1962 Norton Featherbed Cafe Racer

A while back I posted a listing for a Hogbitz Sportster cafe racer that was the most expensive bike to ever hit the blog ($25K asking price). It was relisted at least once, if not multiple times. This Norton comes in a close second with a Buy-It-Now price of $22,500. As is this the second Norton in a row I’ve posted, it is interesting to compare the bikes, and what differentiates an unrestored Norton Commando from a fully restored and cafe-racerized (including lots of motorwork) Norton Featherbed/Manx. I guess the difference comes down to this 1962 Norton being what is essentially a show bike with a hopped-up motor you could ride, versus the 1971 Norton Commando posted before being an unrestored daily rider that has a frame in good shape with “no visible cracks”.

You decide. $22.5K for a beautiful bike that has been gone through with a fine-tooth comb, or $7.5K for a bike that you might put a little elbow grease into over time (and maybe a motor rebuild while you’re at it). It would be interesting to see what this bike sells for, but it is a Buy-It-Now with Make Offer (2 offers so far), so we won’t be able to watch any climbing auction prices.

1971 Norton 750 Commando Cafe Racer

Here’s a nice looking example of a first-gen Commando that has been converted to cafe-racer duty. Overall, the modifications are spot-on, but I do have one minor quibble: the rear ride height. Shocks one inch longer would really balance the bike front-to-rear, and lifting the back end up would also probably quicken the handling just a smidge.

Other than that, this is an unrestored runner that is currently not seeing much action in the auction. There is a a day and a half left in the auction, and the current price is $4,550. Reserve has not been met, but there is a Buy-It-Now price of $7,500, so we can probably assume the reserve is set somewhere around $7K. With only two bidders so far, it seems there isn’t a huge chance the bike will end up selling.

1971 Norton 850 Commando (relist on eBay)

Here’s a relisted Norton cafe racer that I liked a lot the first time around, and I don’t like it any less now. There is no reserve on the auction, so it should sell this time. Maybe it was a non-paying bidder last time? No idea. Current price is $2,550 with over 4 days left and a few bidders. Here’s the link to the original bike, or you can click through to the new listing through the pics below…
ORIGINAL POSTING

1971 Norton 750 Commando – Gus Kuhn

With about 21 hours left in this eBay auction, here’s a chance to own a classic Gus Kuhn Norton that is fully kitted out. It’s definitely not a show bike, and as the seller claims it starts easily and runs great this would probably be a great bike for Sunday morning runs up to Alice’s Restaurant. That being said, I’m sure this bike would attract a lot of attention if it was parked at any classic bike show.

Here’s a list of parts fitted to the bike

Racing 850 Kit
Updated AMAL MK2
Tomaselli clip-on
Morris mag wheels
AP brake master cylinder
Frame and motor number matching

While reserve hasn’t been met yet, I’d bet that there will be a few more bids before the auction ends. The price currently stands at $3,750 with 8 bids.

1976 Moto Guzzi 850 Lemans Project

Up for auction on eBay is this Moto Guzzi that is going to need a bit of work in the cosmetics department. Given the lack of description and the high starting price, it isn’t too surprising that there are zero bidders and the price is $3,995. Reasons for this probably include the cracked fins on the heads, and the bike’s origins as a supposed race bike. If it still had the straight-cut gears and the Dellorto carbs, that might be a little better. Actually, it may still have the race gearbox, but the seller doesn’t really know.

I guess the final analysis of this bike would say that it is a good example of an eBay bike that the buyer should investigate further before placing a bid. Given that there is only an hour left in the auction it is likely that we will see it pop up again for sale…

1971 Norton Commando 850 Cafe Racer

First off, I would like to apologize for the poor quality of the previous bike and post. After taking a month plus off from blogging about the current crop of cafe racers, I was mostly discombobulated while writing that, given a comment or two that I received both online and in person. 😦 Be that as it may, it is time to move on to bigger and better things. Below you will see what I hope is my apology in action…

Here we have a really nice Commando 850 that has been entirely cafe’d. I am having trouble finding anything missing from this bike that would need upgrading immediately upon purchase. You could, of course, add higher-performance parts to it. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is basically a turnkey bike that the buyer can hop on and ride. The seller has been honest with the few issues that it has (speedo cable, oil weep, and tank dings), and it has a recently rebuilt engine. If there is anything I have missed that should be there (me not being a true Norton expert or anything like that), please let me know…

Currently, there is less than a day left in the auction, and the price is in the mid $4K range with 21 bidders. Perhaps it will break $5K before the auction ends. It isn’t perfect, but the seller is being very upfront with the issues it does have. Good luck if you bid…

1971 Honda CB750 Dunstall-Style Cafe Racer

I’m not going to write a lot about this bike. I’ve got a cut-and-paste from the listing of some of the things done to this bike, and there are a few more pics in the listing if you want to check them out. Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!!!

There are 4 days left in the auction, and the price is currently at $3,950. The seller seems honest, and has good feedback. This is a sweet looking bike that should really be a runner, too.

From the listing…
The engine has been completely rebuilt. It has an 850 big bore kit in it with a real nice street cam in it. The head have new valves, guides, springs, & keepers. The lower half has been rebuilt with new heavy duty chains & all new factory bearings & seals. The bike runs great & pulls really hard for an old girl !!!
The tank is a new fiberglass Dunstall style & has been coated with KBS tank coating for years of use with todays fuel additives. The tail is fiberglass & is completely rubber mounted! (no cracking or un-wanted vibration on this bike.)
The wheels are 18” alum high shouldered laced with stainless spokes & Mich tires.
The forks are completely rebuilt with new Progressive springs, new seals & oil.
The exhaust sounds great, it is a perfect blend of low rpm quiet with high rpm scream.
The bike has been professionally painted using only the highest quality materials. The pics do not do justice to the clarity of this paint job.

1974 Norton Commando MKII Roadster 850

Here’s a beautiful, clean, and non-restored Norton Commando cafe racer. The price is currently a low $3,150 with 2 1/2 days left in the auction. The seller has it listed on craigslist for $4,100, so I suspect the reserve is no higher than the craigslist price.

I focused on the price first, because the pics tell most of the story. However, there is more to the story. The seller is honest about the flaws on this bike, which include a small amount of road rash from a low speed dump and a couple of instances of cracked glass (speedo and headlight). It also has some nice upgrades other than the cafe racer aesthetics including electronic ignition, new headers, and an RGM brake system.

What’s especially nice about this bike is that it is very representative of a true British cafe racer. And honestly, the only aesthetic thing that has been done to this bike is the conversion to clubman bars. Damn, I wish I could afford this bike!

1974 Norton Commando 850 Cafe Racer

I thought I had posted this bike already, but apparently I hadn’t. There’s only a little over a day left in the auction, so I’m sorry for the late notice. It is a beautiful bike, though, so I’m glad I caught it…

This Commando 850 cafe racer appears to be a pretty clean bike. The paint appears to be in good condition, and the “engine has fresh service and valve adjustment, all new fluids, runs perfectly…………. easy start hot or cold” to quote the seller. No idea if that’s true or not. It’s got a bunch of new parts and upgrades including 18″ wheels and an electronic ignition. Overall, a really nice Norton.

Custom 1975 Moto Guzzi 850 Cafe Racer

There’s several good cafe racers I found recently listed on eBay when I searched today. This one stood out as being an affordable example of one that could be ridden daily. The aluminum tank is sweet, even though it has a welded-in patch. I just really like the overall look the bike, and Guzzi’s aren’t a bike you see every day.