First Run, FIrst Ride!!

OK Dave, got my tag today for the bike. Kinda funny getting it. I took the documents in showing it came from another state and has not been titled in about 20 years. The girl behind the counter was inputting the information to get me a price because I wanted to go straight to an antique tag but I have to have it registered on a standard tag for the first year. She go a quizzical look on her face and looked at me asking what the MSRP of the bike was. I asked her if she wanted to the 1974 price or current. She looked like a fish gasping for air and went to the back of the office then came back and asked what the bike was. I told her it was a Norton as the papers stated. She looked confused and said that there was not an option for that, I said it was probably because they folded in 1975-76 and have not made Nortons since. She returns to the back and another girl comes up front asking what the CCs were, I told her 850 (I know they are 828 but I did not want to confuse the poor ladies anymore since the already listed it as an 850) and she yells it to the back of the office. Then she comes back and ask if it is an Interstate, roadster or antother options. I tell her it is a roadster and she yells that to the back then walks off. The original girl comes back and has an MSRP of $2950.00 wrote down. I ask where she got that from, she states they got it online ( I am guessing KBB). I then tell her I will try to come back with another bike like a Royal Enfield or BSA to confuse them further!! Ends up the tag is $35.00 with title fees so I just take that and will do the antique tag next year. She gives me a registration sticker about 5 inches long and 3 inches high and tells me to affix this to the bike, I look at her and laugh. I told her it would probably peel up the paint and fall off, she just tells me to keep it with the bike in case I need it!

So now the Norton is legal with the exception of the inspection sticker which they will tell me to beep the horn and take my $5 in exchange for a laminated sticker for my wallet.

Now just have to find time to get my endorsement and then the military safety course at a nearby Air Force Base in the next few months.

I took the bike out last night again in my neighborhood and still have some getting use to. First gear does not want to cooperate with me initially taking off. I have to stick it in 2nd then throw it into 1st, have not opened the tranny and need to do some study / searching on the forum. I am sure there is a thread somewhere. Have a few rattles and noises that I need to track down and fix or live with. Anyway, hope to be doing some legal motoring soon!!!

Glad you straightened them out to get the tag issued. On the 1st gear engagement hang up I'd 1st suspect the pawl spring in outer cover then the 1st cog bush - easy to reach when inner cover removed. Beware bike will surge forward
if coasting down rather slowly in 1st on engine drag and surprise you on new radius arc that has crashed me - being too dam careful in 10 mph hwy turns with traffic ahead and then entering my off pitched Gravel driveway entrance. Hwy drop left me running a bit to stand and watch bike continue to slide into a guard rail at a few mph and driveway 12 mph put bike on top of me to fracture pelvis and L5 segment.