph motorcycles.
This model was a disaster. Its ancestors, the Dominator 500 and 650, were apolaustic. The Atlas was bored out to 750. The resulting vibration was horrific. Thus, the Atlas had a short life. It was replaced by the smooth as silk Commando, far more rideable, although without the immortal featherbed frame. Those of us who have spent a riding lifetime with Norton think the company made a mistake: it should have kept the frame and built a modern motor.
The twin carbs are a total nightmare to fit to their inlet stubs and the air filter setup is a complete lash up. On my 1972 750 I have a single Mk1 930 Concentric and it has transformed the bike for the better! More torque and improved fuel consumption. Who wants to spend ages tuning twin carbs any more?
I understand that syncing twin carbs is too difficult for you but that doesn't make your single carb Commando better. As you refer to the two cap screws securing an intake manifold to the head as a 'total nightmare' and putting an air filter into a basket and securing it with 2 bolts as a 'complete lash up' fails to convince me that an owner with limited skills makes for a better Commando. Reducing the air/fuel mixture on a Norton Commando does not increase it's torque in the low, medium or high end RPM range. If you prefer supposed better mileage to higher performance that's your decision. My dual carb '72 Combat gets 55+ miles per imperial gallon. Good enough for me and I keep the acceleration and the torque that you lose.
Shame the dual carbs and the very functional Commando air filter are all gone. The original Commando acceleration and torque are gone too. Instead of losing performance it's better to learn how to sync the dual carbs.
My husband's father had one new 1969 he would he would stay up on Friday night so he could go for ride with his dad husband Todd was 7 that year his dad worked until 1030 at night he would wait very impatiently until he could hear that beautiful triple coming up the hill he has always wanted one !!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful !!!!!!!!!
I had one of those, but it never looked that pristine... mine was rattle-can paint and a budget 2-1 exhaust (had to remove the center-stand) and upped the front sprocket to a 21-tooth as I recall... by then it was my 2nd or third Norton; another of those bikes I wish I still had...
