1974 JPN was my first motorcycle.

CH53MechWest

CH53MechWest

VIP MEMBER
Joined
Sep 7, 2022
Messages
20
Country flag
Maybe it was around summer of 2007 I can't really remember because at the time and I was stationed in Hawaii and I re-enlisted in the Marine Corps. I wanted a Motorcycle but different from everyone else that was getting a Harley after deployments. I was thinking of getting a Buell 1125R because I love the engineering of it. But after going through the internet at the base library at the time I remembered the name Norton from an old Motorcycle show that I went to as a kid. So I started researching Nortons and I found out the John Player Norton was a unique motorcycle. It was different and seemed easy to work on. So I hunted down one from Baxter Cycle and bought it from him. That was the bike I learn to ride on. That first year I had a slow speed wreck and I had to get the fiberglass repaired and I bought the OEM stickers from Fair Spares America. After that I felt more confident with the bike and I started to ride it like I stole it every time. I would do burn outs all the time at Creek Side parking lots at Kailua Hawaii showing off against the Harley guys. Anyways after breaking in the JPN riding it daily. I had to work on it and I learn all about the 74 850 and its quirks. After a while of fixing everything on it It was very reliable and it held up to the abuse that I put it through all the way to the time I sold it in 2021. The guy I sold it to loves it and praises that it always started on the first or second kick. I miss the bike but I am happy I sold it to a new friend. I have a few more Nortons now and I have Phil's 920 Norton Commando. I ride that one pretty hard too every run I always hit 7,000 rpms at least once a day of riding it.

Respectfully,

Christopher West
413 561 7575
 

Attachments

  • 1974 JPN was my first motorcycle.
    JPN.jpg
    436.2 KB · Views: 154
  • 1974 JPN was my first motorcycle.
    Phil's.jpg
    435.7 KB · Views: 144
Love it!! Nice post..
Ride em like you stole em. That's what they were built for..
Two nice looking bikes there..
 
  • Like
Reactions: baz
Brings back memories. I was stationed in Hawaii in the mid 70's. A motorcycle was all my wife and I had for transportation, other than "Da bus". I remember seeing a couple of Harleys but don't recall seeing any Nortons. I'm sure Oahu has changed a lot since those days.
 
Nice bikes, I like the 920 a lot! I'm in the process of restoring a JPN I picked up and hope to have it at the rally this summer in Washington.
 
Nice, so you're in Western MA now? Nice wheels on the 920, I don't recognize the brand. I remember Yamaha XS models from the 70's had same size axles, so bolt in. That's not what they are though.
 
Deckard said:
Nice, so you're in Western MA now? Nice wheels on the 920, I don't recognize the brand. I remember Yamaha XS models from the 70's had same size axles, so bolt in. That's not what they are though.
Click to expand...
They are cambray mag wheels
 
CH53MechWest said:
Maybe it was around summer of 2007 I can't really remember because at the time and I was stationed in Hawaii and I re-enlisted in the Marine Corps. I wanted a Motorcycle but different from everyone else that was getting a Harley after deployments. I was thinking of getting a Buell 1125R because I love the engineering of it. But after going through the internet at the base library at the time I remembered the name Norton from an old Motorcycle show that I went to as a kid. So I started researching Nortons and I found out the John Player Norton was a unique motorcycle. It was different and seemed easy to work on. So I hunted down one from Baxter Cycle and bought it from him. That was the bike I learn to ride on. That first year I had a slow speed wreck and I had to get the fiberglass repaired and I bought the OEM stickers from Fair Spares America. After that I felt more confident with the bike and I started to ride it like I stole it every time. I would do burn outs all the time at Creek Side parking lots at Kailua Hawaii showing off against the Harley guys. Anyways after breaking in the JPN riding it daily. I had to work on it and I learn all about the 74 850 and its quirks. After a while of fixing everything on it It was very reliable and it held up to the abuse that I put it through all the way to the time I sold it in 2021. The guy I sold it to loves it and praises that it always started on the first or second kick. I miss the bike but I am happy I sold it to a new friend. I have a few more Nortons now and I have Phil's 920 Norton Commando. I ride that one pretty hard too every run I always hit 7,000 rpms at least once a day of riding it.

Respectfully,

Christopher West
413 561 7575
Click to expand...
I have looked, but could not find a picture of your red bike with the guy Phil bought it from. It was at Big Sur sometime in the 80s. Still looking.
 
CH53MechWest said:
Maybe it was around summer of 2007 I can't really remember because at the time and I was stationed in Hawaii and I re-enlisted in the Marine Corps. I wanted a Motorcycle but different from everyone else that was getting a Harley after deployments. I was thinking of getting a Buell 1125R because I love the engineering of it. But after going through the internet at the base library at the time I remembered the name Norton from an old Motorcycle show that I went to as a kid. So I started researching Nortons and I found out the John Player Norton was a unique motorcycle. It was different and seemed easy to work on. So I hunted down one from Baxter Cycle and bought it from him. That was the bike I learn to ride on. That first year I had a slow speed wreck and I had to get the fiberglass repaired and I bought the OEM stickers from Fair Spares America. After that I felt more confident with the bike and I started to ride it like I stole it every time. I would do burn outs all the time at Creek Side parking lots at Kailua Hawaii showing off against the Harley guys. Anyways after breaking in the JPN riding it daily. I had to work on it and I learn all about the 74 850 and its quirks. After a while of fixing everything on it It was very reliable and it held up to the abuse that I put it through all the way to the time I sold it in 2021. The guy I sold it to loves it and praises that it always started on the first or second kick. I miss the bike but I am happy I sold it to a new friend. I have a few more Nortons now and I have Phil's 920 Norton Commando. I ride that one pretty hard too every run I always hit 7,000 rpms at least once a day of riding it.

Respectfully,

Christopher West
413 561 7575
Click to expand...
Hi Christopher,
I found the photos of your red Commando before Phil bought it.
The guy in the blue and grey jacket was the owner that Phil bought it from, probably around 1983. Maya Lai in black next to him. Your machine is behind Jeff Michaels in the other photo. It still had spoke wheels. The mags it has now came from Gene Austin’s black and yellow long range fastback.
1974 JPN was my first motorcycle.
 
Christopher,

Found Gene’s long range fastback photo with your wheels. On the far left.
1974 JPN was my first motorcycle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top