Where shall I begin ... , first, let's introduce myself : my name is Jan  , 52 years old and I live in Belgium . My hobbies are Nortons , classic cars and juke boxes .

The first thing I did when I was 21 years old was buying a brand new N15 CS. That was summer 1970 . I still have the bike , looking better then ever , and the original bill of sale .Frame and engine # : 132404. That means that it was produced mid 1969 , more than a year after the introduction of the Commando . How can that be ?

The guy I bought is from is Leon Liekens , at that time an established Norton importer in Belgium  and many times Belgian champion side car cross ( scrambling) . He got his bikes directly from the factory on Plumstead road , London . So , appart from assembling Commandos and Mercurys ,  They also built some hybrids , from left over parts . My bike had the latest type of ignition : points at the back but blue capacitor ignition , but an older style handlebar (high crossbar) and oil tank : front fixing point not recessed ( a change I made myself long before I was aware that it was also done at the factory )  . The gas tank looked special : It was the familiar red , silver lined 2 gall. scrambler tank but with 2 dots at the back to fix it with a rubber band , Commando style . I don't have that tank any more , the one I have now is bolted at the back . Originally the tank had Machless emblems (changed from day one for the round Norton emblems )  but also a small silver  Machless sticker and a 5 " diameter green globe painted on it . Both sticker and green globe where carelessly applied , not symetrycally at all . The green paint peeled off very quicky , without damage to the red paint . I really regret that I didn't take any pictures of it at that time .

Mr Liekens bought at least six or seven of these bikes .  they where cheap : less than 300 pounds . He sold 2 or 3 to a local police force ( ! !) , dismantled a few because he needed the engines for scrambling , sold the remainders of these bikes to guys from the Netherlands , and the last one , witch was standing in his showroom for several months , to me . So I may well have the very last hybrid ever produced .

Over these 30 + years I have never seen another N15 in Continental Europe . In fact , I never even met someone who has seen one . In the early years info on these bikes was so scarce that it took me more than 15 years before I knew what I had . The first 5 years I referred to it as my "Matchless Norton " ,  the next 10 years I thought it was a G15 ( close ) .

I have owned several other Nortons and still have an 850 MK2A ( also from new ) but the N15 is my favorite . I have ridden this bike all over Europe , some 6 week long , 5000 + mile trips from the North Cape to southern Italy and Portugal . (most with the 4 gallon Matchless tank )

In the beginning I had my share of problems but stubbornness ( not wanting to admit that I made a mistake to buy it in the first place ) prevented me from selling it . Now,  I can afford myself anything  on two wheels , But I would'nt dream of selling it .

Although I'm very well aware of the importance of originality from a collectors point of view ( I've been in the car collectors buissiness )  , I made a lot of changes to the bike to make it safer , more comfortable and more reliable , and better looking ( but that's personal , of course  )  . In fact , I can almost not conceive that someone put more time and tought In such a bike to keep it up to the demands of modern traffic , because , although I can sit and admire it for hours , wit a beer in my hand , I also ride it , and ride it hard.

To finish , a quote from my older brother in1970, who wanted to buy the bike in the first place , but his wife wouldn't let him , contemplating the bike in a philosofical mood after a few beers : " This is the most beautiful thing ever made by men " .  Who am I to disagree with him ? .

(If you have any information on the latest N-15 type hybrids as described by Jan, let us know!)