At some point, any good customizer finds himself in a situation when a client looks at a portfolio and says: “Build me a motorcycle like this.”Mike Watanabe and his teammate Luke Ransom found themselves in that position. They restore classic bikes and create stunning customs. One client asked them to build a motorcycle similar to a Norton Commando cafe racer he spotted on Union’s portfolio.
Their response was: ‘We’re happy to build a Commando custom, but we have some other ideas in mind”.
Those “some other ideas” had to do with Union’s fascination with Peter Williams and his John Player Norton. In 1973, Williams modified the Norton. He built a mono chassis and aero-fairing for it, and then went to the Isle of Man.
Mike didn’t want to create a pure replica, but used Peter's Norton as an inspiration.
Specifications:
- donor: 1974 Norton 850 Commando
- Morris mag wheels
- custom fiberglass bodywork
- modified upholstered seat
- modified frame
- custom oil tank
- overhauled engine, a new Tri-Spark ignition
- Norton SS headers and Cone Engineering mufflers
- Norvil Production Racer fork
- Norvil Production Racer floating discs
- AP racingcalipers
- AP and Brembo master cylinders
- Koni shocks
- Heidenau tires
- Sprocket Specialties rear sprocket
- original rearsets
- handlebar: clip-ons
- GPS speedo
- tach from Legendary Motorcycles
#Bike #Moto #Norton #Custom #Commando
