A wolf in sheep’s clothing

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A wolf in sheep’s clothing or how to hide your Norton.
Hi all,
I’m fortunate enough to be holidaying in France, or St Tropez to be more exact. It’s a long way from rural Australia!
I know what you are all now thinking. No, I’m not one of the beautiful people, no, I couldn’t afford it unless a friend had a house here and yes, I am a boring old fart who sticks out like a sore thumb.
But what is the point of this post.
Motor scooters swarm around here like blowflies around a dead wombat. Their riders whiz around the narrow winding roads, I’m sure deep down they all think they are Agostini. Many have hotted up exhausts and are quite loud.
Yesterday as we walked to a rustic restaurant I came across a line of these machines. There were various makes like Vespa that I knew and many I didn’t. I couldn’t believe the physical size of these machines, a far cry from the little machines of 1960s Italian films, with a beautiful girl astride.
As I scanned down the line of these bloated and overgrown ‘bug-smashers’ my eyes fell upon what looked like a vacant space in the otherwise crowded lot. On closer inspection I saw a humble set of handlebars just visible in the sea of plastic mouldings that seem to make up most of a modern step-through. It turned out it belonged to a very presentable Norton Fastback.
So I thought, here is the old commando that could thrash the pants of any of these diminutive behemoths but it looked like a kids mini-bike in their presence. Anyone who was not familiar with bikes would think it was the little ‘run-about’.
It’s surprising how physically small a commando is, especially with low bars and a small tank. Who would have guessed that this was a superbike of the late sixties/ early seventies?
But it did remind me of a joke from my very young biking days in the late seventies:
# Question) What’s riding a scooter got in common with making love to a seventy year old prostitute?
# Answer) It might be a lot of fun but you wouldn’t want your mates to find out about it
Yours in humour
Alan
 
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A wolf in sheep’s clothing or how to hide your Norton.
Hi all,
I’m fortunate enough to be holidaying in France, or St Tropez to be more exact. It’s a long way from rural Australia!
I know what you are all now thinking. No, I’m not one of the beautiful people, no, I couldn’t afford it unless a friend had a house here and yes, I am a boring old fart who sticks out like a sore thumb.
But what is the point of this post.
Motor scooters swarm around here like blowflies around a dead wombat. Their riders whiz around the narrow winding roads, I’m sure deep down they all think they are Agostini. Many have hotted up exhausts and are quite loud.
Yesterday as we walked to a rustic restaurant I came across a line of these machines. There were various makes like Vespa that I knew and many I didn’t. I couldn’t believe the physical size of these machines, a far cry from the little machines of 1960s Italian films, with a beautiful girl astride.
As I scanned down the line of these bloated and overgrown ‘bug-smashers’ my eyes fell upon what looked like a vacant space in the otherwise crowded lot. On closer inspection I saw a humble set of handlebars just visible in the sea of plastic mouldings that seem to make up most of a modern step-through. It turned out it belonged to a very presentable Norton Fastback.
So I thought, here is the old commando that could thrash the pants of any of these diminutive behemoths but it looked like a kids mini-bike in their presence. Anyone who was not familiar with bikes would think it was the little ‘run-about’.
It’s surprising how physically small a commando is, especially with low bars and a small tank. Who would have guessed that this was a superbike of the late sixties/ early seventies?
But it did remind me of a joke from my very young biking days in the late seventies:
# Question) What’s riding a scooter got in common with making love to a seventy year old prostitute?
# Answer) It might be a lot of fun but you wouldn’t want your mates to find out about it
Yours in humour
Alan
Drugs are bad... :p
 
Depending on which step-throughs were there, the Commando might have a tough time keeping up. Some of them have 75+ HP plus all the modern bells/whistles like ABS, traction control, etc.

In some cases it might be like thinking you can easily outrun that Soccer-mom grocery-getter Tesla with your old hotted-up Hemi Road Runner...but you can't. ;)
 
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Depending on which step-throughs were there, the Commando might have a tough time keeping up. Some of them have 75+ HP plus all the modern bells/whistles like ABS, traction control, etc.

In some cases it might be like thinking you can easily outrun that Soccer-mom grocery-getter Tesla with your old hotted-up Hemi Road Runner...but you can't. ;)
You mean when they are dawdling along in the passing lane, fixated on their phone/vehicle multi function display?
Strategy.
Element of surprise.
If you don't, the 62mph-for-ten-miles dawdling person becomes let-me-show-you-how-fast-this-car-is-and-hang-you-out-to-dry-while-passing.
Not impressed.
 
When I was in secondary school I had a 500cc Indian Scout. My mate had a Vespa. He ran over a small stone on the road, crashed and broke his leg. When the wheel of a motorcycle turns, it keeps the motorcycle upright. Vespas have very small wheels. Motor scooters are for people who wear duffle coats and brothel creepers. Not for people who have hair on their chests. Motor scooters are the reason Commandos are what they are, and not Featherbed 650SS or Atlases. A sports bike is not good for commuting - you get your panties dirty.
My brother had a Vespa. When I was teaching him to drive a car, he did not know he had to turn the steering wheel to go around a corner.
 
One year for the Hanson Dam run for SoCal Norton owners, a mate showed up on one of these.

Coming from the mind set of 'Doesn't matter what you ride, as long as you ride,' have to admit I was little put off at first.
Especially since he goes north of 280lbs.......
And, he has a lot of other rides, why he chose that one, I don't know..
By the end of the day, I had a lot more respect for both him and that 'little' scooter....


Still not my cup of Tea..........
 
I got my first 'velomoteur', literally 'bicycle with a motor' at 14 in 1966. It represented a freedom I had not known before. Before, I was stuck with public transport or getting my Mom, if I was lucky, to drive me where I wanted to go, although she often was required to drop me off around the corner... for obvious reasons to do with ego. For the younger generations especially, I imagine that mopeds and scooters represent the same thing, and they are cheaper than a car and you don't have to pay for parking. Hence their proliferation.
 
The missus and I rented a scooter in Honduras with ambitions of a tour. It had a step through frame with platforms for feet. The wheels were small. It did not handle like a 2 wheeled vehicle at all which made me nervous enough to return it after a brief ride in road conditions unaccustomed to. It all depends on what people are used to, I saw the same machine with more than one passenger boogeying along really fast with no protection whatsoever.
 
Depending on which step-throughs were there, the Commando might have a tough time keeping up. Some of them have 75+ HP plus all the modern bells/whistles like ABS, traction control, etc.

In some cases it might be like thinking you can easily outrun that Soccer-mom grocery-getter Tesla with your old hotted-up Hemi Road Runner...but you can't. ;)
Well,
a scooter may well be able to blow off a Commando but let us hope it does not become knowledge
 
They are modern, efficient and practical. Suspect a good deal safer than a Commando as well. They are seen in all weather. But so often the pilot is wearing shorts and trainers as he paces dual carriage traffic.
I shudder.
 
......................... Their riders whiz around the narrow winding roads, I’m sure deep down they all think they are Agostini.

I'm pretty sure none of them will have even heard of Agostini! Rossi and Quaterraro perhaps!

# Question) What’s riding a scooter got in common with making love to a seventy year old prostitute?
# Answer) It might be a lot of fun but you wouldn’t want your mates to find out about it
Yours in humour
Alan

The only mate I wouldn't want to know about me having ventured into the lair of a 70 year old, is my mate for life, and she just turned 69!

Scooter just might suit me I guess......
 
I'm liking that Suzuki, but none of the local dealers show any stock. Maybe not popular in the suburbs?
 
I rode a motorcycle on public roads until I was 29, then went road racing. When I was riding my road bike, I always liked to keep passing the other traffic. That way, my future was pretty much in my own hands - not in the hands of blind people. If you are not a threat, they do not see you. That is the reason bikey gang members last so long.
I had to laugh. I was at a road house with my wife, and the Comanchros were there. They watched as she backed the car out and just missed knocking one of their Harleys over. Her good driving saved my life, that day.
 
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