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VOLUME ISSUE SEPTEMBER , P143 Subscribe to more than 60 years of Cycle News Archives issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives Norton also handled well in off- road conditions. "Even though you may never plan to ride your $1500 road machine in the mud, it's nice to know that if it becomes neces- sary, the effort won't kill you." Before one rides the Norton, one must first start the Norton. There are no magic buttons, though the tester praised "one of the secrets…a manual choke." The activation of this mysterious device, coupled with "a good, healthy kick," would bring the Commando to life without excep- tion. "I started it several times when the temperatures were below freezing and it was always one kick." A California freeze is T- shirt weather for real people, but this Norton apparently started reliably even below 60 degrees. Many good street bikes ex- isted in 1971, but everything from the Honda CB750 to the Harley- Davidson Sprint bowed and knelt to the Norton, which the tester hailed as "…the definite and un- disputed master of the freeways. It will outaccelerate, outbrake and outmaneuver almost any- thing" on the road. The Norton seemed most "happy" while cruising at 80-85 mph but was also "rock solid at an indicated 115 mph." The Norton was mostly smooth, with the tester not- ing that "vibration is non- existent when the engine speed is above 3000 rpm, which is 98 percent of the time. There is some vibra- tion between idle and 3000 which caused one fellow who was riding it to remark that he 'sort of liked it' because it reminded him that he was on a snortin' Norton." Brush up on your street sema- phore, as you'll need those hand motions on this ride. The Norton Commando Fastback came straight from Wolverhampton sans turn signals. Although the rider would have preferred to have them "on the freeway," he admit- ted he can do without them. He was not pleased, however, to note that the bike lacked a "kill button," something he regarded as a "seri- ous omission." The "combination taillight-stoplight" was adequate but not ideal, though he reminded readers that, thanks to the abun- dance of ride-by-cable power, one could "keep people off your tail if you want to." The Norton Fastback was a real looker. Everything seemed to belong right where it was placed. The upswept exhausts tapered into cones that looked ready for lift-off. They were mounted beneath a boat-tail rear fender, a design feature that was a hid- eous sight on some early '70s machines, yet somehow a per- fect fit on the Fastback. Chromed instrument housings, fork boots and spoked wheels finish out the package, which weighs just over 400 pounds, even with oil, some petrol in the tank and the impres- sive tool kit, which provided a collection of spanners that would keep the Snap-On rep at bay for thousands of miles. It is 1971, and an air-cooled twin with push rods and a couple of Amal carbs is the "master of the freeway." This motorcycle has drum brakes, no turn signals, an odd item called a centerstand, and a real tool pouch for real riders. It runs best at a pedes- trian 80-85 mph and features some tingly vibrations below three grand. Fire up your turn- table, put on "Who's Next?" and remember a time when a snortin' motorcycle just felt right. But reminisce only! Steer clear of the Marketplace so that you won't get fooled again. CN When CN tested the Commando Fastback in 1971, we said it would outaccelerate, outbrake and outmaneuver almost anything on the road.