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COmmando JPS

Norton Commando John Player on the block

August 2020

Commando JPS

The next Shannons online classic auction – August 19-26 – features this rather nice 1974 Norton Commando John Player, complete with the lightweight replica race glass. It carries an estimate of Au$24-28,000

Under the clothes it's essentially a MkIIA 850 (actually 829cc), which means kick-start only. The JP replicas were to mimic the high-profile F750 racers of the time and pretty much instantly became a collector item.

Norton Commando JPS

The bodywork is a thin fibreglass, with a sheath covering the 12lt steel fuel tank underneath. Tuning is absolutely standard, so we're talking 60 horses at 6200rpm and a four-speed transmission.

Though made in small numbers, the model breathed some much-needed life into Norton showrooms at a time when the marque was suffering major industrial disputes. It was priced at a substantial premium at US$2995 when a stock Commando was $2500. However a Ducati 750SS was priced at a heady US$3500, while a 750 Sport was $2600.

Norton Commando JPS

See this link for a spec sheet and contemporary road test from Cycle magazine.

See the auction catalogue here.

See the Norton (lot 81) here.

See a feature on our Commando MkIII here.

Norton Commando JPS

Norton Commando JPS

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