THIS is a High Rider

Not sure how comfortable it would be but goo luck to the owner.

dennisgb said:

olChris said:

It looks fantastic to me.. All Nortons dont have to be "restored" and polished to a mirror finish like most.... IMO there is probably as much care and thought gone into its build process as the next.... A form of art that some dont recognise or appreciate..

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Yeah the copper tubing in the triple clamps is a nice touch. The beat up top yoke and buggered stanchion nuts give it that "Gee I can't find a proper wrench maybe a Vise Grips will work" sort of look. The hammer marks on the bars is great. Must have gotten mad at it one night at the pub when it wouldn't start. I love how the brake fluid will dump on the tank when you open the cap. The short steering radius with the bars hitting the tank also looks very fun. The dirty engine really set's it off too.

Work of art? Hardly. A hacked up frame with a hard tail welded on. There are thousands of those out there on Craigslist for $100.

It's cheap and dirty and not anything special. But it is nice from a distance and if you don't have to actually ride it.

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:lol: :lol: :lol: You are well entitled to your opinion like the rest of us.... Craigslist for $100, wow, ive been looking in the wrong place. :shock: :shock: :shock:

nortonspeed said:

RennieK said:

I like it, it represents many enthusiasts who work out of little spaces doing everything themselves. Unable to build the gem in their minds eye for lack of funds or skills they do what they can. No sending the wheels here, the trans there, replacing pricey parts because of a few dimples or flakes in the chrome etc etc etc and then assembling a kit, they do what they can with what they make work until they have a ridable bike which is their ultimate goal. I wouldn't want to take a long haul on it but it's another Norton on the road getting ridden and enjoyed.

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+1 8)

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+2 .. its about what suits the owner.. Whom may not have arthritis, piles and a sore back and is doing it for today and himself... Cos he can... Especially not for the visual pleasure of people 3-4 decades older.

olChris said:

nortonspeed said:

RennieK said:

I like it, it represents many enthusiasts who work out of little spaces doing everything themselves. Unable to build the gem in their minds eye for lack of funds or skills they do what they can. No sending the wheels here, the trans there, replacing pricey parts because of a few dimples or flakes in the chrome etc etc etc and then assembling a kit, they do what they can with what they make work until they have a ridable bike which is their ultimate goal. I wouldn't want to take a long haul on it but it's another Norton on the road getting ridden and enjoyed.

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+1 8)

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+2 .. its about what suits the owner.. Whom may not have arthritis, piles and a sore back and is doing it for today and himself... Cos he can... Especially not for the visual pleasure of people 3-4 decades older.

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Considering most of us will be looking at the ceiling of their coffin 3-4 decades older... this High Rider sure is a visual pleasure for a change :mrgreen: :shock:

Visually acceptable - Yes. I actually like the look.

Practical - No...I had a hard tail on one of my BSA's back in the day and yes it was fun and looked cool but even in my early 20's couldn't ride it for long and it handled like crap.

I think the professional photography makes this bike look much better than it is.

If you go to the links and look at the close ups of the engine, he didn't even put new fuel lines on it...old hard plastic tubing...I'm sorry, doing something on the cheap is okay because everybody doesn't have the money or the inclination to have a perfect bike, but to me, scrimping on the things that can fail is just bad practice. How much do new hoses and clamps cost?

I can't get my arms around doing things badly...and then justifying it because everyone doesn't want a show bike.

I love Norton's and to be honest I feel sorry for this one because it says "Please help me".

olChris said:

dennisgb said:

:lol: :lol: :lol: You are well entitled to your opinion like the rest of us.... Craigslist for $100, wow, ive been looking in the wrong place. :shock: :shock: :shock:

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I was talking about butchered hard tail frames...I see them all the time for peanuts. Craiglist, Ebay...go look if you want one.

Even a good photographer can't put lipstick on every pig.

Looks kinda cool, needs ape hangers to keep you from sliding off the canted seat. good bar hopper.

This is more how I'd do it keeping the best of the one above of course.
Recused guts out of a righteous hard tail chopper frame thank goodness.



http://www.ratbike.org/pages/881_norton.rat

With just one look at that weird seat,
It seems to me that your jewels would be smashed flat long before the "suspension" could make your back sore.

hobot said:

This is more how I'd do it keeping the best of the one above of course.
Recused guts out of a righteous hard tail chopper frame thank goodness.

http://www.ratbike.org/pages/881_norton.rat

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OMG!

Here's what the guy says about this bike:

"Here is some old British garbage I threw together this summer. 1974 850 Norton Commando engine came out of a shiny rigid-frame chopper, along with the rear wheel and oil tank; hence the chromed cases. The frame seems to be pre-1971 commando.

With the cylindrical oil tank I had no room for a battery so I put it in the ammo box. Not sure where the forks came from. Stupid fat rear tire has the wrong offset, and as a result there is a mildly alarming pull to the left. Also I lack the correct thickness of isolastic shims, causing squishy handling, & paradoxically, also savage vibration around 70 mph. Poorly executed ''custom paint job'' disguises the unsuitability of ghastly Kawasaki(?) tank. BSA seat, tractor headlight sealed beam, coils taped to frame, oil tank secured with bungee cords, knee rubbers made from sneaker soles, and so on & so forth."

The bottom of the execution barrel...I can picture it in my mind going down the road sideways with parts falling off...geez!

Back yard hacks rejoice...this guy should be your idol. Rat bike? Hardly...so sad and yet there is a following for this crap.

I found the perfect Craigslist ad:

"I have a homemade bike me and my brother built many years ago. Runs and drives but the back tire kind of rides sideways. The seat blew out a few years ago and I made do with a sofa cushion, duct tape and a couple of 2x 4's ( the ultimate fix! ). It runs like a champ but does smoke a lot especially if you are hard on the gas. Uses about a quart of oil for each gas fill up. I usually just put the oil directly in the gas as it is going to burn it anyway and that way it is easy. Can't drive over 12 miles or so at a time as the motor gets red hot and starts loosing power so probably a good bike for someone who drives locally. Does backfire and squeal pretty loud occasionally so I usually wear earplugs of some kind. DOES NOT pass emissions so would need to be registered in a county without emissions check. Great first bike otherwise!"

You can fix and ride anything

Mark said:

With just one look at that weird seat,
It seems to me that your jewels would be smashed flat long before the "suspension" could make your back sore.

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Perfect it is NOT, but COOL it is... you have to remember "MBMB"................... my bike my build!!!

olChris said:

Perfect it is NOT, but COOL it is... you have to remember "MBMB"................... my bike my build!!!

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Yes "MBMB". I just don't want to be the next owner of one of those poorly budget built MBMB bikes...it's all relative in the present...do what you want. I pity the poor fool who buys one of these so called gems with all the hidden problems and cheap fixes. :shock:

LOL, Both these Hodge-podge Commando's would be fine to ride even if uncomfortable and a bit of of compensation to steer so just reveals the lack of bobber-chopper experience and unique cheap artistic taste in the recoiling posters. There is some truth in the song, If ya want to be happy for the rest of your life, pick an ugly woman for your wife...

Hi everybody

Avid reader of the forum for ages, so I'm amused by your comments today rather kind regarding us ... In fact this bike re-imported from the United States was transformed in our garage.
The blog text written by Chris Hunter on Bike Exif is misleading, this bike was back with an already cut frame and therefore impossible to go back. The most fun for us became to continue killing it and try to return to our aesthetics standards of customization.
I can assure you that the machine works perfectly now it's not uncorfortable, we will add a pillion seat for the lower back and Isolastic is really effective.
Despite all the negative comments (Facebook, Bike Exif) about its probable poor handling, I can assure you she loves mountain curves and the sitting position is not worse than on the orginal bike .

The rest is a matter of taste



http://southsiders-mc.blogspot.com
http://wheels-and-waves.com

Hmmm...haven't posted to this forum in over 3 years...yet you state in your blog about the build of this bike:

"Having been thrown in at the deep end I had to develop from a novice into a quasi-expert in Norton Commmandos"

Yet you posted pictures of a different Commando you supposedly rode some years ago here:

our-rides-t7655.html#p79860

Promoting your lack of knowledge and the "style" of the bike you built...but not very truthful or factual.

Very interesting how you found your way back here now...but never posted once during the build of this bike.

Your "story" along with the bike are even more questionable now in my opinion.

dennisgb said:

Hmmm...haven't posted to this forum in over 3 years...yet you state in your blog about the build of this bike:

"Having been thrown in at the deep end I had to develop from a novice into a quasi-expert in Norton Commmandos"

Yet you posted pictures of a different Commando you supposedly rode some years ago here:

our-rides-t7655.html#p79860

Promoting your lack of knowledge and the "style" of the bike you built...but not very truthful or factual.

Very interesting how you found your way back here now...but never posted once during the build of this bike.

Your "story" along with the bike are even more questionable now in my opinion.

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Hi Dennis

If you carefully read the story on the blog (Southsiders), the narrator is Julien, my name is Vincent (Kebra my nickname) and I ride Commandos since 1982. Nowadays I have accumulated a few experiences (experience comes from troubles !) about this bike that allows me to help my friends as I did with Julien.
Despite everything I often read tips and others stories with much attention on the ever positive "Access Norton". I do not particpe often unfortunately because of lack of time, but every Norton rider must now that he will always be welcome in Toulouse (South of France)

kebra said:

Hi Dennis

If you carefully read the story on the blog (Southsiders), the narrator is Julien, my name is Vincent (Kebra my nickname) and I ride Commandos since 1982. Nowadays I have accumulated a few experiences (experience comes from troubles !) about this bike that allows me to help my friends as I did with Julien.
Despite everything I often read tips and others stories with much attention on the ever positive "Access Norton". I do not particpe often unfortunately because of lack of time, but every Norton rider must now that he will always be welcome in Toulouse (South of France)

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Oh, I was mislead by your reference to "we" in your comments above...when reading what you wrote it sounded like the bike was yours...so you are just defending your friend here then? But you are the "expert" that Julien refers to in the blog?

There are those that find the "damaged, weathered or used" look appealing. Some would suggest it is patina...but in terms of true patina this is a manufactured look on this bike and thus would not be viewed in the same way by most people...it really looks bad in my opinion particularly the stanchion nuts and top yoke, but that is just my opinion. The naked light with only a bulb looks cheap and like the guy ran out of money...but then it's as if this bike is trying to be multiple things...old, rat, chopper, bobber...who knows what. I totally struggle with the references to High Rider, because it really contains nothing to give it any relationship to a High Rider...except that it was one long ago.

As far as handling, you can try and make your case, but the seat type and angle tells me that there is no comfort there...the hard tail adds to that. The bars are so low and the grips so long that it looks like they will hit the tank before a reasonable turn distance is achieved. But then the angle looks like your hands will be in such a bad position when turning that the travel will be the least of your worries.

I'm sorry, the look of the bike is okay, although it's not much different than most chopped British twins other than it's a Norton. It's not the first hard tail Norton either. I can't see riding it and being comfortable in any way, shape or form.

But as you said "It's a matter of taste". To each his own. I like to ride, so this would be totally impractical and for sure uncomfortable, so not my cup of tea other than for "Eye Candy" parked outside the pub or sitting somewhere for people to look at and try and figure out what it is.