Hey Norton, what kinda bike is that?

T. Erdelyi

T. Erdelyi

Joined
Feb 3, 2001
Messages
32,359
Cold weather has me thinkin' of spring and ridin' weather, I can't wait till the snow's gone and I can start ridin' again, in the mean time I was thinkin' 'bout my old bikes and what I wished I had.

I loved Nortons, I had two back in the late 70s, a '69 750 Commando:

(not my bike but looked exactly like it)
69norton.jpg


and a '71 750 Commando which was my all time favorite:

(not my bike but looked exactly like it)
71commando.jpg


but the one I always wanted, which of course has to be the rarest bike they made:

nrtnhiriser.jpg


If ya ride what bike was the one that ya wish ya had?
 
my first was of galvanized pipe welded by coat hangers and a $19.95 buzz box welder...3 1/2 Briggs, friction brake on back wheel.... I now ride a Yamaha FJR, but would like to have another 5hp Mustang scooter like my first "real" motorcycle
 
Les Snyder said:
my first was of galvanized pipe welded by coat hangers and a $19.95 buzz box welder...3 1/2 Briggs, friction brake on back wheel.... I now ride a Yamaha FJR, but would like to have another 5hp Mustang scooter like my first "real" motorcycle
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Had a Mustang like this when I was a kid, wih I had it now.:(

mustang.jpg
 
Nice Nortons. :thumbup: I always wanted a JPS or Dunstall version.


I love two strokes so a RD500 would be high on the list...

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But #1 would probably be a Vincent Black Shadow...

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Hi Ted -

I was into the Kawasaki two-stroke triples, 500's and later 750's.

I had a mint '75 H2 that I let go for $750. Now a nice example goes for a few thousand or more.

I would love to have another one, but probably not in the cards with the high prices for them.

This picture shows a 74/72 bastard bike that I put together from parts of two bikes.

triples1.jpg


It was a 74 frame that had a dealer installed dual-disc front-end, and a nice engine from a 72 that was wrecked. It had Bill Wirges chambers and ran like stink! It was a wheelie machine for sure.

Nice looking Nortons, Ted - I remember when those could be seen running around the streets. They are pretty rare nowadays, but someone has to have them in the garage somewhere.....

best regards -

mqqn
 
'69 Honda 450 Scrambler, '76 Honda XL250, '77 Kawasaki Z1, '77 Yamaha XT500, '78 Sportster Cafe Racer, '78 Yamaha SR500, '80 Honda XL500 (with XR carb and pipe). Of those the SR500 is the one I miss most, even though the Sportster Cafe would be worth more than all the rest put together.
 
Goldtanker said:
My '74 Commando

Norton.jpg
Click to expand...

Great lookin' Commando, how many gallons does the gas tank hold?

I wish I had bought an Interstate with the over size fuel tank when I had the chance.

Thing I liked best was the handling, the bike could start, stop and turn on a dime, I used to race my buddy on his KZ 750 and he could never keep up to me in the corners. :)
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Great lookin' Commando, how many gallons does the gas tank hold?

I wish I had bought an Interstate with the over size fuel tank when I had the chance.

Thing I liked best was the handling, the bike could start, stop and turn on a dime, I used to race my buddy on his KZ 750 and he could never keep up to me in the corners. :)
Click to expand...

Don't have it anymore, but the big tank was nice. Very low vibration for a twin.
 
I had a friend of mine who had a Suzuki dealership in the 80s and when the first GSX R1100 came outta the crate he let me take it for a test ride, 4 hours later I came rollin' back to the shop with an ear to ear grin that wouldn't go away.

1986_CAN07_GSXR1100_800.jpg


The '86 GSX R1100 was one of the first Super Bikes I had ridden, what a rush:), now the scary fast bike to ride is the Suzuki Hayabusa.:eek::D:thumbup:

2011-Suzuki-Hayabusa-1.jpg
 
I started with a 500 Triumph Tiger, switched to a Honda CB750, and pretty much kept in the CB family from then on. My favorite all time ride was the CB 900 Custom. I took this bike though all 48 states, set up just as this one in the photo is. (This one isn't mine, but looks exactly like it. These days I ride a Yamaha 1,100 cc V-Star and it can't compare with that old CB900!

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Stitchawl
 
Love those Nortons. My dad had several but alas, I never have. I used to go to a shop in Portland Oregon owned by a guy called "The Sandy Bandit" on Sandy blvd. I think he is gone now but he had something like 600 Nortons, BSAs, Triumphs and Ariel square fours in his little shop. I'd love to know where those bikes are now.
If I ever win Powerball I'll be visiting Colorado Norton Works. They are really putting out some nice bikes.
http://www.coloradonortonworks.com/

077a.jpg
 
I always wanted a rigid shovelhead. Had a sportster and could even go for another one or maybe a dyna.
 
I had a good friend with a Moto Guzzi like that one. Nice bike. Throughout the 50's and 60's my dad had Triumphs, Nortons and BSAs but he said the fastest bike he ever had was a Royal Enfield. I've still never seen one up close though.
 
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