Are we alone?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Well Jerry and Les, it looks like it's finally time for that 'crustacean photo section' in the board index. It's been a long time coming!
 
Dave M, I'll bet he has. He has a beautiful '70 yellow Fastback which he's had for as long as I've known him (about 23 years). I must catch up with him soon on one of his Perth trips.
 
Heck I never saw any on the road back in the 70's except for the one I rode. It was part of the alure then as it is now...would you want one now if everyone owned one?

While I had my bike in Portland, OR before shipping it north a couple of people followed the sound of the bike to where I was working on it just so they could see it...they could tell from the sound it was a Norton and they were lonely for the sight of one...one guy even got down and sniffed it so he could get the full effect of the hot oil on the crankcase! (Yeah I know, PCV, I read the thread!)
 
On a trip to Costa Rica in 1990, the first bike I saw coming out of the airport was a ratty Commando. It is rare to see Nortons here too, but it does happen and I would say most are in good shape. It is just as rare to see an old Triumph and I can't remember when I saw a BSA on the streets.

Jean
 
Interesting thread. It was only yesterday that I was wondering if there was a national, and international database that everyone could register their bike's serial number. You know, get a 'feel' for how many bikes there are still around? Anything like that around?

~Newbie Gary
 
Gary said:
Interesting thread. It was only yesterday that I was wondering if there was a national, and international database that everyone could register their bike's serial number. You know, get a 'feel' for how many bikes there are still around? Anything like that around?

~Newbie Gary
Click to expand...

That has been done before for other makes, although many people are very adverse to publicizing their serial numbers.
 
JSPayne9207 said:
I usually see about 2 Norton's a week here in Houston, TX, I see more triumphs & BSA's than Norton's. I mostly see Harley's & Japanese crotch rockets (about 100 a day). There's a British motorcycle club somewhere in town, haven't gone to any of their meetings yet.
Click to expand...

That would be the BMOA, I'm a long-distance member and 10-years straight attendee of thier New Ulm Rallye, the best in Texas.
 
dave M said:
Well Jerry and Les, it looks like it's finally time for that 'crustacean photo section' in the board index. It's been a long time coming!
Click to expand...

Here here!

$7.50 per lobster sounds like somebody here could make a few bucks shipping them on dry ice to AccessNorton friends!

Hello? Hello? Is this thing turned on?
 
swooshdave said:
That has been done before for other makes, although many people are very adverse to publicizing their serial numbers.
Click to expand...

1.) hope I did the 'quote thang' correctly, lol's.
2.) how odd!? Why would everyone NOT want to register their number(s)? I don't mean addresses, stuff like that... just a list of, in serial number, the NUMBERS of the 'known' bikes, regardless of whether they are on the road or not.

Living in the States, I'd love to see a breakdown by state, even though you'd know at the start we could never get them all, or that years later, some would be gone to that motorcycle graveyard in the sky and their numbers not removed from the list.

I guess what I'm saying is that this is the computer age. Seems likes that's the FIRST thing I'd do, were I a 'computer geek' (and I wish I were, LOL's!)
~Gary
 
I know of 4 on cape cod.......

None get the riding time mine does (and definitely will next summer!!!!!)

kfh
 
If you leave the cylinder head on for a while you will find the rid ability quotient improves greatly. :D
 
I live in Perth WA, I've seen one other Commando on the road in my adult life, and I clearly remember it because I nearly rubber necked my way off the road in shock. It was the shiniest thing on 2 wheels I have ever seen, and going about the same pace as my old Motobecane. I very rarely see any pre 1990 bikes here, even on the weekends. The only time you see significant numbers of older bikes is at events/shows etc, and I know I will have the only Commando in the car park. Bit depressing really
 
Poindexter, you're missing something. There's more Commandos in Perth than you can poke a stick at. Example - Cyclecraft Engineering ONLY stocks Commando parts. Why? Try joining the British Motorcycle Enthusiasts Club you'll find plenty of contacts for Commandos being ridden regularly.

Mick
 
I once was lost, but now am found! Well, found YOU guys, anyway.

In 20 years I've only ONCE seen a Norton on the road here in Metro-Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. I actually HEARD it (reminded me of my Dad's old 'Snortin Nortin' lol's), hence looked for it. Came from behind, pulled up in the right lane just far enough where I couldn't start yelling out the driver's window.

I think, really, my point is that I (meaning any of us) could be surrounded by 50 other Norton's in our area, whether a metro-complex of a couple of million, or rural areas... but unless we literally STUMBLE across 'them' out there... yeah, we feel alone. I just joined a local Norton group in my area. Hopefully, it'll turn out to be a nice experience for me as, God knows, I can use any help, tips, what-have-you from anyone.

P.S. (via edit): ML, I don't think poindexter is missing anything. He's very new, JUST LIKE ME. Only four posts, and just joined, which (my guess) is that he's SEARCHING for Norton owners. If you know that area... might want to send him an email? I know I'd certainly like to meet some local Norton owners, were it me <I'm all alone, sniffle, no-one loves me, sniffle> BESIDES, I believe he mentioned that he was in Perth, Washington state, as in the USA? :roll:
 
Poindexter,
On our weekly Sunday morning ride we had three Commandos and a Dominator 99. That's just here in sleepy little Geraldton. You need to get out more. I've done 5000 miles since July on mine. Also, go down and meet Ben at British Imports in Morley. He does Brit stuff generally and Commando stuff especially. Murray reckons he carries enough spare parts to build a bike. Whereabouts in Perth are you?
 
Here in Lubbock I haven't seen another Commando unfortunately. When I lived in San Diego and hung out at GP there were plenty of Commando's, bike rally's, that kinda stuff. Here there isn't anything except for pirate island....where's the fun in that?? :mrgreen:
 
Hi All,

I never said that there are no Norton Commando's in Perth, but rather that I don't see them on the road. People who inevitably stop for a chat at petrol stations, traffic lights, car parks etc while I'm out on the Norton all say the same thing, that they haven't seen a Commando in years.

I know Murray at Cyclecraft, he's done some work on my bike on a few occasions; as a tinkerer I like to let a professional run a spanner over my bike every few years. The guys in Morley don't return phone calls (3 times now) so I'm surprised they are still in business. Parts availability isn't an issue. Thanks for the tip about joining the British Motorcycle Enthusiasts Club; now that I'm no longer doing fly-in fly-out mining work that would proably be a good idea.

Cheers
 
Gary said:
swooshdave said:
That has been done before for other makes, although many people are very adverse to publicizing their serial numbers.
Click to expand...

1.) hope I did the 'quote thang' correctly, lol's.
2.) how odd!? Why would everyone NOT want to register their number(s)? I don't mean addresses, stuff like that... just a list of, in serial number, the NUMBERS of the 'known' bikes, regardless of whether they are on the road or not.

Living in the States, I'd love to see a breakdown by state, even though you'd know at the start we could never get them all, or that years later, some would be gone to that motorcycle graveyard in the sky and their numbers not removed from the list.

I guess what I'm saying is that this is the computer age. Seems likes that's the FIRST thing I'd do, were I a 'computer geek' (and I wish I were, LOL's!)
~Gary
Click to expand...

Many years ago, I worked in a restoration shop that worked on classic Fords, mostly Mustangs and Shelbys, but the occasional Talladega Torino, Cobra, or Hollman & Moody Falcon would come in.

Interesting thing about the Shelbys, Cobras and even Sunbeam Tigers is that many of them were listed in the 'Cobra Registry', kept by the SAAC (Shelby-American Automobile Club). Most Cobras, Shelby Mustangs, and Tigers were listed by Serial number, with owner info listed with the owner's permission in a hard-bound book which was regularly updated. This book made theft of Shelby-American vehicles pretty hard, because all anyone had to do was contact the Cobra Registry with a Serial number, and the registry could verify the owner, or if the car was listed as stolen. Any cars that were known to be destroyed were listed as such, too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top