Dave Aldana's Norton

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May 30, 2008
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104
I took those pictures last year at the Legend of the Motorcycles in Half Moon Bay and i just wanted to make a small tribute to this great Racer Davild Aldana
Cheers
Frank
Dave Aldana's Norton

Dave Aldana's Norton

http://oscarapparel.blogspot.com/
 
The machine in the picture belonged to Ron Wood and was ridden by Alex Jorgensen. Aldana did ride a Norton at times, he was national no. 13.

Ken G.
 
I think motoracer8 is correct, I have an old book published in 1974 called 'The Motorcycle Book' by Joe Scalzo, in it there is a story about Dave Aldana racing a Norton at Ascot, on this occasion he was riding for a guy called Harold Allison. I also have an article somewhere about the Woods Norton and I don't think Aldana was one of the riders.
 
motoracer8 said:
The machine in the picture belonged to Ron Wood and was ridden by Alex Jorgensen. Aldana did ride a Norton at times, he was national no. 13.

Ken G.
Yes yoou right Motoracer8 but David did ride some of the Wood Norton's, though.
 
It seems like in those days lots of riders would race freelance for independent tuners and share the prize money with them, so unless someone specifically remembers or trawls through old record books I suppose there is no way of knowing who rode what, the obvious exception being the works riders who are quite well documented.
 
I've heard that in a career some folks would ride for more than 20 owners. I used to know an old biker in Sonoma that had ridden for factory teams who had pictures of Indians and Harleys, as well as Triumphs on the wall. Now that I'm older I wish I had written down some of the things he told us.
 
David Aldana got to toss a leg over several Norton Flattrackers. 1st one was the Harold Allison built & tuned Trackmaster that I own. This is pretty much right after Jody Nicholas switched to an XR750 in 1972 as national number 58.
After that David raced a C&J Norton that was a Miler, 1/2 miler & also converted at times to a TT bike. After the C&J framer ride, he did race one of the three made Ron Wood big tube chassis bikes as national number 10.
 
David Aldana got to toss a leg over several Norton Flattrackers. 1st one was the Harold Allison built & tuned Trackmaster that I own. This is pretty much right after Jody Nicholas switched to an XR750 in 1972 as national number 58.
After that David raced a C&J Norton that was a Miler, 1/2 miler & also converted at times to a TT bike. After the C&J framer ride, he did race one of the three made Ron Wood big tube chassis bikes as national number 10.
Welcome.

I think I know you, but don't tell me, let me guess...
 
When I bought this factory flat tracker from John Hately back in 1977, it had a rear sprocket stamped "ALDANA", but I don't know if that means he actually rode that bike, or if it was just installed from the team spares when they needed that size.

FYI, I added the tank paint scheme, and fitted the Supertrap silencers so I could ride it around a little in my neighborhood without the neighbors getting too excited. Otherwise, it's the way I got it from John. He was given the bike when the factory got out of racing, in the process of going belly up.

Hately Flat Tracker 1 1200.jpg


Hately Flat Tracker 2 1200.jpg


Ken
 
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Dave Aldana's Norton


ARRGGH

Dave Aldana's Norton


This front end aint bad . Those Perrilis er orrible on tarmac ,

Dave Aldana's Norton


Says the one belows a Ron Woods ( built ) bike .

Dave Aldana's Norton


Mr Woods did two frames perhaps . ( or wasit free )



Got the Tuning Artical still , but opeless on copmuters ,
 
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I think Aldana rode a Norton in the transatlantic match races 72or 73? and had a sense ofhumour that pissed the authorities off big time ... the black leathers with a luminous skeleton on the back
 
Aldana used to race every year at the Barber vintage MX, on a 450 Honda in a custom flat tracker frame. He was still impressive as a rider, I guess in his 60s.
I talked to him about 4 years ago in the pits. He was very friendly and when I told him I had a Norton he spoke favorably about his Norton experience. Nice guy.
Jaydee
 
I think Aldana rode a Norton in the transatlantic match races 72or 73? and had a sense of humour that pissed the authorities off big time ... the black leathers with a luminous skeleton on the back
The "bones" leathers became his trademark, instantly recognizable. He still wears tham at AHRMA events
 
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