Motorcycle specifications Norton961 Commando Café Racer MK II 2018 Modern-day privateer

the Café Racer version of the 961 Commando is a real emotional trap. Blending beauty, vintage and English passion, this Norton improves with this Mark II evolution. The manufacturer has gone to great lengths to enhance the level of finish and make various mechanical improvements. The brake calipers are still Brembo radials, but are now monobloc; the gold coating has been replaced by a graphite finish. The brake and clutch master cylinders are also Brembo. On the engine side, the crankshaft has been redesigned, the cylinders receive a new Nikasil treatment, and the gearbox is upgraded with a new set of gears.

the 961 Commando Café Racer:

this is the 3rd version of the new-generation Commando. And like all the manufacturer's charismatic motorcycles, it smells of the arsouille. This model lives up to its name magnificently, with its '70s look and feel, always ready for a good thrashing. Like its predecessor (750 and 850 Commando), it gives its all through a big air-cooled twin-cylinder. The same mechanics as on the SE and Sport versions - a mill completely out of step with the notion of modern sport. Just think: 2 valves per cylinder, 80 drums, a symbolic output per liter, fins to cool it... But who cares? And that's just as well. This machine is pure passion, a sports bike for the streets of London in the belle époque, a revival that grabs you by the gut. In short, an essential motorcycle that thinks character before performance.

but that doesn't mean it lets itself go. Equipment-wise, there's plenty to salivate over: a superb Öhlins inverted fork with full Brembo braking and radial calipers, a pair of handlebars and wristbands (a café-racer can't be conceived otherwise), a sport windscreen, and a selection of striking colors. Quite close to exclusivity, the Norton 961 Commando Cafe Racer can be had for a hefty handful of euros, far more than for a hypersport with tenfold efficiency.
But that's not how it works. You can't compare, and you don't want to. The Norton belongs to that breed of motorcycles that live differently, beyond time and space. If you're an enthusiast who's into the Norton & vintage spirit, the Cafe Racer is for you; if it's all about the look, the Triumph 1200 Thruxton R will give you the same attitude... for almost half the price, but less passion.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos