Dave Aldana's Norton

frank sider · Apr 21, 2009

I took those pictures last year at the Legend of the Motorcycles in Half Moon Bay and i just wanted to make a small tribute to this great Racer Davild Aldana
Cheers
Frank

http://oscarapparel.blogspot.com/

Cookie · Apr 21, 2009

those are nice, thanks Frank.

motoracer8 · Apr 27, 2009

The machine in the picture belonged to Ron Wood and was ridden by Alex Jorgensen. Aldana did ride a Norton at times, he was national no. 13.

Ken G.

dave M · Apr 27, 2009

I think motoracer8 is correct, I have an old book published in 1974 called 'The Motorcycle Book' by Joe Scalzo, in it there is a story about Dave Aldana racing a Norton at Ascot, on this occasion he was riding for a guy called Harold Allison. I also have an article somewhere about the Woods Norton and I don't think Aldana was one of the riders.

frank sider · Apr 27, 2009

motoracer8 said:
The machine in the picture belonged to Ron Wood and was ridden by Alex Jorgensen. Aldana did ride a Norton at times, he was national no. 13.

Ken G.

Yes yoou right Motoracer8 but David did ride some of the Wood Norton's, though.

dave M · Apr 28, 2009

It seems like in those days lots of riders would race freelance for independent tuners and share the prize money with them, so unless someone specifically remembers or trawls through old record books I suppose there is no way of knowing who rode what, the obvious exception being the works riders who are quite well documented.

Cookie · Apr 28, 2009

I've heard that in a career some folks would ride for more than 20 owners. I used to know an old biker in Sonoma that had ridden for factory teams who had pictures of Indians and Harleys, as well as Triumphs on the wall. Now that I'm older I wish I had written down some of the things he told us.

ahrma92 · Dec 24, 2021

David Aldana got to toss a leg over several Norton Flattrackers. 1st one was the Harold Allison built & tuned Trackmaster that I own. This is pretty much right after Jody Nicholas switched to an XR750 in 1972 as national number 58.
After that David raced a C&J Norton that was a Miler, 1/2 miler & also converted at times to a TT bike. After the C&J framer ride, he did race one of the three made Ron Wood big tube chassis bikes as national number 10.

grandpaul · Dec 24, 2021

ahrma92 said:
David Aldana got to toss a leg over several Norton Flattrackers. 1st one was the Harold Allison built & tuned Trackmaster that I own. This is pretty much right after Jody Nicholas switched to an XR750 in 1972 as national number 58.
After that David raced a C&J Norton that was a Miler, 1/2 miler & also converted at times to a TT bike. After the C&J framer ride, he did race one of the three made Ron Wood big tube chassis bikes as national number 10.

Welcome.

I think I know you, but don't tell me, let me guess...

lcrken · Dec 24, 2021

When I bought this factory flat tracker from John Hately back in 1977, it had a rear sprocket stamped "ALDANA", but I don't know if that means he actually rode that bike, or if it was just installed from the team spares when they needed that size.

FYI, I added the tank paint scheme, and fitted the Supertrap silencers so I could ride it around a little in my neighborhood without the neighbors getting too excited. Otherwise, it's the way I got it from John. He was given the bike when the factory got out of racing, in the process of going belly up.

Ken

Matt Spencer · Dec 24, 2021

ARRGGH

This front end aint bad . Those Perrilis er orrible on tarmac ,

Says the one belows a Ron Woods ( built ) bike .

Mr Woods did two frames perhaps . ( or wasit free )

Archives Column | Ron Wood

Archives Column | Ron Wood: Ron Wood took a hot young rider and an obscure brand and made history at Ascot Park in Gardena, California.

www.cyclenews.com

Sportin' Norton | Cycle World | NOVEMBER 1998

magazine.cycleworld.com

Got the Tuning Artical still , but opeless on copmuters ,

oldmikew · Dec 24, 2021

I think Aldana rode a Norton in the transatlantic match races 72or 73? and had a sense ofhumour that pissed the authorities off big time ... the black leathers with a luminous skeleton on the back

jaydee75 · Dec 25, 2021

Aldana used to race every year at the Barber vintage MX, on a 450 Honda in a custom flat tracker frame. He was still impressive as a rider, I guess in his 60s.
I talked to him about 4 years ago in the pits. He was very friendly and when I told him I had a Norton he spoke favorably about his Norton experience. Nice guy.
Jaydee

grandpaul · Dec 25, 2021

oldmikew said:
I think Aldana rode a Norton in the transatlantic match races 72or 73? and had a sense of humour that pissed the authorities off big time ... the black leathers with a luminous skeleton on the back

The "bones" leathers became his trademark, instantly recognizable. He still wears tham at AHRMA events

oldmikew · Dec 25, 2021

didnt know that .... excellent

lcrken · Dec 28, 2021

The man at work.

Ken

Dave Aldana's Norton

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