Youngest and Oldest

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Nater_Potater said:
debby said:
Seems like we're all "of a certain age" here!
Debby
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Physically or mentally? I'm sure there are those around us (outside of the circle) who would say "mental"... As for that "certain" age, feast your eyes below:
Youngest and Oldest


Honestly, the results aren't too surprizing. How old were most of us in the late Sixties/early Seventies? It makes sense that we'd gravitate towards what was the sexiest thing out there during our late teens/early twenties.

I am so thankful that there's people out there who strive to supply the ranks with the parts and services to keep these old birds alive. My hat's off to all of you!

Keep the ages/stories coming, and I'll update the chart as the population grows.

It's not the age but the mileage! I look in the mirror and wonder who that old fart is!
John Ebert #237
Texas

Nathan
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N0rt0nelectr@ said:
Honestly, the results aren't too surprizing. How old were most of us in the late Sixties/early Seventies? It makes sense that we'd gravitate towards what was the sexiest thing out there during our late teens/early twenties.
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I was 23 when I bought mine. I wanted something fast - that was my criteria. The Kawasaki Z1 was the hot item at the time, but a buddy of mine talked me into the Commando instead. Through the years my criteria for a motorcycle evolved and I began to appreciate the handling and the beauty of the classic style. Now that I'm older, I sorta wish that I had bought the MKIII instead (an extra $500 at the time), because kicking the old Brit over is not fun any more. I think time has taken a toll on me more than on the bike.
 
I rode a Z1 Kawasaki many years ago. To me it felt like a 350cc British bike. Norton Commandos put hair on your chest, however they are not the fastest.
 
I always thought kicking the Norton over was the 'de rigueur'. It's part of ownership.

Yes, a friend of mine had a Z1 at the time (actually a Lutheran pastor) and we traded bikes one day. The Z1 was really fast at certain RPM, but the handling left a lot to be desired as I remember. The Norton had lots of torque at the bottom end. I don't think the guy got it either. I think I was ruined when I got my first BSA 500 single in 62. I never got used to the shift on the wrong side much less the torque curve at the top end of the rpms. I did have a honda 450 for a while, but got rid of it pretty quick. That was like driving a teeter-totter.
 
MS850 said:
Onder said:
by acotrel
"I cannot understand why any wife would complain about her husband having a bike. "

Most wives would be happy for hubby to have a bike because it increases the odds on an insurance payout and no divorce costs!
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My wife total agreed.
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Also increases the chances of her having to care for an invalid for many years!
 
48 years old. Bought my first British bike 21 years ago. Still got it even though it's merely the frame, forks, gearbox, front hub and a few bolts left from then. Back then in 1995 most of my mates rode Japanese sportsbikes but as a bass player in a rockabilly band a Norton Dominator fitted the bill better. It proved rather akward to carry a double bass on the bike, though...

Got a Commando in 2003 in order to use it as a daily rider, as I was about to renovate the Dommie. Now the Commando is in need of an overhaul. Will be carried out any odd year now. Life has a nasty habit of getting in the way of all the important stuff one want's to do.



(edit:typo)
 
acotrel said:
I rode a Z1 Kawasaki many years ago. To me it felt like a 350cc British bike. Norton Commandos put hair on your chest, however they are not the fastest.
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The Z1 that you rode had problems. They'll yank your hands off the bars and hit 100 in less than 1/4 mile and still be accellerating hard.

My KZ is JUST shy of that performance and instantly leaves ANY of my classic Britbikes in the dust (apart from the VR880, which it still walks away from)

But, yes, the big classic litre Kawasakis handle like turds unless you do a LOT of suspension work and frame mods to them.
 
I went with the T150v instead of a Z. In the long view, major error. Not only fast and powerful the Z
could easily have taken me coast to coast without much worry.
The Trident was great fun but a lot of problems along the way.
Well, at least it got my wrenching skills beefed up!
 
55 y.o first Brit 1955 B31 when I was 20 it was black with ace bars ex army registered in 1969.

Best Brit Triumph T309 1994 yellow went to Jerez and Brno and she never missed a beat in all the rain and some snow.

Favourite Brit 1969 750 Brg Fastback looks good , sounds good and does you good.

Best looking Brit 1975 T160 Trident.
 
i am 46... and i love the commando ever since i saw one when i was 16. about 4 or 5 years ago i decided to buy my own...a 73 850.
besides the Commando i ride a modern Husqvarana Supermoto.
 
grandpaul said:
acotrel said:
I rode a Z1 Kawasaki many years ago. To me it felt like a 350cc British bike. Norton Commandos put hair on your chest, however they are not the fastest.
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The Z1 that you rode had problems. They'll yank your hands off the bars and hit 100 in less than 1/4 mile and still be accellerating hard.

My KZ is JUST shy of that performance and instantly leaves ANY of my classic Britbikes in the dust (apart from the VR880, which it still walks away from)

But, yes, the big classic litre Kawasakis handle like turds unless you do a LOT of suspension work and frame mods to them.
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The Z1 was fast however it felt small compared with my Triton.
 
I once rode a VFR400 Honda. It was fast and went around corners as though it was on rails. I found it would not go over 180 KPH - didn't know they are speed limited. Comparing one of those with a classic British bike is pretty unreasonable. When I was racing in the early seventies, I led a race full of Z1 and H2 Kawasakis with my 500cc Triton for about a lap - silly stuff and after the leaders got past me, I ran off to avoid them when they approached the next corner too slowly.
 
24 years old, been around Nortons and various others since I was born. Dad had our basement turned into a machine shop and our barn out back. I think my mom told me at one point 30+ bikes? Anyhow he passed away mom sold off a lot and kept some. This is how I acquired my small lot of bikes I have now. Only been actually tinkering with them for about 4 years now? Still a lot to learn with them, and pretty much only have people here and what I can muster myself. Hard to do with nobody in the area to help or give face to face advice.
 
NoiseyNorton said:
24 years old, been around Nortons and various others since I was born. Dad had our basement turned into a machine shop and our barn out back. I think my mom told me at one point 30+ bikes? Anyhow he passed away mom sold off a lot and kept some. This is how I acquired my small lot of bikes I have now. Only been actually tinkering with them for about 4 years now? Still a lot to learn with them, and pretty much only have people here and what I can muster myself. Hard to do with nobody in the area to help or give face to face advice.
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Im sorry your Dad passed away, its great you got some of his bikes. Other than the Norton, what other bikes do you have?
You might be the youngest in the group, unless you count the one on your lap. :roll:
 
I was born December 1958 (I guess that makes me a 1959 year model) so that makes me 57 years old now. While living in La Crescenta, CA I started riding a 1967 Harley Davidson M65S when I was about 9 years old. I learned to ride at the Pasadena Rose Bowl parking lot with my older brother screaming directions at me while he was riding on the back. The rest of my formal training was at the School of Hard Knocks.

Later my family moved to Lake Hughes, California and in 1971 one of my dad's friends gave me a BSA 350 Enduro Star that had been stripped for dirt bike use. It was a well thrashed machine by the time I got it. Since then I have owned a number of Italian, British and some Japanese motorcycles. Seeing how I didn't have a whole lot of money and lived in a rural area it forced me to learn how to work on the motorcycles and later British sports cars. This also helped me learn to improvise in order to keep the machines running.

In my early 20's I pursued aviation and got my Airframe & Powerplant's Mechanic's rating. This allowed me to purchase my own airplane that I could legally maintain, which of course took up a lot of my free time. During that period motorcycles went to the wayside until around 1988 when I started to get back into motorcycling again. I bought my 1974 Norton Commando in the later part of 1993 which is the newest motorcycle I have ever owned.

Here is a picture of the Harley Davidson I learned to ride. This picture was taken at Big Tujunga Canyon in southern California during the summer of 1969. I'm the kid standing on the right and my older brother is sitting on the motorcycle.

Harley M65S
Youngest and Oldest



This is a picture of my 1965 BSA Enduro Star taken in 1975. As you can see the bike is pretty well beat up. However, I learned on how to work on motorcycles with that machine.

BSA350
Youngest and Oldest



Here is a picture of me and my Norton taken in 2013 at the Old Ridge Route in Southern California
Youngest and Oldest
 
PeterJoe said:
Here is a picture of the Harley Davidson I learned to ride. This picture was taken at Big Tujunga Canyon in southern California during the summer of 1969. I'm the kid standing on the right and my older brother is sitting on the motorcycle.

Harley M65S
Youngest and Oldest



Here is a picture of me and my Norton taken in 2013 at the Old Ridge Route in Southern California
Youngest and Oldest
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Always smiles standing next to your ride. :D
 
You pique my interest: born the same month, (but one year earlier); an A&P; current ride is a '74 (black, to boot); rode a BSA dirt bike in earlier years (mine was a B50MX). Possibly a long-lost brother?
PeterJoe said:
Youngest and Oldest
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Looking at your bike, is it an Interstate or Roadster? My '74 Interstate looks identical, save for the "flat" pipes rather than upswept. Had they been changed? Just curious...

Nathan
 
'Recently got back from a trip over to beautiful Port Angeles, Washington. Close proximity to ocean keeps the temp very pleasant year 'round. Then I come back home to triple digits. :x We visited the oldest child and her new husband who are expecting their first child/my first grandchild. Yes, I'm going to be a grandfather! WTF??? It'll be a kick, but grandfather? That fits in well with this thread's theme.
Norton's were supposed to be piloted by the young, hip crowd. As Dr. Evil said "There's nothing worse than an aging hipster!".
Youngest and Oldest

As you can see above, we've picked up a few more from the young, hip crowd. We have a tie for the youngest between joeboomer99 and NoiseyNorton at 24 years old. Does it seem odd to be riding a bike that's around twice your age? It renews hope that these old girls will outlast us after all, as the bike ownership is being picked up by the next generation. Thanks, youngsters!

Nathan
 
Don't worry Nathan .... being a Grand dad is pretty cool .... I taught my Grandson that my name is Craig and that what he calls me , makes feel young .... er
Craig
 
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