Norton Commando 750 Fastback
Norton's new superbike kept the big Atlas twin but hung the entire engine, gearbox and swingarm pivot in rubber-mounted Isolastic cradles. The 1967 show bike became a 1968 showroom model—and only later gained the Fastback name.
1967 Britain Norton Commando 750 Fastback · Piero (Dutch Wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
Norton-Villiers revealed the Commando at the 1967 Earls Court show while rebuilding its range after the collapse of Associated Motor Cycles. The design paired the long-developed Atlas parallel twin with a radically different light backbone chassis. Instead of asking the rider to tolerate the big twin's shaking, the Isolastic system let the power unit move on rubber bushes while keeping the steering frame comparatively calm. The motorcycle went on sale in spring 1968; its tapered fiberglass tank and seat/tail assembly became the visual signature later distinguished as 'Fastback.'
Look a little closer.
The first Commando was not called Fastback until later body styles made a nickname necessary.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Why rubber mounts were a chassis idea, not a comfort extra
On many older twins, the engine was bolted rigidly into the frame, so every firing pulse reached the bars, seat and footrests. Norton instead attached the swingarm pivot to the same cradle as the engine and gearbox, then isolated that entire working group from the steering frame. The clever part is structural: the rear wheel's alignment lives with the power unit while the rider-facing frame gets the vibration filter.
Source: Commando history ↗A name that arrived after the motorcycle
At launch there was only one Commando, so no body-style suffix was necessary. Once Roadster, S Type and other versions arrived, owners and catalogs needed a way to distinguish the original long-tail shape. 'Fastback' became the retrospective name. That is why a precise caption separates the 1967 unveiling, the 1968 production bike and the later variant label.
Source: Commando history ↗Where these facts come from
- Commando history
- Norton Commando road test
- Norton Commando rider's manual: technical data
- 1968 Norton Commando 750 Fastback
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 2, 2026.