What’s the best none Norton Norton ?

Kinda. We’re not talking about Brough Superior though, where there’s no choice (kinda difficult to re-employ George).

EB is still active though, so it’s a shame he couldn’t have been part of whatever this turns out to be IMHO.

I’ve never owned a Buell personally, but I certainly put EB up there with the top characters / innovators of the current industry.
 
Are the main innovators not predominantly electronics engineers nowadays? In the technology space anyway! The electronics packages on today’s high tech machines are out of this world. Speaking to a guy the other day with a 1290 Adventure, who’d just done an off road riding course. The instructor got him to ride half way up a virtually unridable hill until he got stuck and then to select a certain setting (at a certain level) and gun the engine hard. He feared that it would flip but instead, the bike ignored his throttle inmput, made whatever calculations where required and chugged up to the top of the hill like an autonomous tractor! So, who rode the bike up the hill? The rider or the electronics engineer? Personally, when out with the high tech crowd I find myself bragging that the Norton has only ‘stop’ and ‘go’ technology. The rest is up to the rider! No real idea why I get such satisfaction from that!

So yesterday, I was attempting the usual Sunday morning impossibility of catching my mate on his V4S. Mid morning, he slowed and started to wander left a little, whilst looking repeatedly down at his dash. We have comms and just as he was telling me that his electronic suspension warning light had come on again (punctuated by multiple expletives) he corrected his course and rode right over the top of an Echidna! Yeh, ‘Ikidya-not‘! What are the chances!

What’s the best none Norton Norton ?

All that technology is supposed to keep the rider safe right!? I quipped that the dash may have been displaying Ducati’s all new ‘Echidna Warning Tecnology’! Won’t repeat what he said In reply!!:oops:

Long live Norton. A riders bike that you don’t need an electronics degree to enjoy!
 
Stephen_Spencer said:
Are the main innovators not predominantly electronics engineers nowadays? In the technology space anyway! The electronics packages on today’s high tech machines are out of this world. Speaking to a guy the other day with a 1290 Adventure, who’d just done an off road riding course. The instructor got him to ride half way up a virtually unridable hill until he got stuck and then to select a certain setting (at a certain level) and gun the engine hard. He feared that it would flip but instead, the bike ignored his throttle inmput, made whatever calculations where required and chugged up to the top of the hill like an autonomous tractor! So, who rode the bike up the hill? The rider or the electronics engineer? Personally, when out with the high tech crowd I find myself bragging that the Norton has only ‘stop’ and ‘go’ technology. The rest is up to the rider! No real idea why I get such satisfaction from that!

So yesterday, I was attempting the usual Sunday morning impossibility of catching my mate on his V4S. Mid morning, he slowed and started to wander left a little, whilst looking repeatedly down at his dash. We have comms and just as he was telling me that his electronic suspension warning light had come on again (punctuated by multiple expletives) he corrected his course and rode right over the top of an Echidna! Yeh, ‘Ikidya-not‘! What are the chances!

View attachment 21966
All that technology is supposed to keep the rider safe right!? I quipped that the dash may have been displaying Ducati’s all new ‘Echidna Warning Tecnology’! Won’t repeat what he said In reply!!:oops:

Long live Norton. A riders bike that you don’t need an electronics degree to enjoy!
Click to expand...
It’s the same with all modern technology. It’s taking the driver out of driving and making them passengers.
Put a young person in a car of the 80s and older and they don’t know how to not skid, prevent from fish tailing, they don’t even know how to shit a manual transmission or parallel park on their own. Hell if you really want to throw them off put them behind a vehicle with 3 on the tree, no power steering and 4 wheel drum brakes lmao.
Or watch them scratch their head trying to start a vehicle with a choke and carb lol.
 
Voodooo said:
It’s the same with all modern technology. It’s taking the driver out of driving and making them passengers.
Put a young person in a car of the 80s and older and they don’t know how to not skid, prevent from fish tailing, they don’t even know how to shit a manual transmission or parallel park on their own. Hell if you really want to throw them off put them behind a vehicle with 3 on the tree, no power steering and 4 wheel drum brakes lmao.
Or watch them scratch their head trying to start a vehicle with a choke and carb lol.
Click to expand...
Not just the 'driver out of driving' perhaps.... Financial circumstances aside, most 'owners' of modern vehicles are simply becoming 'custodians' in as much as if/when faults occur, they're still at the mercy of the manufacturer to diagnose or rectify the problem. DIY on many is not an option.
 
EstuaryBoy said:
Not just the 'driver out of driving' perhaps.... Financial circumstances aside, most 'owners' of modern vehicles are simply becoming 'custodians' in as much as if/when faults occur, they're still at the mercy of the manufacturer to diagnose or rectify the problem. DIY on many is not an option.
Click to expand...
It’s all academic,
I can’t drive a horse and cart.
 
Might be fun to try , I once tried yarding logs out to pickup point with a huge black horse by the name of Rock , had to be very cautious never to get between horse and logs while attaching the tow ring to spreader bar , after dogs pounded into logs that horse loved to pull , he would lunge forward with power to get load moving at the sound of ring , logs would at very least break your leg(s) if you made even one silly decision , had to lead him out once first thing in morning then , he was good to go .... lots of fun , much more difficult than driving a car , working in fairly deep snow ...
 
NPeteN said:
Kids don't need to know how to drive stick, or work a choke. Like you old buggers don't need to know how to drive a horse or change a cart wheel.
Click to expand...
But us old buggers ride Nortons so we're not stuck sucking our thumbs or taking out a second mortgage if it doesn't play ball :-)
 
Pete ! .... back in the day I had ugliest lime green GMC stepside with 350V8 & 3 on the tree , just a great truck and a lot of fun on gravel roads and even snow .... just sayin , think was a ‘76 you prolly just young gun , haha !!!. don’t knock till you try , eh
 
No doubt auto trans launched a generation of idiot drivers.

Would anyone prefer an automatic motorcycle?
 
NPeteN said:
No doubt auto trans launched a generation of idiot drivers.

Would anyone prefer an automatic motorcycle?
Click to expand...
Strange you should ask... had that exact discussion today at work !

Conclusion (for me) is that my car is primarily for a purpose, used for transport, sit in traffic jams, etc. So the auto box is preferable due to ease and convenience. It’s also switchable to a manual paddle shift if I fancy it. And it’s a 9 speed auto so doesn’t impeded performance (not at my level of skill... a ‘good’ driver might disagree).

But bikes are primarily a leisure tool, used mainly for pure fun and enjoyment. An auto would detract from the fun and enjoyment... yet the enhanced ease and convenience is of zero value.

So, auto car and manual bikes for me please!
 
NPeteN said:
No doubt auto trans launched a generation of idiot drivers.

Would anyone prefer an automatic motorcycle?
Click to expand...

That might depend on 'auto definition.
My Africa twin is a dual clutch so still a manual cluster of sorts but with optional (by the rider) automated shifting of it.
My GTI Golf is a 6 speed manual as they should be. (but had considered DSG)

The AT is somewhat of a velvet hammer, bought sight unseen with no test ride, my first experience of DCT was riding out the gate of the dealership.

IMG_1984.JPG


IMG_0003.JPG


I have only ever had manual shift cars, the only exception was needing a small station wagon for a tube welding job away from home with a two day window one job to that one.
I simply went to the closest car yard and asked for just that, saw a OK looking one, payed and left.
Come time to pick it up in the afternoon I noticed it was an 'auto (4 speed/overdrive) when I got in, that was twenty years ago.
It was OK, but never again. (I all but gave it to a family member later on)

BB 4 speed of course.
What’s the best none Norton Norton ?
 
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Time Warp said:
That might depend on 'auto definition.
My Africa twin is a dual clutch so still a manual cluster of sorts but with optional (by the rider) automated shifting of it.
My GTI Golf is a 6 speed manual as they should be. (but had considered DSG)

The AT is somewhat of a velvet hammer, bought sight unseen with no test ride, my first experience of DCT was riding out the gate of the dealership.

View attachment 21976

View attachment 21977

I have only ever had manual shift cars, the only exception was needing a small station wagon for a tube welding job away from home with a two day window one job to that one.
I simply went to the closest car yard and asked for just that, saw a OK looking one, payed and left.
Come time to pick it up in the afternoon I noticed it was an 'auto (4 speed/overdrive) when I got in, that was twenty years ago.
It was OK, but never again. (I all but gave it to a family member later on)

BB 4 speed of course.
View attachment 21978
Click to expand...
Keep the 4 speeds, and autos.
Everybody should a P-47 Jug with 6 - 50 cals in their front yard.
 
Good grief, I had a red '68 fastback mustang that looked very much like that one when I was a senior in high school (1980). Mine had a 289 2 barrel carb and a 3 sp. so no hood scoop and it was certainly a base model and not a factory hot rod, but I had a whole lotta fun in that car. brings back memories just seeing it. They were just old cars back then so I got it cheap and "drove it like I stole it" although we never said that because that saying didn't come about until much later.
 
That picture must be around 1980 or 1981 (no lake pipes), left school Dec of 75, apprenticeship Jan 76........... then I was in my 60's. :D
Repeat picture from around the same period. (Still have it H2B)

H2B750.jpg
 
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