Norton (Donington) Bike Nights dates announced

Well u know the drill guys, lots of pics & feedback of the bash please, good,bad & indifferent , brownie points again available for any short video hi lights,10 secondswill do on ur phone & upload if u can, with two meets this week it’s not just the weather that’s hotting up

Ok cleared and all ready to go. It will be one helluva journey for me, 1 hour and 20 mins and thats via the quickest motorway route. Was hoping to follow someone more blessed with internal sat nav. I will follow a country route there for the love of the twisty roads we have and probably boring route back as I dont want to end up in the ditch with a badger, muntjack or some other critter that leaps out at me. Weather looks good but will have to clean her up for the DGR on sunday. Listed 1000 miles on the insurance but looks like I will double that this year. Pretty pathetic buy blighty standards I know

Good show WR!

I’m hoping to be there shortly before 18.00hrs. Mine will be the black one, parked next to 2 Ducati’s.

I’ll be the bloke walking around looking at Norton’s, dressed in motorcycle gear, so should be easy to spot...!

No pics but a good turnout of 961's. Great to see Alan (1 burger), Richard (2 burgers), Roger (contemplating a 3rd burger) and Nigel again as well as a few new faces. The 961's drew a lot of attention from the two Belgian Norton dealers who were here to collect a 961 Sport, could be a good ride/meet in Verviers next year assuming we will still be allowed to cross the channel after Brexit!

A welcome break opposite Ratcliffe coal fired power station, quite a local landmark with it's 8 cooling towers.


First to arrive (again)...


Ok, I gave in and had my 2nd burger of the night, along with a sweet tooth toffee latte.

Naughty boy, better work those burgers off tomorrow. I see you had number 2, no I dont mean an emergency stop at Ronald McDonalds but no #2 cafe after JM nabbed #1. Nice, does that mean you were first to part with the readies. I picked #32. Clem asked me why, I had no idea, total lack of imagination I suppose. Fast Edwardo got #50 but will he have it for long? HUGE news from him today, stirred up the boards. Personally, I would tell him to keep the 961 and get rid of his other bikes to make way for the new one he hasn't decided upon yet. I know that means getting shot of that older beaut of a commando but, thats just my view.

MxMartin said:

No pics but a good turnout of 961's. Great to see Alan (1 burger), Richard (2 burgers), Roger (contemplating a 3rd burger) and Nigel again as well as a few new faces. The 961's drew a lot of attention from the two Belgian Norton dealers who were here to collect a 961 Sport, could be a good ride/meet in Verviers next year assuming we will still be allowed to cross the channel after Brexit!

A welcome break opposite Ratcliffe coal fired power station, quite a local landmark with it's 8 cooling towers.

First to arrive (again)...

Ok, I gave in and had my 2nd burger of the night, along with a sweet tooth toffee latte.

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Looks by the photos, you've been stood up. I'd have had 2 burgers too if I were that lonely.

Highlight of the night for me was when my mate said “listen to that two stroke being thrashed” but the noise didn’t seem to be going anywhere, so we followed the noise like intrepid detectives and ...

Saw a V4 on the dyno really going through it’s paces. I watched it briefly but the doors were open and folk wondering around, so I thought we were allowed in and broke cover. Only to be collared and ‘asked’ to leave!

I thought it was a factory racer, it sounded properly f*cking awesome! What my mate thought was a thrashed two stroke was in fact a 1200cc V4 ROAD bike!

If you’ve got one on order you’d best get down to the gym... That thing sounds like it’ll have yer arms off!!

Great to meet up with you 4 gentlemen last night - there was also another chap from North Warwickshire with a silver Sport but I didn't catch his name. I looked through the windows of the assembly area and there was 1 complete bike, one half complete and one of the demonstrators - I could see activity at the dyno end but we have Nigel's report of that above. Bit disappointed the factory didn't arrange anything besides burger stand and 3 bikes from the showroom next to the stand - expected to see a V4 at least.

Welshrugby said:

... does that mean you were first to part with the readies.

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Clem asked me what number? I said #1, he said gone! I said #50, he said gone! I said #69, he said don't be silly! I said don't care, the next available will do, he said #2.

regental said:

Bit disappointed the factory didn't arrange anything besides burger stand and 3 bikes from the showroom next to the stand...

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They could so easily turn it into an 'event', my local meet (SportsBikeShop) put out several food vans (burger, fish'n'chips, Thai etc), and a live local band, and a free to enter raffle, and best bike on the night comp, both with money voucher prizes! It was a bit quiet last night compared to earlier in the year when both car parks were heaving.

MxMartin said:

Clem asked me what number? I said #1, he said gone! I said #50, he said gone! I said #69, he said don't be silly! I said don't care, the next available will do, he said #2.

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So that means that I must have been first and you second, both of us being after that McGuiness bloke...