Like most folks with even a passing interest in motorcycling, we?re suckers for a good Norton. And they don?t come much better than this beauty?a 1971 Commando restomod built by Retrospeed, a workshop in the Great Lakes area.
Retrospeed has four employees and is headquartered in in the oddly named town of Belgium, near the shores of Lake Michigan. ?We specialize in concours restorations of Japanese and European motorcycles,? says founder Brady Ingelse, ?so this Norton was something new for us.?

Brady is a certified motorcycle mechanic who, many years ago, rode his CB750 to Daytona Beach to undertake training at the American Motorcycle Institute.
His work is of supreme quality: as well as winning awards at concours d?elegance events, his Honda restorations have made the cover of Motorcycle Classics magazine not once, but twice.
The Commando was a commission from a customer called Dan, who has dreamed of owning a Norton for a long time and finally got Retrospeed build him his ideal bike.
?Dan has been interested in Nortons ever since he heard one in high school. He says he?s never forgotten that Norton twin sound,? says Brady. ?Throughout his life he?s owned over 30 motorcycles, but never a Norton. Finally, at 57 years young, he found his Commando!?

The Norton was in dire need of major repair, but Dan had a much larger vision than that. He contacted the crew at Retrospeed with his ideas and expectations.
?Together, we hashed out a plan and started the build,? says Br...