Most desirable Norton???

As a comp machine, I'd quite like one of the late-1930s ISDT camshaft jobs. ..but some odd perverse part of me would like a 1938 twinport (Model 20 or 55, I'm not fussy) so that I could have the "cow's Udder" silencer on both sides and I think that I'd pay the extra £5 and have high level pipes at that. :shock:

A flat tanker from when James Lansdowne was still involved with Nortons would be rather special...and a 1954 '88' - the original and best-looking featherbed, in my opinion.

At the moment, I have a WD 16H and a Commando which are basically the clitoris bikes as far as Nortons are concerned (Every c*nt's got one )

Wasn`t the original featherbed, in fact - a Manx G.P. 500 racebike, C/o - Mc Candless Bros?

J.A.W. said:

Wasn`t the original featherbed, in fact - a Manx G.P. 500 racebike, C/o - Mc Candless Bros?

Click to expand...

I should indeed have entered the word 'Dominator' there - I knew what I meant ! :roll:

Did you learn that style of mea-culpa from the missus ? L.O.L...

J.A.W. said:

Did you learn that style of mea-culpa from the missus ? L.O.L...

Click to expand...

You might be onto something there, or maybe it's just a natural reaction from somebody who regularly makes a bloody fool of himself in real life as well as on the internet.

You have t o get your priorities right. I look back on my life and I now realise that sometimes you should do something for yourself so that you know you have been alive. I accomplished a lot as a scientist, but it all doesn't mean much now. I just hope I can afford to race again next April, I have a few jerks with 1100cc CB750s to blitz.

I believe in owning useable bikes and since Westwood is gone, around here that means good road bikes. The 850 Mk3 Interstate is a great road bike, so I'm pleased to have one, common tho they may be. The other Norton that has always intrigued me is the 650SS. I would be happy with any model year of this bike, although the later ones had better lubrication and maybe a bit more pep with the 30 mm carbs. When a fully restored 68 came up for sale at a reasonable price , it was an easy choice.
The 650 is a fun bike, very quick revving engine but some vibes do come in at about 65 mph.
For a long run, the Commando is hard to beat. I don't think mine is anything special, but man is it smooth, 70 -75 on the highway all day and mirrors are as still as those in a new car.


The Manx is a very intriguing bike, but would just be an expensive decoration without a race track to run it on. A friend has two in his basement, perfectly restored, no oil or gas has ever been in them since resto. He ran them at Westwood for years and has great memories (Murray Neibel, owner Modern Motorcyling,)
I enjoy looking at them but also find it kind of sad that these great machines are sitting in a basement , seems a waste.

Glen

Everyone has a navel and an opinion so mine is Combats as Cream of the Crop for fastest minimalist to cluttered long range Interstate with available 'cheap' support and more than potent enough for any modern traffic and sports bikes game up to 120 mph or so and a show stopper where ever its stops, except Norton rallys of course. Of all the models I've seen covered the least of them all to show up in real life use are the Manx's. The ones I've seen out and about took like 10+ min warm up before rolling off and taking easy throttle. They are known for the valve springs returning oil to its geological source.

In my experience, the vast majority of people couldn't tell a Combat engine from a Lifan CT70.

People read Norton on the tank and that's what sparks the recognition (and admiration).
Pull up on a Crocker, Abbington or some other brand that not many have heard of and other than a few hardcore enthusiast, people will tend to avoid you.
Possibly something to do with the fear of the unknown.

That's why I leave my Crocker at home and take the Norton Commando instead. Also, I find the Commando to be infinitely more comfortable, the 1/24 th size footpegs and seat of the Crocker are torture! :mrgreen:

Glen

Oh come on now.........
I just used Crocker as an example as so many of the "toffs" here would certainly recognize the name.
I guess I could have used Ossa, Penton and CCM as examples just as easily.

worntorn,
I can see you riding your Crocker just as a diversion to riding one of your Vincents.
If it really is too uncomfortable for your liking, I am sure you could just whip up a new alloy chassis for it.

If its in 1/24th scale, could make a new chassis out of tinfoil ?
No more rideable though.

If its in 1/24th scale

Click to expand...

We assume that means its a little model..... !

Just giving Mark the gears there, I dont think too many of us have Crockers to roll up on, but I see his point!

A lot of people do show interest in the Vincent, some even know what it is. But a lot more people know what the Commando is.
I recall leaving my Hotel room in Nelson BC to take the Commando out one summer evening a few years ago. On the way to the twisty road that runs up the side of Kootenay Lake there is a nice curved stretch of open road that goes by a pub with a large outdoor patio, always crowded.
I noticed a couple of guys at one table looking toward the bike and smiling, so I thought a good twist of the throttle was in order. As I ripped by the whole group at the table stood and cheered, beer glasses raised. No doubt there were some past or present Norton men in the group, you could see it made their evening and certainly made mine.

Glen

" In my experience, the vast majority of people couldn't tell a Combat engine from a Lifan CT70. " . :shock:

Standards are Slipping . It wasnt like this fifty years ago . ! :lol:

This might do . . .



http://homepage.ntlworld.com/barrybower ... ves_on.htm

We're going to have to have a few words with these types who think a Manx wont go past 50 Hp or 120 mph , too . . ./

We're going to have to have a few words with these types who think a Manx wont go past 50 Hp or 120 mph , too . . ./

Click to expand...

Thought LAB had warned you about not taking your tablets and posting ?!

In short circuit guise, they probably don't ?

Ray Petty manxes are far away from the fastest these days. ?
Ray kept the Manx going through the tough years into the 1980s.
But its CNC machining that has really turned out consistent parts that has transformed them, having blueprinted parts straight off the lathe and machining stations....

Rohan, what was it you posted again...pot-kettle-black...cast-ironic?

Since a number of folk seem to think you and Matt share an ability to post in languages or cryptic abbrevs other than what seems to be in English, think you should be careful of glass houses !!?

Rohan, say now, - have you been practising that one in front of a mirror? - L.O.L.

Tell us about YOUR Nortons then ??

Rohan, my choice for this thread topic was on P 1, just after yours...however since you asked, - Commandos interest me most, but I am undecided....as to go for the updated classic style [VR 880-ish] or mount the mill/box/iso cradle en-unit into a 250 G.P. chassis..