The Commando hits 50 in style

We mark half a century of the isolastic icon

Anyone with ambitions to own a classic British twin should put an old Norton Commando at the top of their list. Particularly if you’d rather ride than polish. A Commando will be all day-long fast. Its capabilities transcend the 50 years since its launch and ten years of production from 1968-1978 during which 55,000 were built. The long-stroke motor delivers low-down torque sufficient to catch those used to modern bikes unawares, the noise is captivating and the lines are unmistakably British. Where other old Brit twins will shake themselves to bits when ridden hard, the Commando with its rubber-mounted motor lets you concentrate on what’s important: the ride.

The Commando’s capabilities are all the more remarkable given that it was conceived as a stopgap until Norton could launch a more modern overhead camshaft bike based on designs they’d been working on in the mid-1960s. That never happened and instead the Commando used a 750cc version of a push-rod parallel twin that could trace its lineage back to the 1947 500cc Model 77. The gearbox was in separate castings from those of the engine and regular hikes in capacity in the two decades the engine had been around had seen it go from smooth to filling-rattling. Norton’s cure for the vibes was the Isolastic engine mounting where rubber bushes in the front engine mount and gearbox cradle and a head steady with rubber bobbins absorbed the up and down movement of the twin but stopped it twisting in the frame. Since then the Commando has garnered a huge following. An excellent aftermarket offering useful upgrades, easy availability of spares and a resourceful user community have made it one of the most capable classics ever. While prices are on the rise, they’re still keen especially compared to some of the rarer Bonnevilles. Go Commando now.