The difference between cost and value.

I am 81. What I value most in life is a happy life experience. How much are you prepared to pay for one ? To me a Norton Commando is a thing of delight. It actually has a soul. When you asre you are in your mothers' wombs, you usually feel safe and you can hear their heart-beats. Norton Commandos also produce a beat. I think I would like to own an old Commando, but I do not know about the 961, if it has the 270 degree crank. It might be as soul-less as a Japanese bike.
If you listen to a Commando when it is revving at 7000 RPM, the note it emits is a 'D' in the music scale. At low revs, it delivers the heart beat. If you know what cycles per second a 'D' is you can calculate the maximum lengths for the bits of the exhaust system How do you do that for a 961 ?

I just take life as it comes, I live a simple life, own everything take the good with the bad, but owning my Norton 850 for over 46 years now has got me through life, through the good times as well the bad times, but the way I wanted back in the early 80s by my own hands, was the first bike I ever built at a young age, I was only 17 when I bought the 850 Commando new and building it into the Featherbed in my early 20s, before the internet and all.



I must have done something right as it's still going as strong as ever with many modern upgrades in the last 15 years, but the motor is still built the same as it was in 82 with just a few slight upgrades.



Having a exhaust system made for the Featherbed frame and running open mufflers with just enough baffle for that important back pressure that puts out a great sound quiet when riding around, but open it up and with the work that has been done to my motor it's a sound that can't be beaten and one of the reasons I have kept it for so long.
As for the new Norton's they are way out of my price range but I am happy for the Norton I have +I have a 650 Manxman project to get back into and now my 1200 Thruxton has take over everyday riding from my Norton, but the thrill I get every time i jump on my hotrod Norton, kick it to life and take it out always put a big smile on my dial and keeps me sane, nothing better than the lovely note from the exhaust and tapping noise from the head, as sound to my ears.
Not only the sound but getting the thumbs up from everyone who see me on the road or park up anywhere, it always draws a crowd where ever I park up even when it's showing its age of being ridden for over 46 years and 40 year in the Featherbed frame, my youngest daughter will get all my bikes when it's time to leave this world, but while here it will always be with me, it keeps me young and healthy, at 64 years old I still have many road miles ahead of me. Ashley

BOTH , actually .

One of my friends was an ex-pat Brit who use to race a garden gate International in the UK in the 1950s. I was talking to him just before he died. We agreed that we have probably lived through times which we as good as they are ever going to be. What you guys probably do not know, is there probably won't be as much opportunity for personal development and risk-tasking in the future. At least that is what current trends seem to indicate. Everything now is more about money than it ever was. I lived with the belief that some things are worth doing simply because they are good things to do.
I am funny - I only ever applied for jobs which I really wanted to dp - and because I was usually studying part-time, I usually got every job I applied for. Some people are money=-motivated, do comparisons, and have goals in life. My main goal in life is to enjoy living. Worry kills enjoyment.