1971 Norton Commando 750 - First start and ride in 2 years! 

One of the most beautiful motorcycles of all time. That is all.

Now that sounds like how a motorcycle should sound. Marvellous!

I rode a 750 Commando in Germany while stationed there from 74 until 80. Then all over the US. Got too old to hold it up and had to sell it in 2001. Still miss it.

These Norton bikes! What a sound! I love them!

You can’t beat the sound these bikes make!

A REAL motorcycle. Carbureted, NON ABS drum brakes, air cooled, long stroke engine, lots of vibration, beautiful sound, all the wonderful things that "modern" motorcycles DON'T have.

Took me right back to 1975 and my old riding buddy with the '72 Commando!

I just got my '71 Commando on the road this spring, awesome machines!

What a great sound.

Fantastic. Brings back memories for me, of after moving, I had my 69 commando up in the barn for 10 years. I finally got it out to start it, when my sister and brother in law, moved back from B.C.. My little nephew was only 3 years old, and when I started it up he started crying from being frightened by the sound of it.

so good. commando is simply the best sounding and looking motorcycle ever imho.

I used to assemble these bikes from the crate when I was 15 yrs old on Saturdays (Dad was a dealer). Very unique bike. Not many people were aware that these bikes had a 360 degree crankshaft, meaning both pistons rose together on alternate cycles.

Will never tire of watching this vid

beautiful British made bike.

Wow i love that bike Exhaust sound is awesome 👏

Love the look, love the sound, loved the ride. Great clutch, plus proper shifter location. Thanks again!

I owned a 1971 just like this! Such a great motorcycle. The dis drum brake looks so much better than the discs. Nothing ever sounded as good as a Norton!

My '72 is quite similar but for the fork gaiters and my front disc I might say they're twins!Great bikes,bought mine new and have ridden it ever since without a major rebuild,maintenance and replacements of normal pieces only!Matter of fact I'm still running the points ignition and it still runs flawlessly!

Very nice! Great to see another one on the road love riding my Commando

You can hear that sound from a distance..sight unseen, and know it's a Norton

I saw one in California in 1972, always wanted one, still do, it sounds great, you are so lucky, I can’t believe it started so good after 2 years!!!

Nice video. Always loved the looks of those as a kid....still do.

Takes me back more years than I want to remember.. I had one of these babies. Standard twin carb's and "bouncing" engine suspension... :)

WOW, identical to a ‘72 I bought in Spartanburg,SC in ‘71. Toured the west on it from NYC. Never a problem or an issue. Surprised a number of cars and bikes who pulled up for a short challenge run. Third gear was a beast! Great on the open road and light enough to play around in the dirt and on hills. I let it go in ‘74 in Salt Lake City and have regretted it many times.

I bought a new ‘71 Roadster just like the one here. Yes, it was one of the best-looking bikes ever and that sound as you headed towards 7000 rpm was a symphony. But to live with as a daily ride, that was another story. Where do I start? Perhaps with the side-stand that fell off before I’d even got it home from the dealer. Then there was the front drum brake that, even with the air-scoop blanked off, used to fill up with water in heavy rain. Try stopping on a water covered road with just the back brake. After that there was the air-cleaner that you could see when looking down at the gap between tank and seat. This meant the rainwater used to funnel off your front, down through this gap and straight into the air-cleaner. Perhaps Norton hadn’t road-tested in Australian sub-tropical downpours. A sputtering stop was pretty much guaranteed after a few miles. The Commando ate clutch cables. I lost count of the number I replaced in three years. I took to always carrying a spare. The seat on it was like straddling a lightly padded piece of 3x2 after forty miles. It had Lucas electrics - enough said. Oil leaks? Where do I begin? As a piece of sculpture, it was a thing of beauty. For a Sunday afternoon through the hills, it was magic. But as a piece of well-sorted, mature engineering it left a lot to be desired. I’ve often had pangs of regret over the years for selling it, but my life took different directions and hanging onto it wasn’t practical. Despite all its shortcomings, I still miss it.

Love the sound

I love the forward tilt of the cylinders....

Inside the cover of Cycle magazine month after month, this is the bike I lusted after! The yellow one!

Got me one. Had it for at least 45 years. Great bike still.

What a marvellous sound!

wow that vibration is spectacular

That Norton has just right amount of patina, love it.

Lovely bike

Sound beautiful had triumph always wanted Norton commando

What a beautiful bike

..great sound of 750..but make sure your neighbours understanding..hahaha

The sound is so good :)

Love the light (kill switch) gold . Beautiful bike Mike👍

best sound on earth

"Well, I need to run the gas out", every good excuse for a ride, lol. Very fine running Norton, sounds really beautiful, thanks! Every time a bike is at my shop, my dog Raven, wants to take it by the tires and wrangle it to the ground, she's a pit, about 15 inches high, 90 pounds. I don't think she likes the "barking competition", doesn't quite understand it. I just sent a 74 shovelhead engine back to its master for installation in the frame, after a complete rebuild. Hopefully, I will be hearing it fire in a couple weeks. We're having a cold, late spring here. Thanks again, wonderful sounds coming out of the cul-de-sac.

Love watching the isolastics at work.

acho essa moto linda........verdadeira arte sob rodas! Saudações do Brasil!!!!!!👏👏👏

What an absolute beauty.

I really love the old Nortons that's a MACHINE!

Very nice got to love the sweet sweet sound of a British twin :)

It sounds and looks great! 2021 has just starten and soon we will have our Commandos om the road again . Best regards from Sweden.

A dream for my motorcycle heart. But it's only a dream. Wonderful.

I'm in Love wich that bike.

A sound bringing back childhood memories :)

Love it... purely love it!

beautiful sound,wish i could have that,for me its the best motorcycle in the world,my dream motorbike

What a cool video thanks guys. Traded my 750 commando in the late 70s on a shiny new cb750 4. I recall looking back as I rode away from the dealership on the Honda thinking even though the norton needed lots of upkeep, I was making a terrible mistake.

Im only 19 but want one so bad. Theres nothing like vintage machinery cars or bikes...

What a Sound!!🙂🙂🙂

So unfassbar kernig. Einer der geilsten legalen sounds out there!

My father sold and worked on English motorcycles Norton's were my favourite. The Japanese bikes always ran better but the Norton was the best of the English machines. We were sorry to see them go in the mid 70's. The 850's were the best.

Haven't seen a running one in years around here. I knew a guy who had a Norton Atlas in his garage back in 1982. Never saw it run.

👍❤️🏍 it looks like my 72 will be taking a three year rest. 😩 ✌️❤️😁

Sadly my father crashed his one about 6 years ago. After the Norton he bought a Matchless/Norton g15 cs from 1967 that is still here in the garage today but sadly he passed away 4 years ago. But the interest has flown over to me now!

Shes a beauty Mike and she sounds fantastic

I’ve owned 2 Commandos, put a Dunstall kit on it. Oh that sound!!!! Scary fast too

I have never seen a Norton engine that loose in its isolastic mounts.

I need to go a bit longer this time . I like that ha ha

My mate had one of these and I had a T500 Suzuki.He offered me a ride one day.I came out of his driveway and that low down grunt took me completely by surprise.Was so used to a 2 stroke.Spectacular torque even 2 up.

Sounds sweeeeet!

So, beauty

After playing this recording a few (dozen) times I'm still in nostalgia mode. That said when you first pull off, just missing the parked car, the bikes sound was like something older.. a bit put put put.. but when you did a few more drive away's, with a few more rev's applied, wow.. I was transported back to my youth.. I was at the TT (Isle of Man races) around 1973/4 and it was what was called Mad Sunday. The roads are open but there were few speed restrictions.. Sat astride my trusty beast (Norton Commando) at the grandstand.. the guy next to me shouted "your engine is trying to jump out of your bike" and started laughing :( And then we were off.. brrrrmm, rattle, rattle, brrmm... Just after Quarterbridge I zoomed past him. Gave him the "finger" and "unleashed the beast" :) Never saw him again that lap :) By the way.. at the ned of the video did I hear an English voice??

I skipped the carb stuff... I sooooo wanted to hear this baby growl. I'm a Brit guy who is old enough to have owned and rode a 1971/2 Norton Commando.. way back in 1973/4 :) Loved the sound. And I could feel the vibrations that were synonymous with a Norton Commando. Not sure if my emotion is.. delighted to see/hear one again or extreme jealousy.. :) :(

B E A U T I F U L B I K E !

For me the most iconic looking and sounding motorcycles of all time 👍👍. I can still remember passing most days a parked up Commando in British Racing Green whilst walking to school,for some reason I'm sure it was an 850 🤔. Personally I preferred the 750 over the 850, no logic maybe just frightened of kickback 😂. I would almost kill to buy either a 750 or 850 now or just love the chance to ride one, but living in Indonesia that's highly unlikely 😂😂😂.Regrets as with all on selling my T140D (when one day she didn't want to play) or any British Iron 😭😭😭.

Meine Güte, ist das Moped super. Ich fahre eine Triumph Trident.

That noise!!!

Best of the Best, British vertical twins, miss the 72 combat Commando ,better than a Harley.

The engine is moving a little, but also I think the vibrations through the concrete floor is vibrating the camera some exaggerates the motion.

That is what a bike is supposed to sound like.

That isolastic mounting just looks so weird with the engine just bobbing up and down like that. A good sounding bike , hope he has understanding neighbours!

I've had lots of British bikes. A Snortin Norton though. Next to a VINCENT.😎

Looks like the isolastics need some help. How many miles?

I have always wondered what my ownership experience would have been like if I'd gotten one of these beauties off the show room floor in 1974 instead of the leftover Triumph 500 Trophy Trail that I managed to secure financing on. The British built the most beautiful looking and sounding 2 wheeled time bombs carrying out dated tech so far beyond where it had any real business. Of course my Triumph was woefully neglected on the maintainance aspect because I was blissfully unaware that I should have been doing an oil change after every 4 hours of riding.

Had two of them back in the '80's . . . a Fastback and an Interstate. Miss the sound, wonderful torque and handling. Noticed the engine shake a little bit early on in your video. No doubt, rocking in that isolastic engine mount. I remember shimming those mounting points when I rebuilt the Interstate . . . a real pain! I replaced the Amals also on the Interstate, replacing with a single, large-bore Mikuni and Boyer electronic ignition. Cheers!

nice

Always a great to start & ride after a 'lay up' Mike, Ron looked well pleased. I was surprised to see how much the engine & gearbox moved in the frame is that normal or 'worn' mountings? atvb t ..

Sounded a ton better after the carbs got sync'ed or was a pilot circuit plugged? Let's ride !!

Nice, exept for gaspipe, no need to twist it upwards ..

Rather this than any modern superbike. I think it's fair to say that this represent more or less the pinnacle of motorcycles. Because it's not all about top speed and brake horse power. Which most will discover, when they have ridden a motorbike for some time. It is something else 😎

Nice sound! What kind of silencers are those?

The headline says 1972. That's not a '72 Combat and I'm surprised the Mighty Garage doesn't know that. The intake manifolds being cleaned were 30mm intakes. The '72's were a totally different casting and were 32mm manifolds. The jugs were black and not silver. The front brake was a single right sided disc as were the 73's and '74's and not the twin leading shoe brake that is on this machine. This is a '71.

Ha! The light switch isn't supposed to turn the bike off.

Is there a distinction between commando and combat commando?

One up three down and if you put slightly too much oil in it comes out over new air filter! Thankfully Pride &Clarke did COD! Will the guy down south of England who has ADE 753K please send Dai a photo of my old bike

What do you put in sonic cleaner, My carbs didn't come out looking like that!? I was thinking later I should use citric acid as that has been suggested to clean other appliances. I used carby cleaner and distilled water, but it certainly didn't have the desired affect.

What was the issue with light switch shutting bike off?

I did same, ultrasonic cleaned my carbs without splitting from the manifolds, now bike will start but not idle. Do I need to split the manifolds to get at the pilot jets?

Yes that 's my cycle

Recently finished a 2+ year resto of my 1972 Combat, sitting since 1979. Q: Was this a Combat model as well? Thanks!

Does anyone know the bars on this bike? I have a '74 850 roadster and think I have the us spec bars. I want something lower with less pull back. These look perfect.

Rescued my bike from the Lord Voldermrt of Cycle shops in Virginia and it is up and running after many years! ’71 with a disc added to the front set up with single Mic and electronic ignition. Anyone have a side stand?

Hello Mike, This question is not related to this video, but on another video I can not remember the name of. You visited a company there in your area/Portland that took a 3D scan of a part so you could reproduce it since the part was no longer available. Can you please comment back on those companies? Thank you!!

Malheureusement à la même époque Honda a sorti sa 750 Four. Les deux machines n'ont rien à voir mais je pense que ça a été le début de la fin des Anglaises.

That is one sweet sounding Norton, they just look so cool. What liquid did you use in the ultrasonic cleaner ? Thanks for sharing. Cheers