Norton Commando

[Wedge]

I need a project to keep me off the booze (and ladies) after work.

Has anyone heard of, seen, or know of any Norton Commando motorcycles in Thailand?

Preferable with green book but if not no drama.

Have seen many older, smaller capacity classics around but really need something different, cool, and a little angry.

I have a bunch of cool old classics back home waiting for some TLC but due to new Thai laws they'll have to stay there.

Is there any specialist classic motorcycles businesses around?

[DILLIGAD]

There are a number of classic bike clubs dotted around LOS. Unfortunately, I have never seen a Commando but have seen a number of old Triumphs and BSA's.

Good luck with your quest!

[JoePai]

Did my first 'ton' on one of those around the new Cowley by-pass

[Wedge]

They got the edge over the beezas and Bonnies just in coolness.

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[Wedge]

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[AllanB]

Almost fell of the back of one in the UK, when my mate pulled away from the lights racing a 911 in Slough. If you find two let me know, I wonder how much I could get for my grandmother?

Very nice ...

[BSJ]

I had a red 750 roadster with front drum brake. Bought it new and never modified it at all. After a while a BSA Rocket 3 started to mesmerise me and I succumbed to her charms.

[BirdsandBooze]

When I look at bikes from the 60s and 70s like the Commando and Bonneville I feel that modern day stylists have taken a wrong turn. With a few exceptions most of today's bikes are just plain ugly.

[Wedge]

I have an 850 commando, T140 Bonnie, T150 trident, 350 Ducati Scrambler back in Oz but love the style of the Nortons.

Come on guys, anyone seen any here. I know they'd be stupid expensive here but need a fix. Ha ha.

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[Farma]

There are a number of classic bike clubs dotted around LOS. Unfortunately, I have never seen a Commando but have seen a number of old Triumphs and BSA's.

Good luck with your quest!

Slightly off topic. I remember back in the early 80's a group of guys working with me in Northern Malaysia would sometimes stumble upon old abandoned Brit bikes in rubber plantations while on Hash House Harrier runs. They've recover the bikes, restore them and ship them back to Oz sometimes in pieces. There was a shop on Penang that made all new rubber mouldings for the bikes. Another place in Butterworth could repair the tanks plus do lead swiping.

A couple of the guys managed to find old Triumps in the Hadyai and Betong areas. By that stage the Thai sourced bikes were a bit of a heinz variety with engines not matching frames etc.

I recall around the same time there was a shop near MBK selling still crated and packed in grease Brit war bikes that had been buried by the Brits as the Japanese advanced.

[BSJ]

"I recall around the same time there was a shop near MBK selling still crated and packed in grease Brit war bikes that had been buried by the Brits as the Japanese advanced."

555 That story has been around so long....in several iterations. The one I first heard when I was a teenager was "WLA Harley's were buried in the desert in the Northern territory....."

[DILLIGAD]

"I recall around the same time there was a shop near MBK selling still crated and packed in grease Brit war bikes that had been buried by the Brits as the Japanese advanced."

555 That story has been around so long....in several iterations. The one I first heard when I was a teenager was "WLA Harley's were buried in the desert in the Northern territory....."

Yup, heard that one too and that was how The big dealer in Fulham started off , cannot remember the name, something like "whores".

I think the days of"barn finds" are long gone now (unfortunetly)

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[Jerry Cornelius]

"I recall around the same time there was a shop near MBK selling still crated and packed in grease Brit war bikes that had been buried by the Brits as the Japanese advanced."

555 That story has been around so long....in several iterations. The one I first heard when I was a teenager was "WLA Harley's were buried in the desert in the Northern territory....."

Yup, heard that one too and that was how The big dealer in Fulham started off , cannot remember the name, something like "whores".

I think the days of"barn finds" are long gone now (unfortunetly)

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Barn finds aren't long gone, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to locate. Then there's an issue of obtaining spares if you're looking to do an honest restoration.

Nice choice of bike though.

If you're just looking for a project bike, it may be better to look for a Japper. Maybe a Honda or a Sakakaky.

Jerry

[Farma]

That war bike story sounded credible at the time. One of the guys claimed he made a special trip to Bangkok and saw them. He even went so far as to describe an empty shop with a white VW beetle on display and the bikes in crates out back. He claimed they were asking too much and thats why he didn't buy.

DILLIGAD up your way in Sisaket I've seen an older sad looking honda at the railway nightime food market that looked unusual. It stood out as it had a nitrous oxide boost system installed. It had proper N2O badges on it and didn't look like a homemade addon. I've seen it parked near the railway fence stalls away from the flag pole end.