• Stored from new, delivery miles only

• One of only 200 made

• Displayed in a dealership, then left and rediscovered

• As close to a new one as you’ll find

There was a time before the Japanese motorcycle industry really kicked off where British bikes were the best-selling models in the world, and chief among them was Norton. 

In 1968, the company launched its 850 Commando, and to promote it there was a huge motorsport programme. Legendary riders Peter Williams and Phil Read were stacking up trophies at places like the Isle of Man TT, which Norton won in 1971.

Back then, of course, cigarette manufacturers were allowed to advertise in sports, and John Player wanted a slice of the action, becoming chief sponsor of Norton’s racing antics from 1972 to 1975. 

It was only a matter of time, then, before Norton, came up with a street version of its race bikes. The 1974 John Player Norton, or JPN for short, was the result. Underneath it's just a stock 850 Commando with a smaller rear sprocket. But the stunning bodywork set it apart from anything else being sold at the time – its full fairing and twin headlamps might be common on bikes of today, but in 1974 they weren’t and the JPN was spoken of in hushed tones. 

It’s one of the most collectable and iconic bikes of the 1970s even in well-used condition. And then there’s this brand new one… there’ll never be another one like it! 

Yes, you heard that right. This is a brand new John Player Norton. There are a mere 18 miles recorded on the odometer, which is the delivery milage from the Hampshire factory to the ports of exit and entry when the bike first left the factory. 

It arrived in the USA in 1974 and spent its entire life on display in Leone’s Cycle Shop in Beaumont, Texas, whose logo still appears on the rear mudguard. 

Leone’s closed down in 2015 and the bike remained on site, before being discovered by a collector in 2018 and imported to the UK, where it remained in storage ever since – the vendor, an enthusiast of all forms of transport, has given it pride of place in his office alongside a custom-built Harley-Davidson, but with so many other vehicle projects on the go he’s decided to let the JPN go in the hope it becomes part of another collection. 

There will never be another opportunity like this. 

With the Norton, there’s a box file full of documents relating to both it and the JPN Nortons in general. Just 200 were made, and the file contains original advertisements, race programmes and other artefacts from the early Seventies that tell the story of the model.

There’s also a certificate documenting the history of this bike and confirming its authenticity via the Norton Owners Club, along with an engineer’s report as to its condition as found in 2018 and remedial work undertaken to get it running, though it has never been used on the road since. 

Also in the file are photographs of the bike when it was on display at Leone’s, backing up its history. 

Well, this is pretty much a new bike, so what do you expect? Yes, it’s almost perfect. And to back that up, it comes with a DVD taken using a videoscope to show the condition of the engine’s insides. This was taken in 2018, and at the time the bike was fired up using an external fuel supply to check that it still ran perfectly. It did. 

The bodywork is faultless and even still has the original decals attached that would normally have been removed upon delivery, explaining the starting procedure and gearshift pattern. 

There are two parts on the bike that aren’t original. One is a fuel line, the other is a strap for securing the stand. Both were rubber parts that had perished with age, but are included in a box along with a spare battery so that you can essentially have 100% of the original bike. 

The engine heat reflectors have also been refurbished as the original stainless steel finish had tarnished over the years, leaving the only part of the bike that shows any kind of ageing as the nearside rear-view mirror, which has begun to delaminate. 

This isn’t a massive issue, though, as the mirror itself is a generic ‘TEX’ mirror of 1970s vintage and would be easy enough to replace. But then, it wouldn’t be wholly original. Maybe something else to put in the box with the perished rubbers? 

In 2018, the bike was checked over and a full report made, detailing a few areas of concern such as surface corrosion on some components in the braking and steering systems. These were all rectified there and then. At the same time, the videoscope DVD was made showing (as you would expect) no wear whatsoever inside the engine.

Apart from on the day of our photos, the bike hasn’t been outside since and has been stored in temperature controlled indoor surroundings. 

So here you have it – a once in a lifetime chance to buy not only a brand new Norton, but also one of the world’s first superbikes. 

Yes, this would be a rare opportunity if it was a well-used and abused JPN as there were only 200 sold worldwide in the first place, and it would inevitably be hunted down by collectors even as a distinctly second-hand motorcycle. 

This one is new. Pretty much brand new. 

It’s not one to sit and think about, as there will never, ever be another opportunity like this.