Having fun with my Norton

Been polishing sliders and other fork parts so I can finish putting the front end together.

Having fun making my Norton pretty again

Love this bike...and Access Norton. Have met a lot of great people and contacts that have helped me with my bike here.

The Norton community is awesome. I've restored a number of different bikes over the years but the Norton has so far been the most fun.

Spent a ton of money over the past couple of months but it's worth it.

It's fun to spend money and it helps the economy. Polishing fun too ,get help from children standing nearby. Slave labour. Resist wife suggestions to sell because of new children in lives to finance diapers and stuff. Ride too.

Torontonian said:

It's fun to spend money and it helps the economy. Polishing fun too ,get help from children standing nearby. Slave labour. Resist wife suggestions to sell because of new children in lives to finance diapers and stuff. Ride too.

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It's all good. Don't have any kids to polish stuff they are all grown and I divorced the wife so I could buy the Norton

But I actually like even the menial tasks because they are mine. I like that I have control. Some people don't get that, but one of the very special things about building a bike is that it's ours. We don't have a boss telling us what to do. We make the choices and execute them for our benefit...kind of a strange way to look at it I guess, but I am old and wise and realize what makes me feel good

Spent a ton of money over the past couple of months but it's worth it.

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regardless, you would have spent MORE money on a cocaine habit or years of psychiatric therapy

Torontonian said:

Resist wife suggestions to sell because of new children in lives to finance diapers and stuff. Ride too.

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amen brother! With my ex, it was first quit flying, then quit riding, then quit deer hunting. I am sure glad she got rid of me!

1up3down said:

regardless, you would have spent MORE money on a cocaine habit or years of psychiatric therapy

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That's funny...already did that and paid half my net worth on attorneys so I could get rid of the wife and buy the Norton. Might be the most expensive motorcycle in the history of the world. That's a good thing tho, because now I can never sell it for what it's worth. She's stuck with me

texasSlick said:

Torontonian said:

Resist wife suggestions to sell because of new children in lives to finance diapers and stuff. Ride too.

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amen brother! With my ex, it was first quit flying, then quit riding, then quit deer hunting. I am sure glad she got rid of me!

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My ex and I crashed on my BSA in 1973 and she would never get on one again. I bought a Norton Commando 850 new in 1976 (a 75 model). I drove it for 2 years and she hounded me everyday to get rid of it. She said I loved that bike more than her. I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth so I sold it. Now I got it back...and I still love it more than her

Now I got it back...and I still love it more than her

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are you still married to her?

What I found difficult was holding down a full time job while married and studying, and still building and racing my bike. I used to get out of bed at 4.00 am, load the car and trailer, and drive to race meetings on my own. I'd race all day then drive home in the blissful quiet of my car. Often I'd get to the outer suburbs of Melbourne and ring my ex, who would always have dinner ready for me when I reached home. The best thing then was standing under the shower picking the bits of skin off myself. I regret that I never bought a really competitive bike, however I learned a couple of life's lessons:

1. At some time in your life you have to do something just for yourself. Your family is important, however self-actualization is even more important. You only live once.
2. The system runs on bullshit. Once you understand that you become philosophical and your expectations of others are not so high.

I look back on my professional and married life with my ex, and I can only clearly remember two things - surf fishing on the 90 mile beach, and racing my horrible Triumph 500. They both gave me great joy. I love my 3 kids, however I rarely see them these days.

'She said I loved that bike more than her. I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth so I sold it. '

You did it to yourself. If the relationship cannot withstand a bit of honesty, why would you persevere with it ? I am remarried to a woman I love. We have some boomer fights at times, however the issues are always resolved. No silent treatment, no walking on egg shells - none of that bullshit. The worst thing is that after we've had a barney, I always feel more secure. So perhaps my first marriage served some purpose after all ?

1up3down said:

are you still married to her?

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Nope

acotrel said:

1. At some time in your life you have to do something just for yourself. Your family is important, however self-actualization is even more important. You only live once.
2. The system runs on bullshit. Once you understand that you become philosophical and your expectations of others are not so high.

I look back on my professional and married life with my ex, and I can only clearly remember two things - surf fishing on the 90 mile beach, and racing my horrible Triumph 500. They both gave me great joy. I love my 3 kids, however I rarely see them these days.

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You said it all there...love ocean fishing too Have fished most of the world but would love to come to Australia some day and tackle a big black

acotrel said:

'She said I loved that bike more than her. I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth so I sold it. '

You did it to yourself. If the relationship cannot withstand a bit of honesty, why would you persevere with it ? I am remarried to a woman I love. We have some boomer fights at times, however the issues are always resolved. No silent treatment, no walking on egg shells - none of that bullshit. The worst thing is that after we've had a barney, I always feel more secure. So perhaps my first marriage served some purpose after all ?

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No, I was naive and young and had kids to worry about. Yes it was probably wrong, but wasn't smart enough then to know. I do remember how smooth that Norton was when it was new after riding BSA'a and Triumph's. In those days it was like a dream. Used to ride by the lakes on the way to work every day during the summer and run it through the twisties. A great way to start your day.