Hi everyone !
Just wanted to introduce myself : Fruzz from Brussels, Belgium.
Compliments to everyone for this excellent forum; full of resources, stories and information.
Its amusing how hanging around people with likewise interests helps convince oneself that they haven't, in fact, gone completely mad... :wink:
So this is the 3rd forum I have joined. One for every type of vehicle I guess....
Despite my relative young age, I have been exposed to the world of old cars and motorcycles ever since I was born. In truth, my father decided to cure the baby blues by buying an old (and battered) Aston which we still own today. That particular car suffered from me growing up, wetting my pants as a baby on the backseat, and throwing-up the Friday fish dinner forced down my throat by parents eager to educate their child (funnily enough, I was never obliged to eat fish after that incident...).
After a quarter century of reading classic bike magazines (there are some excellent French reviews btw), I'm now finally making a living and able to justify (or not) a brothel of two-wheeled ladies in my cramped Parisian garage. It started with a tatty Honda CB125 K5, I real POS but one that made me understand that greasy hands at work can be excused when the story behind is worthwhile : "Oh, I had to replace a spark plug and blown fuse in the middle of the Champs Elysées..."
Various small bikes followed, a CB125 single, Suzuki GT (good fun!), CB350, CB550 & CB750 Four, etc. All this whilst friends and colleagues opted for "clean" and "modern" vehicles... Which, to put it kindly, appeal as much to me as spending a day dealing with french bureaucracy...
In any case, I have just recently fell for a lovely Norton Commando. I've always had a personal affection for the Norton Motorcycle Company. Be-it pre-war ES-2's, 16H's or the cathedral mono cylinder Manx 500's of late 40's to early 60's; there's always been something exciting to me about Nortons.
I was initially looking for a 650 SS or early Fastback. But a very nice 850 Interstate Mk.3 shone its Lucas headlight my way...
Purists will obviously prefer earlier models, and I tend to agree. Someday I hope to find an original Fastback (in flake orange please, sir), but logical reasoning lead me to choose this particular model.
This lady is from 1977 and has 14.000 miles on the clock. Frame number is 850-3531***SJT with an unmatched engine number. From my understanding, this was an unfortunate recurrence during the last months / years of production (any ideas on this are welcome). Not that I really mind, but I'm always interested in historic facts while I await Mick Duckworths' book on Norton Commandos.
Purchased in England, I rode the bike back to London and had it shipped over to Paris (thank you Chas Mortimer) where I currently live and work.
It has been a rare pleasure riding it regularly and I've already clocked over 2000 miles on it. Going back to the CB750 is like drinking a Heineken after a round of Belgian beer...
So far, apart from routine maintenance and a few common glitches, I've had few problems.
- The rear braking system was in need of repair, so I cleaned and replaced all the gaskets & master cylinder. All fine now.
- The reset knob for my trip meter snapped off (my fault) so I'm planning on sending the dial to a pro this winter to get it fixed.
- An LED idiot light in the dash (orange indicator) has ceased to be, I've already found a replacement (very expensive btw!)
- The seat is an average aftermarket replica with a plastic base, I'm still looking for a good quality replacement (any help is welcome)
- And I also replaced the higher bars (seen in the photographs) with lower flat-style European bars (better suited to my riding style).
Deviations from standard are a primary belt in place of the rattling triplex chain, a Boyer Brandsen ignition and Pea-Shooters (don't like the black caps anyway).
There's also a slight leakage at the head gasket. A common problem with rarely used bikes that suddenly become almost daily rides. I'll most probably be replacing it this winter, but the seepage is only slight so its not keeping me off the road for now...
Here are a few photographs for your enjoyment !
Feel free to let your tongues loose and insult or complement me, I can take anything; I'm Belgian and without a government.
Take care & safe riding to everyone !
Just wanted to introduce myself : Fruzz from Brussels, Belgium.
Compliments to everyone for this excellent forum; full of resources, stories and information.
Its amusing how hanging around people with likewise interests helps convince oneself that they haven't, in fact, gone completely mad... :wink:
So this is the 3rd forum I have joined. One for every type of vehicle I guess....
Despite my relative young age, I have been exposed to the world of old cars and motorcycles ever since I was born. In truth, my father decided to cure the baby blues by buying an old (and battered) Aston which we still own today. That particular car suffered from me growing up, wetting my pants as a baby on the backseat, and throwing-up the Friday fish dinner forced down my throat by parents eager to educate their child (funnily enough, I was never obliged to eat fish after that incident...).
After a quarter century of reading classic bike magazines (there are some excellent French reviews btw), I'm now finally making a living and able to justify (or not) a brothel of two-wheeled ladies in my cramped Parisian garage. It started with a tatty Honda CB125 K5, I real POS but one that made me understand that greasy hands at work can be excused when the story behind is worthwhile : "Oh, I had to replace a spark plug and blown fuse in the middle of the Champs Elysées..."
Various small bikes followed, a CB125 single, Suzuki GT (good fun!), CB350, CB550 & CB750 Four, etc. All this whilst friends and colleagues opted for "clean" and "modern" vehicles... Which, to put it kindly, appeal as much to me as spending a day dealing with french bureaucracy...
In any case, I have just recently fell for a lovely Norton Commando. I've always had a personal affection for the Norton Motorcycle Company. Be-it pre-war ES-2's, 16H's or the cathedral mono cylinder Manx 500's of late 40's to early 60's; there's always been something exciting to me about Nortons.
I was initially looking for a 650 SS or early Fastback. But a very nice 850 Interstate Mk.3 shone its Lucas headlight my way...
Purists will obviously prefer earlier models, and I tend to agree. Someday I hope to find an original Fastback (in flake orange please, sir), but logical reasoning lead me to choose this particular model.
This lady is from 1977 and has 14.000 miles on the clock. Frame number is 850-3531***SJT with an unmatched engine number. From my understanding, this was an unfortunate recurrence during the last months / years of production (any ideas on this are welcome). Not that I really mind, but I'm always interested in historic facts while I await Mick Duckworths' book on Norton Commandos.
Purchased in England, I rode the bike back to London and had it shipped over to Paris (thank you Chas Mortimer) where I currently live and work.
It has been a rare pleasure riding it regularly and I've already clocked over 2000 miles on it. Going back to the CB750 is like drinking a Heineken after a round of Belgian beer...
So far, apart from routine maintenance and a few common glitches, I've had few problems.
- The rear braking system was in need of repair, so I cleaned and replaced all the gaskets & master cylinder. All fine now.
- The reset knob for my trip meter snapped off (my fault) so I'm planning on sending the dial to a pro this winter to get it fixed.
- An LED idiot light in the dash (orange indicator) has ceased to be, I've already found a replacement (very expensive btw!)
- The seat is an average aftermarket replica with a plastic base, I'm still looking for a good quality replacement (any help is welcome)
- And I also replaced the higher bars (seen in the photographs) with lower flat-style European bars (better suited to my riding style).
Deviations from standard are a primary belt in place of the rattling triplex chain, a Boyer Brandsen ignition and Pea-Shooters (don't like the black caps anyway).
There's also a slight leakage at the head gasket. A common problem with rarely used bikes that suddenly become almost daily rides. I'll most probably be replacing it this winter, but the seepage is only slight so its not keeping me off the road for now...
Here are a few photographs for your enjoyment !
Feel free to let your tongues loose and insult or complement me, I can take anything; I'm Belgian and without a government.
Take care & safe riding to everyone !
