Box Stock VS Modified

cash said:

For some reason the majority of Norton owners love modifications ie improvement of the breed.

I remember years ago going to a Vincent meet with my late good friend a brilliant self-taught engineer and artist. He was riding his stunning D series Black Shadow. When we arrived it didn't take long for a crowd to gather around and the criticism was unbelievable it was so pathetic and nit picking. That's the wrong screw, the speedo is at the wrong angle, looks like the wrong shade of black etc etc, it went on and on for what seemed like ages. I'm sure it broke his heart, he never rode it again and sold it the following year, he pasted a couple of years later.

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I was at a Norton rally a few years ago,now bearing in mind my Norton has aprillia wheels Yamaha forks belt drive big mikuni carb extra ISOs braced swinging arm gunfighter seat etc etc and a bloke came up to me and asked what side my main tap was?
"On the right I replied" and he told me I had it wrong and it would have been on the left when it left the factory!!!
I couldn't believe it !
I said I couldn't give a monkeys where it was because this is where it is now the same as all my bikes

baz said:

I was at a Norton rally a few years ago,now bearing in mind my Norton has aprillia wheels Yamaha forks belt drive big mikuni carb extra ISOs braced swinging arm gunfighter seat etc etc and a bloke came up to me and asked what side my main tap was?
"On the right I replied" and he told me I had it wrong and it would have been on the left when it left the factory!!!
I couldn't believe it !
I said I couldn't give a monkeys where it was because this is where it is now the same as all my bikes

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It never made any sense to me on the left side so I have moved them over to the right on every Commando I've had.

As I have said before we modified/build our bikes for ourselves, not for others, I don't care what others think about what I have done to my near new 850 Commando (Brought new back in 76 and converting it to the Featherbed Wideline frame in 1980), but the good thing I built it for me only, no one else and the best part there in no other Norton like mine, yes over the 44+ years in the Featherbed frame I have come across a few Commando/Featherbed Nortons but none were built like mine, all of them had the motor upright like the Domies, not leaning forward like the Commando (they go faster leaning forward lol) and everyone had custom alloy tanks, I liked the shape of the original 57 Featherbed tank, 3/4 of my build is Commando and 1/4 Featherbed or near enough.
After 45 years built in the Featherbed it now is showing its age but that's because its ridden, it never was a show pony and I like it just the way it is with a few good upgrades in the last 15+ years, it still goes as good as the day I first built it all them years ago and been very reliable, and were ever I park up at bike do's, bike shops and biker stops when on rides, it always gets people checking it out, I get a lot of older ex bikers sayin "I use to own a Domie" I just agree with them and have a good chat with them, I don't tell them it's not a Domie and when they ask about the Joe Hunt hanging off the side, I just tell them it's an anti-thief device, what, yes if I catch anyone fu cking around with my Norton I connect the leads to their balls and give it a few kicks, haha and watch their eye balls pop out lol, or I give then some other BS story, all in fun lol.
But I have never had a bad word about the way my old Norton is set up, have never had anyone nit-pick it or say I stuffed up a good Commando and all the old school bikers can see all the good bits on it and how everything fits so well in the Featherbed frame, all built by my own hands, for me and me only.

Ashley

cash said:

That's the wrong screw, the speedo is at the wrong angle, looks like the wrong shade of black etc etc, it went on and on for what seemed like ages.

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You could argue that the Vincent works fitted the wrong ignition and the wrong charging system.

We’ve all met strange characters like those your friend encountered, but a meeting of Vincent owners assembles them into a critical mass.

New owners like to start with a clean slate. I had a 2009 Harley XR1200 that I put back to stock before selling. It was a beauty and ran like Jack the bear. I thought maybe the new owner would keep it that way but no.
I have been slowly doing the same to my Norton but for a different reason. Many of the "mods" I've seen (and done) are not really necessary or they are poorly thought out and create their own set of problems.

concours said:

Tire kickers.
Horse trading is a lost art.
I tell them directly: " bring a truck or trailer, and cash" the FIRST time. And, ask your Mommywife permission first, before you arrange to come.

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EXACTLY, I don’t even want to talk to someone that is clueless about the basic features, attributes and shortcomings of any of my bikes I want to let go since they are always modified to address the design shortcomings of almost every older bike. Anyone who is hung up on “original only” is in my mind a collector who will never ride it or thinking of the purchase as an investment, both of which are lucicrous motivations if you ask me. I want my beloved bikes to go to riders who know how to wrench and can appreciate the amount of detailed attention I have lavished on them. Tire kickers and collectors can kiss my ass.

The only answer to any question about a change on a bike is : "But that isn't stock". Look very serious when you say it
and glare at the owner. Then quietly move away and let the delayed bomb do its work!
What nonsense. There is something to be said for a dead stock bike and the same for a modded out ride.
Guess what? YOUR CHOICE.

As has been stated, an original bike (or car) will be worth more than a modified one. That's just the way it is. The ONLY way to get top dollar (whatever that might be) for a modded vehicle is IF the mods are specific ones that the prospective buyer wants AND that he/she is confident that the mods were properly done. Most people would rather have a stock vehicle and make the mods themselves (or have them made) as opposed to "trust" somebody they've never met. We all know that there are many mods made that make subsequent trouble shooting much more difficult...

I recently enquired about making a trade-in for a new motorcycle with my trade-in being my '21 Moto Guzzi V7 Special. It has several mods that are extremely common for these bikes but the first thing I was asked was, "Do you have the original parts and can you reinstall them?" The trade value offered was over $1000 USD higher with the bike in OEM condition.

There's a Commando on ebay currently... 'believed to be' 920cc...
Mine came with a stack of receipts, but........ The guy had two Commandos, so were they relevant to mine?
All part of the fun...

EstuaryBoy said:

There's a Commando on ebay currently... 'believed to be' 920cc...
Mine came with a stack of receipts, but........ The guy had two Commandos, so were they relevant to mine?
All part of the fun...

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920s can be very, very good.

They can also not be…!

Fast Eddie said:

920s can be very, very good.

They can also not be…!

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There is no substitute for cubic inches....until the motor fails. :-(