Wondering how old we are (commando owners) (2009)

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I am 77 and have been riding old motorcycles since I was 15. I attended my first road race meeting at Fishermans' Bend in Victoria in 1954 at age 14, where I watched Geoff Duke racing the four cylinder Gileras against the Manx Nortons. I started in bikes with a 1937 side valve Triumph 250 and a WW2 Indian Scout. Then I moved on to 500cc and 650cc Triumphs to which I used to fit all the hot bits. My 650 was almost as fast as my mate's bog standard 1959 Bonneville. I went road racing at age 27 after I was married.
I never liked Commandos until I fitted the Mk2 850 motor into the Mk3 Seeley frame and found it to be excellent when run on methanol. There is so much about the design which is absolutely bloody good. Once I had fitted the close ratio box to the bike, it became competitive almost immediately. It had sat unraced for about 20 years because I never believed that such an ugly motor could last even one lap of a race circuit. I only ever built the bike because the motor was cheap and that type of bike actually had some sort of racing history with Gus Kuhn in England. If I was going to race seriously these days, I would again race a two-stroke.
 
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Have been riding the Rickman Norton I built in '75/'76 and sold in '80 since I bought the frame back in 2009 and embarked on a second build I completed in 2015.

Planning to use the race number 66 I used in France in 2018 this year (2019) and next when I will actually be 66......after that who knows....but currently building a 2 stroke race bike....
 
I am 65. My current Norton is a 1966 Atlas Though I have two Norton specials I am building including the NORIAL 850 motor in a Ariel Square 4 frame. Will post pictures in a few months.
 
57 in 2019 - rode 250’s when I were a lad, had to lay one down or lose my head - rig and trailer came out across the road - still got the scars on my arse!
Mum made me take my driving test and did not return to bikes for many years, missed a lot of great riding opportunities. Took my test in my fourties and have never looked back.
Ride smooth and fast, stay safe
John
 
I think I am the old man of the Forum ..... just turned 78 in November.

My first Norton was a '62 Atlas, then bought new my '63 Atlas (actually a '62 but titled '63).

My '63 Atlas is a conumdrum ..... it was dispatched from Norton to Berliner in May of 1962, appeared at a dealership in April 1963 when I bought it new and it was titled as a '63.
The head scratching part is:

1) why it took 11 months to cross the pond and work its way thru Berliner to the dealer.
2) why is has a 6 start oil pump
3) why is has a needle and seat with a 0.200" orifice (With a 3/4"wrench flat as well).
4) why the dual Amal Monoblocs do not have Model/Configuration stamps on the flanges (which indicates a special fitment).
5) why it beats the snot out of any other Atlas I raced in the zero to ton event.

Since I am the original owner, I can testify to these anamolies.

I have had a lot of fun on this old girl in my youth, as my posts in the Funny Stories thread relates. https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/funny-stories-while-on-your-bikes.20016/#post-298658

Slick
 
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67 and counting. My first real bike was a '56 AJS 16MS, after that a dommie 500 of which I changed the engine for a 650 SS. Sold it and bought a '72 Dunstall Commando 810 which was very temperamental to say the least. After that I bought my 650SS bitza back, bought a '70 BSA A75, sold both and since 1980 I have a '72 Triumph T150 triple which I am restoring at the moment. My 72 Commando Roadster is awaiting restoration. Hopefully this summer I'll be riding the Triple. Thinking of selling it though and buying a Daytona 955i or street triple. I will never sell the Commando I inhereted from my best friend who died in '94. I plan to have it on the road again in 2020.
 
Get a 73-4 Trident the disc is about the only difference and it sure is better than the drum. The disc Norton the same esp after you
move to a smaller master. Never liked the Mk3 but as time marches on Im starting to notice that electric leg.
 
Seems worth repeating an old adage at the start of a new year.

"You don't quit riding because you get old. You get old because you quit riding."

Of course, I found it easier to believe that back when I was younger, and didn't have any aches and pains after a ride:(

Ken
 
lcrken said:
Seems worth repeating an old adage at the start of a new year.

"You don't quit riding because you get old. You get old because you quit riding."

Of course, I found it easier to believe that back when I was younger, and didn't have any aches and pains after a ride:(

Ken
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Ken,
It’s the aches and pains before I ride that are starting to bother me :oops:
The good thing is they are mostly gone when I’m done, guess that’s a good thingo_O
Pete
 
lcrken said:
Time moves on, doesn't it? I posted on this thread when I was 68. In January I'll turn 77. Bought my first Commando (PR) in '71 and many more since. Still riding them, as well as a modern 961. Planning to do so as long as possible. I still occasionally see someone over 80 still riding, so I'm optimistic about the future.

Ken
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Respect Ken, good on you.

I’m 62 in 14 days and really hope to ride for the foreseeable future.

Cheers,

cliffa.
 
I could not help but notice that a lot of use are having birthdays in January.
 
I'm 61 and I started riding as a kid in 1968. I've bought and sold a very large number of bikes, but I still own my first Norton: a 1974 Commando Roadster that I bought in 1978.
 
I' m 68 and will hopefully reach 69 in April. My father had a Zündapp KS 601 and a bit later a fully overhauled KS 750 WW2 combination.
That's what infected me too. I started with a Kreidler 50cc bike in 1967, continued with a BMW R 27 (the worst bike I ever had), a Honda CB 450 (Black Bomber), an air-cooled RD 350, a DUCATI GT 860, the range of single cyl.- DUCATIs, a NORTON Atlas, a Seeley (by the way Yves' frame) and now finally a Commando built from parts.
Now, being a pensioner I hope I can ride the bike a long as my knees allow (hopefully to the TT on the Isle of Man, if the financial recources allow).
Best wishes to all motorcyclists for 2019 and as many miles as possible
from Klaus
 
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DogT said:
I'll be 66 next month. Had this 69 'S' since '71, was running until about 85 and put it up. Hope to have it back on the road in the spring, got lots of new parts, but nothing together yet.

Best looking bike on the planet.

Dave
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I like that. I turn 66 on Feb 18. I’m still one of the youngest members of the Northern California Norton Owners Club. Exception is Angel who is probably 20 something.
 
yvesnorton said:
Hi Friends,
i am wondering how old we are?? I think that the majority of us must be between 50 and 60 no?
I am afraid that once we will disepear ( the group of 50-60 years old) the love of the commando will disepear to.
Or, maybe there must be young commando holders to?? (Thats what I hope)
Let me know your age, that can be very intresting to know
Cheers
Yves
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yvesnorton said:
Hi Friends,
i am wondering how old we are?? I think that the majority of us must be between 50 and 60 no?
I am afraid that once we will disepear ( the group of 50-60 years old) the love of the commando will disepear to.
Or, maybe there must be young commando holders to?? (Thats what I hope)
Let me know your age, that can be very intresting to know
Cheers
Yves
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The question should be how many motorcycles do you own ?
 
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