1974 Norton Commando
1974 Norton Commando Background & History
The 1974 Norton Commando was available in a variety of configurations, all cosmetic packages, as they were all built on identical, stock Commando engines, frames and running gear. While the first Commando was the Fastback, by 1974, the standard Norton Commando was the Roadster, which is the most common model and the one you see most often. The Commando Interstate was the touring version, with a larger fuel tank and cushier seat. The Street Scrambler, or SS, had high pipes running along the left side, in case anyone wanted to go off road on the 420-pound Commando. The hideous Hi-Rider continued as Norton’s “Factory Chopper” with absurd ‘banana seat’, sissy bar and high ape-hanger bars. But the real news was the gorgeous, ahead-of-its-time John Player Norton (JPN), essentially the world’s first factory cafe racer. A decade later, Honda made it popular with their game-changing V4 Interceptor, and every other manufacturer followed suit bringing us the rash of enclosed sport bikes that we see today. But in 1974 the idea of a street version of a fully-faired GP bike was revolutionary.
ABOVE & BELOW: The 1974 Norton Commando Roadster was back with few changes. Still available as a 750 or 850, still without an electric starter or a 5-speed.
1974 Norton Commando 'Mark Madness'
For 1974, confusion about Commando’s Mark’s continued on with a Mk1A version of the Roadster and the Interstate, while MkI’s became MkIIA’s with the addition of a new airbox, bean-can silencers (mufflers) and a pleated seat. Some US models retained the earlier intake and exhaust systems, because the airbox turned out to be hurting performance. The Hi-Rider continued as a MkII with its original airboxes and silencers.
ABOVE & BELOW: The 1974 Norton Commando Interstate was back, filling the role of touring bike, with its 5-gallon tank and heavily-padded seat.
Trouble in Paradise
Elsewhere in the Norton empire, the newly formed Norton-Villiers-Triumph (NVT) was struggling badly. Norton’s parent company, Manganese Bronze Holdings, Ltd. had purchased the troubled BSA company (who also owned Triumph) and was attempting to breathe new life into them. During the merger, BSA went out of business, leaving Triumph on former-rival Norton's hands. Norton had mistakenly announced their planned closure of the Triumph plant at Meriden, with plans to move all Triumph production to Norton’s plant at Wolverhampton. The Triumph employees revolted by taking over the Meriden plant and holding it for the next 18 months, shutting down all Triumph twin production. All of the problems with that, plus the loss of income from Triumph was starting to take its toll on Norton Motorcycles, who wasn't setting the world on fire with its own sales anyway.
ABOVE & BELOW: The 1974 Norton Commando SS moved decidedly away from 'dirt bike' to become more of a boulevard brawler. The twin side pipes running high along the left side were back, replacing the previous years high pipes with one on each side. This was a much better look. Gone also were the off-road front fender and universal (mild knobbies) tires, turning the SS into a bona fide street bike.
1974 Norton Commando gets Bad Press
This began to show in many ways. Models would start dropping off the lineup. And quality was beginning to suffer. Magazine articles, which use to gush praises of the Commando, were now having trouble finding machines that could complete their barrage of tests. Generally it was found that if they were properly built in the factory and correctly set up by the dealer, they were fast and reliable. But get a ‘Friday bike’ or one that has not been properly maintained and anything could happen. Not good for sales.
John Player Norton
The real bright spot for 1974 was the introduction of the John Player Norton (JPN for short) as a regular production motorcycle. Styled like a road racer of the day, and perhaps the first to do so on a production street bike (they’re everywhere today), with full fairing, big tank, squared-off tail section and blacked-out exhaust, it was one tough-looking machine. It was painted white with broad red and white stripes with the Union Jack on either side of the tail section. It had two side-by-side headlights faired into the front. Performance-wise, it was essentially a box-stock 1974 Norton Commando. While it never sold in huge numbers, it was a real ‘halo bike’ for all Norton Motorcycles. It brought ’em into the showrooms. And it worked. The JPN paid homage to the sponsor relationship that Norton had with English cigarette-maker John Player, and had great success campaigning factory race versions of the bike. Unfortunately, for all the attention it got, only 200 JPNs were built. For more details on the John Player Norton, got to our dedicated page on it.
1974 Norton Commando Specifications
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Model designations:
Engine type Displacement Bore & Stroke Compression Carburetors Ignition Engine output Oil system Oil capacity Primary drive Clutch Gearbox Ratios, overall: 1st, bottom 2nd 3rd 4th, top Final drive Frame type Suspension, front Suspension, rear Brake, front Brake, rear Wheelbase Seat height Weight |
Interstate Roadster MkIA & MkII Production Racer Hi-Rider MkI John Player Special Air-cooled OHV parallel twin 828cc 77mm X 89mm / 3.03″ X 3.503″ 9.0:1 2- Amal Concentric, 32mm Battery & coil, Lucas 60 bhp @ 6200 rpm Dry sump 6 pts Triplex chain Multi-plate diaphragm, wet 4-speed constant-mesh, right-foot shift
12.40:1 8.25:1 5.90:1 4.84:1 Chain Double cradle, Isolastic Suspension Telescopic fork, hydraulic damping Swing Arm, 2 dampers, Isolastic mounts 10″ disk, 2-piston hydraulic caliper 7″ SLS drum, full width 57.1″ 31.3″ 419 lbs |
1974 Norton Commando Books
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