Trying to sell my Norton Commando on Bring a Trailer

[Telecasterless]

I don't know why this bums me out. I don't get why bone stock commandos and "dadded out" commandos sell for what they do.

I was a brit bike nut in the 90s and this Dunstall Norton replica is as close to period correct as you can get. So many crap "cafe racers" are sold with a silly Corbin bump seat and some do-dads to make it pretty and they call it a cafe racer.

If you know Nortons, I mean if you RIDE Nortons, have lived them, breathed them, you know what a classic correct bike should look like.

I don't know why I am lamenting this, I just don't understand today's buyer. I guess it is just mostly a bunch of old guys (older than me even) that don't carve canyons any longer because all the 20 something guys are riding modern bikes.

When I was in my 20s/30s in the 90s, riding, racing, tuning, living vintage bikes was cool to me. Maybe guys in that age range just don't care about riding old bikes really hard anymore. I guess times are changing.

Here's my bike for sale on BaT. If you want to hear it run, go to the youtube vids instead of the ones posted on the site because the acoustics are not nearly as good.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-norton-commando-2/

here's the youtube link, 4 vids including my fun kickstart routine:

 

[wblynch]

Maybe Bring A Trailer is the wrong venue. Try the annual m/c auction in Las Vegas. Tons of classic and collector bikes of all eras change hands there.

 

[Telecasterless]

yeah, I've have heard that too from a few guys. Sometimes not the right venue. I thought it would at least get a lot of looks from classic bike guys. I haven't decided if I should cave and drop the reserve or not. Auction ends tomorrow. Most guys in the circuit think it's a $10K bike, but...I guess the market decides that.

 

[dented]

A Dunstall Snortin' Norton was one of my dream bikes as a teenager. I washed bikes at a Suzuki/Triumph dealer way back when. But alas I could only afford a Suzuki Titan 500 twin. I bought a Yoshimura kit and went to town....loved that Norton though.

 

[Telecasterless]

A Dunstall Snortin' Norton was one of my dream bikes as a teenager. I washed bikes at a Suzuki/Triumph dealer way back when. But alas I could only afford a Suzuki Titan 500 twin. I bought a Yoshimura kit and went to town....loved that Norton though.

Buy it! It is a bitchin' bike! I'll throw in my Tele.....ok, maybe not the Tele

 

[Oxidao]

Never owned a Norton, this is the closest I’ve been (kidding).

So nice yours, but not for everyone.
I love kickstart bikes, got two already (Honda XL600 thumper and Vespa200), and I know most people flinches in front of that as users, which turns to narrow the buyer's spectrum.
I'm sure your Commando's value is well above that, it's a Jewel.

BTW, I always think on the name 'Commando', maybe anyone can explain me.
Is that, full English word?, or a mix with Spanish (comando).

 

[runstendt]

I'd buy it in a heartbeat, if only I didn't live on the other side of country, with no extra cash, no gig income, and wasn't desperately trying to save up for a house in a crazy market. It's a great looking bike. Good luck.

 

[Flaneur]

 

[Dacious]

BTW, I always think on the name 'Commando', maybe anyone can explain me.
Is that, full English word?, or a mix with Spanish (comando).

Commando is what the soldiers of the British Special Air Services are called. They were called Commandos since the second world war.

It likely is a foreign derivative.word, like Guerilla derived from the French.

 

[Oxidao]

Commando is what the soldiers of the British Special Air Services are called. They were called Commandos since the second world war.

It likely is a foreign derivative.word, like Guerilla derived from the French.

Thank you Dacious.

Yeah, I know what a 'comando' is, what is making me think is the last 'o' used, not very usual in English I think, but quite common in Spanish.

After reading a bit now, I know it comes from Dutch 'Kommando'. English should take it from Boers, after their S.African wars.

BTW, Guerrilla is an Spanish word, used on a new way of fighting (non regular troops), against Napoleon's Army in Spain around 1808.
Ethimologically comes from Germanic 'werra' to Spanish 'Guerra'.
'illa' is a coloquial fem. diminutive.

 

[johnnylaw]

Sweet ride, glory be...

 

[bottlenecker]

I don't know why this bums me out. I don't get why bone stock commandos and "dadded out" commandos sell for what they do.

I was a brit bike nut in the 90s and this Dunstall Norton replica is as close to period correct as you can get. So many crap "cafe racers" are sold with a silly Corbin bump seat and some do-dads to make it pretty and they call it a cafe racer.

If you know Nortons, I mean if you RIDE Nortons, have lived them, breathed them, you know what a classic correct bike should look like.

I don't know why I am lamenting this, I just don't understand today's buyer. I guess it is just mostly a bunch of old guys (older than me even) that don't carve canyons any longer because all the 20 something guys are riding modern bikes.

When I was in my 20s/30s in the 90s, riding, racing, tuning, living vintage bikes was cool to me. Maybe guys in that age range just don't care about riding old bikes really hard anymore. I guess times are changing.

Here's my bike for sale on BaT. If you want to hear it run, go to the youtube vids instead of the ones posted on the site because the acoustics are not nearly as good.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-norton-commando-2/

here's the youtube link, 4 vids including my fun kickstart routine:

This is a bad time to sell something like that, maybe. The cafe racer trend has saturated the moto world with a really lame version of cafe racers. I think when a trend is this big it moves everyone's idea of what something is, except those of us with a really strong idea of that thing to begin with.

Most of today's "cafe racers" are modern retros, or 70s japanese, and I think a lot of people right now don't have enough appreciation for something like a dunstall norton, if they even know what it is. I wouldn't want to be selling a Triton right now, either.
Some day they'll be worth more, probably, but classic brit stuff isn't the gold it was 20 years ago.

 

[Wallo Tweed]

That's a good looking motorcycle!

As has been said already, try a different venue.
I don't know anything about "bring a trailer", but to me the name sounds like a place for stuff that is not in good condition.

There has to be plenty of people that want that bike. You have to find them and present it.

 

[68tele]

That kickstart routine might scare off potential buyers: physical exertion is kryptonite to the average schlub, unfortunately. Sounds great, tho!

 

[JSMac]

A beautiful classic looking bike! I loved your honest "cold start" video. Been there with my old Harleys.

Curious to see what it bids up to. Good luck!

 

[Hamstein]

Some years ago I met a nice guy who had ridden from Finland to the UK on his Commando to see motorhead, it was, (as it often is here), an appallingly wet weekend and on the sunday morning pretty much everybody's modern bikes were having trouble starting due to the water in everything electrical. The Commando started on the first kick!

 

[KyAnne]

A Dunstall Snortin' Norton was one of my dream bikes as a teenager. I washed bikes at a Suzuki/Triumph dealer way back when. But alas I could only afford a Suzuki Titan 500 twin. I bought a Yoshimura kit and went to town....loved that Norton though.

Ain't Nuthin' wrong with a Suzuki 500 Titan!!

 

[Dan German]

That’s a very cool bike. I have to say, though, that even though I have ridden Nortons, I do not know, live, and breathe Nortons. Yet I think I have a pretty good handle on what a classic correct bike should look like. You say yours is a replica, so that cuts out the collector buyers. As noted, the kickstart cuts out buyers based on preference or physical ability. Age, I think, is less of a factor than you think; I applaud the current cafe racer trend, because along with all the poser bikes and silly customs, there are more and better custom bikes on the road than at any time since the origin of the cafe racer species, and I know a fair number of people in their 20s and 30s who are out there riding them. That means buyers of classic-looking bikes have a much wider range of bikes to consider. As you say, the market will decide.

 

[Tarkus60]

I have always wanted a 850, it just never happened. I rebuilt my buddies 650 bonnie, that was fun ride.

 

[telemnemonics]

yeah, I've have heard that too from a few guys. Sometimes not the right venue. I thought it would at least get a lot of looks from classic bike guys. I haven't decided if I should cave and drop the reserve or not. Auction ends tomorrow. Most guys in the circuit think it's a $10K bike, but...I guess the market decides that.

I never heard of that site, bid and bought bike parts on ebay where it's busy and seems to get viewed all over the world, but not recently.

Would think this was a good time to sell but comments about the craze for shoddy granny bikes converted to cafe racer via a can of paint and throwing parts in the trash really is a thing.
I've also read a fair amount of Norton bashing the last few years, where they seem to have been better respected longer ago.

But that well kept and well put together example does deserve good money, can't say how much exactly.
Certainly the old guys crowd will be put off by kick starting with replaced hips & knees, while making the scene looking cool but not remembering how a carburetor works because they've been luxy FI for 30 years.

Single Mikuni conversion oughtta help, yet, downgrade?
OK upgrade from dual drippy Amals!