The gorgeous Commando 850 Mk3 was Norton’s response to the emergence of Japanese sports bikes in the 1970s. Some enthusiasts consider it a last hurrah for the original wave of Brit bikes. Regardless, Norton fans still love these pretty and lively machines, such as the 1975 example currently for sale on eBay.
Shop now for Norton Commandos
The Japanese motorcycle industry firmly established its presence in the 1970s. It hasn’t let go since. Yet, there was a transitional phase when the British builders made determined efforts to keep up with new four-cylinder technology emerging from the Far East.
Norton ultimately fell short. But that shouldn’t overshadow how the Mk3 Norton Commando 850 matched—and arguably surpassed—the Japanese competition.
The Commando 850’s Torque Advantage
When the 750cc Commando was launched in the late 1960s, the Brits were still on top of the sports bike business. The parallel twin-cylinder motor was a throwback to the post-war Dominator unit, but it remained an effective way to power a sporting motorcycle. That is until Honda launched the CB750 Four with its silky-smooth, all-aluminium, four-cylinder motor that had jaws hitting drawing room floors.
Suddenly, Norton’s parallel twin motor looked sad and outdated. There was neither the time nor the funding to create a new engine, so they took the old unit out to 829cc to generate more snort.
The new 850 motor fell short on outright power, delivering 58 horsepower against the CB’s 67 hp. But the Honda didn’t make its peak power figure until spinning at a lofty 8,500 rpm. By contrast, the Norton peaked at 5,900 rpm but delivered a stout 48.5 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. The Honda didn’t make peak torque until hitting 7,000 rpm, and then there were just 44 pound-feet of the stuff.
Consider that the Japanese machine weighed 50 pounds more than the Norton, and an accurate picture emerges of the Commando 850’s stronger acceleration.
But What About Handling?
Norton fans already know the answer. Norton’s reputation for bikes with stellar handling was beyond reproach in its heyday. The 850 was no exception.
Its proven Roadholder front forks and Featherbed frame always contributed to class-leading road manners. But the secret sauce was in the back.
The big parallel twin motor caused atrocious vibrations. The solution was to employ Isolastic rubber mountings between the engine and gearbox. The rear swing arm was mounted directly to the engine (as it was with the Vincent Black Shadow), creating a cradle for the gearbox. Reviewers at the time were unanimous in praising the Commando’s handling.
Shop now for OEM Norton Commando partsSuccess and Failure
The Mk3 Norton Commando 850 is an odd machine to contemplate. It didn’t ultimately manage to stave off the emergence of Japanese bikes. But it did keep the Brits in the game at a point when they should have already been buried. That was a neat trick, considering the big lead held by bikes like the Honda CB750 at the time.
The bike for sale on eBay is one of the later electric-start examples. It was fully rebuilt in 2019 and looks terrific in its candy burnt-orange paint. The listing’s detailed, high-quality photos tell the story.
The builder of this bike had prizes in mind. And from appearance, it looks like it deserves a ton of them.
Shop now for Norton Commandos
