A friend & neibor is the Presedant of the local "Airheads" club & a few times a year the hood is full of BMW's for blocks. I love the look of some of the old ones & he has two of the amazing old side cars. I wanted a R100rs once to do across country rides with a man that collected bikes & in my search I got soduced by the K bikes which were semi new then so I bought a 85 K100RS and loved it at first but got so bored with it after a while I just quit ridding. If I had bought the R 100RS I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more as they are more like the Nortons I had grown up on. Now when my streets are clogged with cool Beemers & I start thinking I want one I remember why I sold the K bike and how much I loved the V50 Monza Moto Guzzi I replaced it with & realize a good late 70's early 80's Guzzi Le Mans has everything the BMW is atractive for but is WAY better looking, faster on all levels handles better comes with great brakes (for my old thinking) and will be worth more $ every year. I still like the R100's & they can be bought for what seems like great bargins but to me it's 1/2 what the Guzzi is. People compaired my V50 Monza to the small sporty Beemer of the same years & I have ridden both. Guzzi ya, Beema,,, it was ok..
Nortons and BMWs
- Thread starter JimC
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For me its about twin cylinder air cooled motorcycles; I do have a BSA Victor that I'm trying to warm up to. The Nortons are some of the best looking MOTOR cycles, the drive train is in your face, metalic art. Working on a Norton is eith stress relief or frustration city. I have two air heads; I put a complete OE wiring harness on the R75 /5 for under $100 in less than 2 hours, I even installed a fuse, this motorcycle has over 36K mikes on it and is paired with a sidecar. I am near the end of a complete do-over on an R90 S; so easy to work on, and you actually install the horn last. My Ducati must have rubbed up against a fiberglass tanked Norton because it got the alcohol disease, and a new tank from Ducati; the doctors have put it on StarTron; I'll stick to Kettle One. The W-650 gets its annual oil change and just wants to go for a ride, probably the sweetest, easiest, most trouble free motorcycle I've ever owned; even has a bevel drive OHC. My T140E is still on life support, but is almost on the schedule for its make over; got some beautiful SS rims/spokes and its tank is in Maryland getting painted.
I think a Moto Guzzi or an older Harley will be next; I missed my shot at a Vincent years ago, now they are stratospherically priced. My first road bike in 1965 was a '37 Indian Chief, now also over priced. My wife once asked me why I have so many motorcycles...I told her that motorcycles were much like shoes...the more you have the longer they last...the question has not resurfaced.
I think a Moto Guzzi or an older Harley will be next; I missed my shot at a Vincent years ago, now they are stratospherically priced. My first road bike in 1965 was a '37 Indian Chief, now also over priced. My wife once asked me why I have so many motorcycles...I told her that motorcycles were much like shoes...the more you have the longer they last...the question has not resurfaced.
speirmoor
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This was my Bmw fix for a few years.The tallest bike I've ever had.Engine was buzzy and the bike wanted to go right all the time when you revved up the motor.Best moment was when I left the bikeshow at the Javits center to find a bunch of Squids gathered around it.They couldnt believe BMW made such a machine.
L.A.B. said:
I forgive you, if you back off on this whole etiquette thing and let rant on and harass our brethren.
Anyhow, I had a Norton then I lost it (don't want to go back there). Then later in life bought a Ducati cause I couldn't find a Norton. Later sold the Duc to buy a Norton.
I have always appreciated BMW's and there is a dealer a mile down the road. I stop in bi-weekly on the way home from work and look about the stock. If I am ever in a position to have a stable, I will have one in it, along with a Matchless, a Ducati, a Victor, another Norton (probably a MK2a) and maybe an R1 just for grins.
I had chances to buy old BMWs, always wanted one but with so much involved in Nortons I am glad I did not have to build an addition for another brand of bikes and supporting parts and tools.
One of my favorite old magazine articles shows how Butler and Smith tweaked their 750cc BMW in the early seventies so Reg Pridmore could whip 900 Kawasakis with it. Life is too short to play with all the toys out there. If I hit the lotto, last I knew the Amol Special was still for sale though:
One of my favorite old magazine articles shows how Butler and Smith tweaked their 750cc BMW in the early seventies so Reg Pridmore could whip 900 Kawasakis with it. Life is too short to play with all the toys out there. If I hit the lotto, last I knew the Amol Special was still for sale though:
I'm right there with ya L.A.B.
Every since my first beemer I have been a fan of the horizontally opposed / shaft drive setup on a motorcycle.
Since 2 cylinders and 2 carbs was so good on those R/ bikes,
I figured that 6 of each had to be super good, So far I haven't been disappointed.
:!:
Every since my first beemer I have been a fan of the horizontally opposed / shaft drive setup on a motorcycle.
Since 2 cylinders and 2 carbs was so good on those R/ bikes,
I figured that 6 of each had to be super good, So far I haven't been disappointed.
:!:
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- May 31, 2009
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You guys and your beemers... If you want something rate and unique like your norton, come to the dark side with me and go Zundapp :mrgreen:
Alright, truth be told if like a bmw too. Maybe there is something to the norton bmw connection. But for now I am very pleased to park my norton next to my zundapp...
Alright, truth be told if like a bmw too. Maybe there is something to the norton bmw connection. But for now I am very pleased to park my norton next to my zundapp...
Rare?
Unique?
BMW?
My 1936 R2 (198cc upright single, 3 speed) is making huge progress at the restorers and I should have it this spring. Between searching for parts and the actual restoration I have been playing-around with this for over 13 years!
BMW made 1,970 of them in 1936, there are 3 left in the world and my bike has "matching" (they do not match each other) numbers certified by the factory.
Vince
Unique?
BMW?
My 1936 R2 (198cc upright single, 3 speed) is making huge progress at the restorers and I should have it this spring. Between searching for parts and the actual restoration I have been playing-around with this for over 13 years!
BMW made 1,970 of them in 1936, there are 3 left in the world and my bike has "matching" (they do not match each other) numbers certified by the factory.
Vince
Wow Vince love to see your 36 R2. I live close to Irv Seever the very old & respected BMW dealer and collector. They have a few amazing old Beemer race bikes on display and I can't remember what modle but he has the very oldest BMW still on the planet amonst many others.
Evan has an R2, he has some truly amazing-stuff there including a "rotary" (it's a 3 cylinder BMW single cylinder-bike). He got his R2 from Irv Seaver himself in 1959 and he is an amazing-wealth of vintage-BMW knowledge!
Evan's "old-bike" was actually bumped-down the list when an older one was found, it's now the 2nd oldest BMW left!
My "dream-bike" is a Helios (pre-BMW "BMW").
Vince
Evan's "old-bike" was actually bumped-down the list when an older one was found, it's now the 2nd oldest BMW left!
My "dream-bike" is a Helios (pre-BMW "BMW").
Vince
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