Over the last few years, the phenomenon of finding brand new vintage motorcycles still in the shipping crates seems to have picked up steams. It would seem like the sort of thing that should happen once a decade but it’s now happening multiple times per year where a motorcycle shop uncovers a brand new bike that’s never been unpacked. The latest in this line of discoveries is a 1975 Norton Commando 850 listed here on eBay with an opening bid of $50,000 and no takers yet.
This is what the Norton looked like brand new, with the John Player paint scheme. The Commando was a wildly popular model, with Norton producing around 60,000 examples across the various model generations. The MK3 850 featured electric start in this final iteration along with disc brakes front and rear. These bikes were supposedly wonderful to ride, with some fairly trick isolation technology to protect the rider from unnecessary noise, vibration, and harshness.
Now, let’s get back to finding a brand new motorcycle in a crate. Millis Cycle in Millis, Massachusetts supposedly got the Norton in a swap with Lakeside Cycle in Wisconsin. After arriving in Massachusetts, it remained in the crate, inside the shop, never being touched. The seller notes his friend, who was the owner of Millis Cycle, has since passed away, and his son – who inherited the Norton – has decided to put it up for sale to deal with rising nursing home costs stemming from his mother’s care.
The seller notes that the “….. bands have been removed and cardboard taken off to inspect for any imperfections or damage,” but the Norton is otherwise as it was when it arrived in its shipping crate. Here’s what I’m curious about: how many other brand-new motorcycles are hiding out in motorcycle shops with no attempt made to crack open the case? It makes you want to begin knocking on the doors of every motorcycle shop in town to ask if they’ve got any new merchandise lounging in the stock room.
:),,,,I’m going to pull a “Geomechs”, and rather than pi$$ and moan about the price, the nursing home scams, or the lack of use, I’m going to say, since I actually have a zero chance of ever obtaining my dream motorcycle, this, or a reasonably priced example, would absolutely complete my “motorcycle” life. I’ve had a lot, from humble Honda 50 to an FXRT, but never a “Limey”,,ESPECIALLY, a “Snortin’ Norton. Coming from Wisconsin, never heard of Lakeside Cycle, that I’d imagine is near the lake somewhere, and I don’t think this an overly outstanding find, it’s just been “unearthed”, and we’ll continue to see this for quite some time, I bet. Stuff people bought and never used. Obviously, some assembly required, these are finicky machines, and not like assembling a lawn mower. Things I notice, like fuel lines and system, grease in cables gone dry, gaskets shrink, on an already high maintenance machine, but rest assured, once complete, it will be the motorcycle experience of a lifetime, I’m that confident. Cool find.
The price of a nursing home isn’t a scam, it is a reality in this country. I could never understand how Americans could go on for decades letting needed medical costs bankrupt them when there are ample examples from around the world where this is all paid for with the same (or less) taxes. The difference is where that tax money is going, isn’t it? That needs to be a strong ongoing debate, not grumbling over and over about health care costs. I love my adopted country, but I also see that most of the natural born citizens are good grumblers but not real good at instigating needed changes.
The difference is where that tax money is going, isn’t it?
Hence “The Scam”
Thank goodness for Norton-they gave us material for beer fueled debates but more importantly the opportunity for gifted writers and riders to be heard (Peter Egan being the first to come to mind).
Like Howard said this nor any like it will ever grace my garage though not for the lack of desire.
Loved P Egan. only reason i subscribed to whatever mag he wrote for? 65; having a hard time figgerin out what side to get on or off my shovelhead FXE haven’t kicked it to start for 5yrs….batteries are cheaper than knee replacements….between; Howard and geomech…? you learn something everyday.
I have had a ’79 FXEF for over 40 years, runs great!.
Nice enough motorcycle. For half or less you can ride one home. Before you ride this it needs tires, tubes, battery, brakes are more than likely all full of jelled up brake fluid. I recently did the brakes on my 76 Bonneville. Replaced corroded master cylinders with stainless upgrades, hoses were replaced as the originals swelled to let no fluid pass, rebuilt calipers. I also drilled my discs. Hopefully the fuel tank isn’t full of rust. I like working on my bikes but the price is steep for a fixer upper.
Because each of the US states has its own laws, deciding where to look is made easier. Many states tax the inventory each year, and in those states, nothing is kept in inventory on tax day, so it won’t increase the tax bill. This motorcycle was clearly in one of those states where the inventory is not taxed, and as long as the owner can stand to park the inventory money, those bikes can sit forever. I recall a shop in Vietnam with Vincent Black Shadow engines in inventory, but that might have been conflict related as much as parking inventory.
Bought a black with gold one new in 1975. Rode it many years. The cam was soft and the dealer replaced it. That same dealer has one in the crate to this day. I still have an Interstate 850 after selling the first one that had high mileage. Haven’t ridden it in years. Just like looking at it.
Better take it out soon. Kinda cruel to it to let it sit.
While I am not a bike guy, it is interesting to note the price of this piece. Like everything else today especially on BAT, the prices are virtually out of reach of most people. Plus, if this is actually a crate bike, the uniqueness is its survival until today, is the fact that it is still in its crate! Once you remove it or attempt to revive it, that uniqueness ends and it winds up as a ‘used’ vehicle. The old saying still exists that ‘there is no such thing as a new vehicle!’ Once it is off the lot, it becomes no longer new! 50K is a quite a lot to spend unless you want to show it as a vehicle still in its crate. Now it becomes a museum piece and not a machine to be driven, ever! ( Of course if you have an extra 50K lying around and you want a unique crated vehicle, go for it, or take it out of its crate and just enjoy it for what it is, a NOS 48 year old motorcycle!)
Reminds me of a friend who was a used car dealer. He was looking at a car to purchase and the owners said “and it’s got new tires” and my buddy. says “Oh, that’s great, where are they? Are they in the back seat, the trunk?” Cracked me up. New is new, much different than “like new”. Cool find.
If I am going to tie up $50k in an investment I would look to something that might provide dividends and a more likely chance to appreciate predictably. Either that or you uncrate it and enjoy it and let it depreciate. Hanging on to the bike in this state seems to be somewhat of a waste as at some point people will lose interest when there is no longer a personal association with the machine.
Millis Cycle had this and others for many years, well known by the British cycle guys. Surprised they are finally putting it up for sale. Incidentally the grease on the cables, fuel lines and gaskets, are fine, basically NOS, and never exposed to heat and cooling cycles of a running motorcycle. Or I should say the “gaskets” are as good as any Norton from that era when new :)
My friend had 68 850 commando his brother had a 67 or 69 triumph 750 bonneville and both bikes were no joke the triumph was slightly chopped and it took real man to drive either bike . No elec start and if you weren’t careful you could lose the use of a leg if you didn’t jump on the kick start the right way both bikes had fresh rings and a rebuild with lots of compression.. my bike at the time was a 2stroke IT125 but I’d still go for some short tours on the back roads with them and they let me drive their bikes a few times and that 850 commando scared me more than once the 68 was a much bigger beefy looking bike than the one pictured in this ad. Similar but was all black and all engine with little chrome. I remember coming to a few mile stretch of straight road I was just puttin along in 4th so kicked it up into 3rd , everything is backwards or upside down on the brit bikes , so reached around far as I could and started twisting the throttle wide open and within 10 seconds I was going so fast the wind pulled my open face helmet off my head and I was being choked by the chin strap and almost pulled right off the bike ! Lol I managed to get slowed down and got my helmet on right and just cruised the speed limit all the way back home. So much low end torque on these bikes its crazy the owner ended up leaving the road into a lamp pole at a high rate of speed one night out by himself and destroyed the bike and everything on the left side of his body but miraculously and a testament to his manly ness he made a full recovery with some pins and plates and lots of physio and drives a Harley now 30 years later and alot less beers
My f had a 750 Bonneville and hit the edge of a dump truck spent 6 months in a coma. Got out never ever the same. Done a robbery spent 20 in prison. Been out a while. Welding I heard and got a dwi
The Norton is a fine cycle, robust in many areas and are a joy to ride and easy to maintain. I still have a ’74 Commando 750 . Pete Egan worked for me when he bought his electric start Norton. It failed for he and Barb in Montana, allowing him to write a story of the trials following them home on a bus. That story opened the door for his writing career, starting with Cycle World, then R&T.
I knew a guy years ago who rode a Ducati, which, apparently, required that he wear a skin tight colorful leather jumpsuit to complete the picture. He told me about the time he came out of a restaurant to find his beloved Ducati gone. It was a long, hot and awkward ride home on the transit bus dressed somewhat like Evil Knievel…
And we have you to thank as well for the story material he gleaned while working for you.
Peter Egan worked for you? Might you be Chris Beebe? I still have my Slimey Cruds honorary membership card. I was riding my 1969 R69s around the world and stopped in Madison to see if I could meet Peter. Barb told me the whereabouts of the meeting so I rode over there and met a few of the members but Peter had just left.
Currently own three Norton Comandos including a 1969 Commando Fastback, as well as a 1967 Triumph Bonneville. The Notion is one of my all time favorite vintage motorcycles.
They are both great bikes but very different. The Notions are pure raw power and torque and pull like a freight train with long legged stability and predictable precise handling.
The Bonneville is delightful but much more relaxed power output, easy to start and ride but handles like a rubber band compared the the surgical precision of the Norton.
negative Neelleys,who is going replace a bunch of parts you are taking a 50g bike out of the crate and ride it and devaluate it,it will stay in crate
STILL got my 69 p-11 and its a bad a$$ bike.
I attend the Las Vegas Vintage motorcycle auction every year since about 2012. And every year there are at least a couple and sometimes more than that brand new still in the crate motorcycles.
Is this the newest thing? Old motorcycles in crates? If this has never been sold at retail, why is it not still on a Manufactures Statement of Origin (MSO)? I would envision problems with a 40 year old open title, should someone want register it for street use. and is it truly worth $50,000?
I have a buddy that bought 2 new 75’s when they came over in ’76. Still in crate to this day. If you offered him 50K for BOTH of them, he’d take it. The ’75’s were detuned, and the added electric start was beyond anemic. My ’74 850 would leave them in the dust. I just saw a ’74 with a ground up, frame off rebuild in Ws. for 8K. I’d take that one over this one any day. Still have and enjoy my ’74. Guess you’re paying premium for the crate?
owned a 72 750 as all the tooling was new to make it a bike well designed, rode it for years,when in service had a friend who kept the bikes for us while at sea on trials in jax fla. we had one new ,outside of jax we stopped on the longe miles straight stretch to turn them on to see who had the toip end bike harley low rider with us,two nortons, two 750 hondas,harley was brand new, told rider to not get involved as it might not be a good idea on a new bike, he did, burned the engine up, my norton was slightly the fastest at 147 on the odo.wife finally won, got rid of the bike .have looked for another for years at the right price and one owner. loved throwing it into a corner hard, no regrets ever,had some chrome work done to help appearance. now at 85 the kick starter might get me in trouble though.
Well done! Ended:
Apr 19, 2023 11:40:54 PDT
Starting bid:
US $50,000.00
[ 0 bids ]
Not all starry eyed ebay dreams come true, but they are entertaining for a time. An antique bike in pieces for the price of a new Harley or Indian. Dream big ebayer!