Why Norton, Why Bother!

1 bolt to access alt, clutch or primary drive. Pure genius.

Have fun, with internal hyvo chains, or 4 cyl goldwing alts, that require complete engine disassembly

Then there is the brilliant bmw k1000 & up 4cy line,, clutch. Just involves removing rear wheel, diff, swingarm & tranny ...+ tons more, for access, which can a;lso easily get contaminated by 3 separate fluid seals, even the clutch line hydraulic servo unit, is buried in there

The BMW K 1200 LT was named Best Touring bike.... ​

..... for its unique combination of performance features and creature comforts -- such as heated seat and backrests and a self-deploying center stand - which make it optimal for long-distance touring. The editors of Cycle World credited the LT with being demonstrably better than the Honda Gold Wing, which had won the category 15 previous times.

2006 BMW K 1200 LT

www.topspeed.com

Bloody O-ring

www.bmwlt.com

https://www.bmwlt.com/attachments/20210624_115324-jpg.173963/

I also had the long stroke GSXR, 3 CB400 ("400/4") motorcycles at one time, and a Yamaha RD350b. They were all interesting bikes with character, but I sold them all. The GSX is the only bike I ever owned where I got schooled on speeding by an officer who was traveling in front of me - I came over a crest and there he was "Do you know how fast you were going?" The 400 was like a monkey humping a football, and the RD was messy all around, but wow they nailed that front brake - excellent.

It is the Commando I continue to come back to. Doing 45mph on a Norton feels like an adventure and brings a big smile. The haunchy stance, glow of the polished aluminium, lack of plastic and Stentorian sound is in my DNA now. My last restoration will be a Commando I am sure of it.

Thanks for the offer Al but as I say my stock GB works well with my hot 850 motor and I have been riding on the road for 50 years now, my Norton is not a race bike and is a great handling and very quick off the mark road bike, it also surprises a lot of modern bikes when leaving traffic lights, most young guys might not know much but the ones who started life on dirt bikes or motocross do know and a lot of young guys have grown up with their dads who taught them how to ride at a very young age not only guys, my youngest daughter is a very talent rider and when she first started riding at 9 on her XR100, I just showed her the basics of riding and where everything was and how they work and with in about 15 minutes she was off and on her first day out people were asking me how long she been riding and when told today is her first day, they couldn't believe it, she now owns and rides a Triumph triple, she even drove my Land Rover defender her fist car at 11 without any lessons, she is a natural.
I been riding dirt bikes all my life from 15 to now and 2 years later my Norton as brought new at 17 and build as my first hotrod 4 years later when converting to the Featherbed, I still own and ride my very powerful and fast dirt bike a Honda CRF450X enduro, now if you want to ride a quick bike jump on that Al it would scare the pants off you and will lift the front wheel pulling the power on even in 5th gear and pulls power slide just by opening the throttle no matter what gear you are in, I am a very experience rider and still ride like I have always ridden from a young age.
One of my best mate's said to me one night also a rider but like you Al had many breaks from riding in the 50 years, he said to me, you always like to be in the front when riding and I said no, its just the way I ride, I ride hard and push myself and my bikes to their limits when up in the tight twisties, I have a very aggressive riding style, but I always do it safely and coming up to 65 I am still riding the same as I always have, its up to the others to keep pace with me and I been riding with my mates for just as long we all know each others riding style and put our trust in each other when out riding.
But through out my riding life I been asked many times how fast my bikes are or do you want to race, but I always knock them back as really I have nothing to prove or care how fast my bikes can go, I ride my own way and do my own thing when riding if people are trying to keep up or race me then I don't really notice as I am too involved in my own riding, but I also ride to the conditions and sometimes I will just cruise and enjoy the ride and my wife has learned a long time ago she knows when to hang on and not make any sudden moves while on the back, she is part of the bike when she is out with me.

Ashley