New member/old owner

Bit old to be changeing youre habits , your not allowed to sell it ! youll have to store it again , if you want to be awkward .

Gravel ! ? , one of the electronic Ign. thingos gives the 30 degree range of the BSA A65 points unit . With slow advance .
With these the opertunity to trundle along without going sideways or looping it gets the thing a bit more manadgeable .

Brad

Thanks for fill in on the 4K on Combat.
Familiar story about avoid getting killed when kids young.
That is main reason I postponed getting back on a bike for about 40 years and I got to see them grow up.

Bob

Hey Brad how about an alton electric starter?? you might find that you'd ride it more often.

Hello cjandme,

Noticed your location - keep your head down.

Never really considered estart. I know they are better now, but still require good battery, and look funny (to me).

Actually, I have never had problems starting except for the first two or three weeks after I bought it. It took that long to figure out the right sequence for that bike. It turned out to be:
1. Tickle both carbs till drooling fuel
2. Roll engine over just past TDC. The hardest part of doing this is easing it just past - due I suppose to CR
3. Give it a slight bit of throttle.
4. Then basically (with bike on centerstand, and me on the ground, right side) I sort of jump up on the kickstart with right foot, bent knee. As kickstart goes down I give it extra push by straightening out leg strongly. Almost always get VROOM first shot.

This has worked for me.

Riding more often would be nice, but it competes with other hobbies.

Brad,
Don't despair. You're doing fine. I turn 70 later this year. My idea was I'd keep the Norton until I can't start it any more, it gives me a bit of motivation to get it going and then I'd stare at it for at least another year. I've never been able to get a good kick from the side, I always have to start it with my feet on both pegs and I weight in at 195 now. My problem is just the gumption to get going. I probably would ride a lot more if I could just jump on and hit the thumb commencer but I refuse to do the e-start to this bike. I always considered it a right of passage for the Norton. I did put a manual anti wet sump valve on it so I don't feel guilty about not draining the sump, plus it leaks lots less.

But yes, last year, I think I only put 5 gallons of BP110LL through it. I certainly don't take the corners like I used to. But that wide torque band does make me feel lots younger for some reason. I plan on getting out more this year, and I also live in an area of little traffic, most of the roads I ride on don't even have center lines. I wouldn't even consider taking it on I66 except maybe for a short spurt and certainly not where the traffic starts building up.

One of these days though, we're going to have to turn it over to the young bucks.

Dave
69S

Hi DogT
If I had the extra 60 lbs or so I think I start from the seat, too. The cousin who garages it for me is a 235 lb ex footballer, and can easily kick it sitting down.
Mine has never wet-sumped very much except when left sitting for six months or more. Even then only about 1/2 the oil ends up south. This is probably due to extreme low mileage, I don't know.

As our VA weather gets closer to spring (can't tell it from today's weather) I'm giving serious thought to registering the bike here in VA, get plates, insurance, and putting some miles on it on the road. Last summer I did ride it once from Richmond up to Lake Anna - almost halfway to your location. That was a blast, but I worried about some trooper noticing my 1988 NC plates the whole trip. Went to the lake because I knew I could buy marina fuel there for the ride back.

You're right though. It is getting time to let someone with lower mileage enjoy/be frustrated with the bike.

If you've got a clean title, you can get it registered in VA as an antique for about $70 and it lasts forever. Insurance is another issue. I got Skelly about $120/yr, $8000 agreed value, but there is a limit on mileage which I will never reach. I even found a 1970 plate I registered with it. I'm assuming it has to be the same year as the orig title. If you want to commute or ride it regularly, you will need to get a real plate and insurance. The DMV won't even look at it, all they want is the $$. If it's that low mileage, I'd keep it and ride it as much as you can. I don't think you'll find a better bike for the feel and look. It's a 750 in a 350 body.

I'm not sure what happens if you go out of state, but I bet if you're not a hot head and are old to boot, they won't bother you.

Dave
69S

Money is the real God,Amen

Phil

DogT said:

One of these days though, we're going to have to turn it over to the young bucks.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

I wonder what is going to happen to the market for the old bikes? I can see a slight flooding of the market as the Boomers start to sell off/estate off their toys. Will this drive prices down or will the interest remain high enough to keep the prices up?

Or will there not be enough interested buyers? We'll see over the next few years.

Or we could just sit there, listening to Root Boy Slim, 'Dozin' & Droolin' looking at them.

[Swooshdave wrote]I wonder what is going to happen to the market for the old bikes? I can see a slight flooding of the market as the Boomers start to sell off/estate off their toys. Will this drive prices down or will the interest remain high enough to keep the prices up?

Or will there not be enough interested buyers? We'll see over the next few years.[/quote]

I don't know how to do the "quote" thing right.

Swoosh, I think what will happen is that the youngsters will buy good looking, running bikes alright, as toys; but they will not be too fond of fixer-uppers. I have a 36 yr old daughter, and the crowd she runs with all have great jobs and plenty of money - but no time, and no desire to fix anything. I think barn finds and basket cases are going to continue to rust away in peace as there are less old farts around to rescue them.

I live in a neighborhood that is transitioning from empty-nesters in their sixties to thirty-somethings that have had the second kid and need more bedrooms. Great bunch of young people, by and large. But I would bet that if you collected all the hand tools owned by twenty young families combined they wouldn't fill a small toolbox! My next door neighbor came over last weekend to see if he could borrow a screwdriver. Said he needed one of those "cross-tip" ones. Now, he really likes my shiny motorcycle, but what would/could he do with it?

After he left did you weep?

Cross-thingy.

Bet he doesn't know how to drive a stick.

Brad said:

[Swooshdave wrote]I wonder what is going to happen to the market for the old bikes? I can see a slight flooding of the market as the Boomers start to sell off/estate off their toys. Will this drive prices down or will the interest remain high enough to keep the prices up?

Or will there not be enough interested buyers? We'll see over the next few years.

Click to expand...

I don't know how to do the "quote" thing right.

Swoosh, I think what will happen is that the youngsters will buy good looking, running bikes alright, as toys; but they will not be too fond of fixer-uppers. I have a 36 yr old daughter, and the crowd she runs with all have great jobs and plenty of money - but no time, and no desire to fix anything. I think barn finds and basket cases are going to continue to rust away in peace as there are less old farts around to rescue them.

I live in a neighborhood that is transitioning from empty-nesters in their sixties to thirty-somethings that have had the second kid and need more bedrooms. Great bunch of young people, by and large. But I would bet that if you collected all the hand tools owned by twenty young families combined they wouldn't fill a small toolbox! My next door neighbor came over last weekend to see if he could borrow a screwdriver. Said he needed one of those "cross-tip" ones. Now, he really likes my shiny motorcycle, but what would/could he do with it?[/quote]

No SCREWDRIVER? Did you suspend his man-card pending a board review? Or let him work on a temporary waiver if he promised a trip to the Binford store with you? :lol:

That actually is or should be or will be the elephant in the room.
After a while on the forum you begin to realize most guys are not spring chickens
and then it hits you NEITHER AM I.
I think values will fall off for most of our bikes and perhaps level off and hold for
the really well done stockers or high quality gofasts.
If I was 20 years younger, Id be careful about investing too much in one. But Id
be on the look out for an original owner looking to sell.
Hard to believe we do all get old.

I'm 36 right now, both knees and my back work as advertised.

I have 3 1/2 Commandos right now, could be more soon.

So this is for all you old codgers with bad knees and weak backs, I will gladly take over the care of your beloved bikes.

As I am able to use tools and read books made of paper, I will be able to properly care for them.

I have a large indoor space to properly store them out of the elements.

I also have a digital camera and can provide monthly status updates.

Look at it like summer camp or boarding school.

This way your bike can be well looked after and you can sleep easy knowing it is being taken care of.

(This is being written with humor in mind, unless you want to take me up on my offer)

Well, I'm 61 turning 62 in August. Bought mine new and has always been my baby, though I do have two grown girls, one of which blessed me with a grandson. I'm told the bike bike will be passed to him. SWMBO concurs. He'll be 3 in June and thinks that "tickling" is something that makes him laugh. There's plenty of time to bring him up to speed. The good thing is his father rides and can turn a wrench.

At this point in time I couldn't imagine walking into the shop and not seeing it there. If something were to happen, I can be happy sitting in the shop on a warm summer night, cold beer in hand, ballgame on the radio and fettling with a "suitable drift". God, I always loved that one.

All that said....The time will come when many of our bikes will be passed on/sold to who knows. Bwolfie, that's a generous offer and you're lucky to be your age. I hope there are many more that take these under their care when the time comes, ride them and get the satisfaction from them that we have. In the meantime, I'm going to Wyoming this summer. Trailering. Some will need to get over it but I'm spoiled by a box fan in the tent, XM on the radio. WIll see some of you there.

My legs and back still work, thank you very much. Not that they work as before the C6-7 fusion, but tolerable. No trouble starting it unless something's wrong. I figure I've got a few years, maybe the prices will go up by then and I can get the Morgan 3.

Dave
69S

"Look Ma, I'm still riding" :lol:



Going on 60 and hope 10-15 more years riding my Norton. Myself I have no children to pass down my 2 Nortons including my collected Norton memorabillia patches, badges, posters. Bike lifts, workshop tools and spare new/used parts I accumulated in the past 10 years. Have to deal with that down the road or someone else to deal with it. Enjoy now as tomorrow may never come.

Tell me that's not you.

850cmndo said:

Tell me that's not you.

Click to expand...

No, not me. Just some pic I found to post some humor.