Blimey, is it really 50 years since I joined Motor Cycle News as a hugely enthusiastic but very inexperienced journalist? Yep, and my first week at the newspaper, then based above Burtons, the tailor’s shop, in Kettering High Street, was made even more memorable by having the brand new Norton Commando 850 sitting in the yard – and I was allowed to ride it!
Naturally, I set off after work and headed south to see my mates in Croydon that evening and show off the bike that was on the front page of Wednesday’s paper. It was the first time I’d ridden any kind of Norton, let alone the top of the range model, and also the first time I’d ridden a new bike.
The Commando was brilliant. It motored along effortlessly, with a remarkably supple ride and precise handling. Everything worked! It was a big bike that felt completely manageable and comfortable … and fast. No wonder the Commando, in 750cc guise, had won MCN’s Machine of the Year title five years in a row and sold more than 55,000 models worldwide. The only criticism anyone made was that the pushrod engine design was a touch outdated compared with the new large capacity overhead cam superbikes coming from Japan.
Here we are 50 years later and the Norton Commando has been relaunched… with essentially the same upright pushrod two cylinder engine. In a way it’s a classic motorcycle enthusiast’s dream: not just retro style but retro at its beating heart too.
Let’s put aside the troubled times Norton has been through over the past few years. The current Norton company, taken over by TVS Motor, is far removed from the previous one. It’s been reborn with not just enthusiasm but financial muscle and technical competence.
For a start, the two new versions of the Norton Commando 961 have come out of a state-of-the-art, multi-million-pound facility in the heart of the UK manufacturing region – Solihull. The two variants are great choices, the Sport (SP) at £16,499 and Cafe Racer (CR) at £16,999. That’s the basic list prices but there are options which can push that price up.
Both versions of the Commando are powered by an air and oil cooled 961cc parallel twin, which develops max power of 76.8bhp @ 7250rpm and max torque of 81Nm (60ft lb) @ 6300rpm. That’s quite a punchy power increase over the original which supposedly put out 58bhp.
What’s brand new are the suspension and brakes: 43mm Öhlins USD (upside-down) forks at the front – adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping. At the rear, the Commando 961 has twin shocks, again Öhlins and fully adjustable. The suspension is matched by Brembo brakes with radial mount calipers at the front coupled to a radial master cylinder. (I had to google ‘radial brakes’ – it’s a better way of mounting the calipers to the forks.)
The Sport has conventional upright handlebars whereas the Cafe Racer, as the name suggests, goes for a lower-profile ‘clip on’ style. Both types of ‘bars are made from high-grade, solid aluminium, accompanied by aerospace-grade billet-machined yokes. The polished stainless steel single headlamps also differ.
The press statement from Norton has a quote from Dr Robert Hentschel, Chief Executive Officer at Norton Motorcycles, who said, “The Commando name is iconic and is unmistakably Norton. Our new generation Commando 961 SP and CR pay respect to timeless design whilst harnessing a modern flare. We’ve built a motorcycle that is unique and beautiful.
“We have been rigorous in our approach to ensure we are providing the very best version of the Commando 961.
“It’s been some years since the sound of a new Commando engine has echoed through UK streets and we’re delighted to be able to offer our customers this experience once again.
“To achieve the motorcycle’s artistic look demands supreme attention to detail and an uncompromising attitude towards using the very best quality material. From the sound of the engine to the feel of the tyres on the road, this new generation Commando 961 is the perfect combination of artistry, handling, attitude, and style.
“At our state-of-the-art facility in Solihull, and thanks to the £100-million investment from TVS Motor, we have hand-crafted a motorcycle that is befitting of the new Norton brand and one that marks yet another significant milestone in our journey.”
Fast Facts
Norton Commando 961
Engine: Norton air-oil-cooled pushrod parallel twin with dry sump lubrication
Bore & stroke: 88mm x 79mm
Displacement: 961cc
Compression ratio: 10.1:1
Ignition: Crank-fired, electronic fuel injection
Exhaust: Full stainless steel exhaust system with multiple 3-way catalytic converter
Power: 76.8hp @7250rpm
Torque: 81Nm @6300rpm
Gearbox: 5-speed constant mesh type
Final drive: 525 O-ring chain
Clutch: Wet multi-plate
Frame: Hand TIG and MIG welded at Norton HQ
Wheelbase: 1400mm
Rake: 24.5 º
Trail: 99mm
Seat height: 810mm
Yokes: Billet-machined
Front brakes: Twin Brembo 320mm fully-floating high carbon steel discs and Brembo 4-piston Mono Bloc radially mounted calipers with ABS, and Brembo front brake master cylinder
Rear brakes: Brembo 240mm disc and 2-piston caliper with ABS, and Brembo rear brake master cylinder
Front suspension: 43mm Öhlins upside-down forks – adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping
Rear suspension: Öhlins twin shocks with remote reservoir – fully adjustable
Front wheel: 36-spoke, 3.5in x 17in polished aluminium rim
Rear wheel: 40-spoke, 5.5in x 17in polished aluminium rim
Front tyre: Dunlop Sportmax GPR 300, 120/70 x 17in
Rear tyre: Dunlop Sportmax GPR 300, 180/55 x 17in
