Original Commando 1968-1977
Heritage
The original Norton Commando launched 1968 with a 745cc OHV parallel-twin. Won MCN Machine of the Year five times running 1968-1972. Around 60,000 made. Engine grew to 828cc in 1973. Production ended 1977 when Norton-Villiers-Triumph went into receivership. The bike that defined British motorcycling at its end.
Three revivals, three failures, one success
Brand history
Revival 1: Kenny Dreer 952cc Commando (USA, ~50 units, 2005-2006, ran out of money). Revival 2: Stuart Garner Norton 961 (2010-2020, build quality and warranty problems, brand collapsed). Revival 3: TVS-owned Norton 961 (2023-now). Each revival inherited the previous engine architecture but got progressively closer to a working business.
Same engine, three eras
961cc OHV twin
The TVS-era 961 uses fundamentally the same engine architecture as the Dreer 952 and the Garner 961 — pushrod OHV, two valves per cylinder, air-cooled, parallel-twin. The TVS rework changed cams, valve train, materials and added 100,000 man-hours of testing. Result: same character, working reliably for the first time.
350+ design changes
TVS rework
TVS engineers reportedly made over 350 changes between the Garner-era 961 and the 2023 TVS-era 961. Most were small detail fixes — a gearshift linkage that doesn't bend, a wiring harness that doesn't melt, a fuel pump that survives ethanol fuel. Hidden engineering, not headline-grabbing changes.
Pricing: £16,499 in a £13,000 segment
Premium positioning
The 961 SP at £16,499 sits well above its closest rivals — Triumph Thruxton RS (£12,995), Triumph Speed Twin 1200 (£11,295), Moto Guzzi V7 Stone (£8,200). Buyers pay 30-50% more for hand-build, exclusivity and Norton heritage. Residuals are reportedly strong because production volumes are very small.
Not Euro5 — IVA only
Regulatory choice
Norton sells the Commando 961 under Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) rather than full Euro5 type approval. This avoids the cost of full homologation but limits the bike to the UK market in significant volume. The new TVS strategy is to pursue full international type approval for the upcoming Atlas range — the 961 will likely remain UK-only.
Where it sits
Niche British
The Commando 961 is for buyers who want a genuinely hand-built, characterful British motorcycle and don't mind paying a premium and accepting that they won't get TFT dashboards, multiple ride modes or ABS sophistication. Closest peers in feel: original 1990s Bonnevilles, Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 (in spirit, not in price). No real direct competition.
