Mr. Norton takes a ride...

[DarthRider]

It's sunny, clear and about 75F. here today so I've been doing some bike work and exercising the ones that needed to stretch their legs and clear their throats.

The Nort did his usual little protest for having been parked for a month or so, 1 kick start but then wouldn't idle right and wanted to spit through the left carb a couple of times. Didn't feel happy. For about 2 miles. Then...

...Hoochie Mama! Smoothed out, pepped up, seemed to say "Ride me. RIDE ME!"
At stops it fell into that special nice, smooth idle that makes that pretty "cam & compression" sound...like he's OK with sitting at a light but he wants everybody to know that he can run too. And little signals to me that he wants somethin' to start happening soon!

Didn't take him out and break laws this time, just a nice cruise around town and an occasional pull to 6 grand with a delayed shift to hear that great over-run sound the Dunstalls make.

But then something happened and I had to bring him home and right up on the lift. We we in third at 30MPH and I started hearing this faint sound I'd never heard from him before. It was so faint at first I could hardly hear it but it very slowly became a bit louder and more distinct. I first thought maybe a dry wheel bearing but they aren't and that wasn't quite it. Clutch? No. tranny? No. Oil pump? No. What the hell could it be? Must be that sweet motor! Sounded like it was coming from way down deep. Aw geeze, please no!

As it grew louder I could hear the sound more plainly. It was the strangest thing I've heard heard! Sort of...








...allan...allan


...allan...allan


...allan...allan


...allan...allan


...allan...allan


...allan...allan


...allan...allan

...Allan...Allan

...ALLAN...ALLAN

...ALLAN...ALLAN

...ALLAN!...ALLAN!

So now I don't know what to do...anyone have any ideas?

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/54340077-L.jpg


God, I love the smell of a hot Norton motor in the morning!

Dave

[GPM]

What a beautiful machine. Reminds me of a story.

A very old and dear friend of mine passed away a few years back. He was telling me a story once about an old Norton he had owned. Seems he was returning to the family farm in northern Wisconsin on a Sunday afternoon. He had ridden the Norton up from somewhere down south (I don't remember where), and as he pulled up to a traffic light the trusty Norton backfired and died. A young blonde sitting in a convertible in the next lane looked over and commented 'out of juice huh?' My friend Dugan responded 'Sweetheart, if you'd been between my legs as long as this thing has, you'd be out of juice too'.

Did it really happen, who knows? Thanks for sparking a very pleasant memory of a very good friend.

[jc wms]

Sounds like you need to stop neglecting that bea-utiful bike!!:icon_biggrin:

[Bones]

If that Norton doesn't just say "Motorcycle" in a way that represents everything good about the sport in the last 50 years, nothing does. Just beautiful and classic. Nice. Even better that you ride it.

Jeff

[Deans BMW]

Dave, that is a beauty for sure.

[mnnden]

Dave, I really do not know what to say but feel I should say something, so here go's WOW!!!!!!!!! Den

[TorqueMonsterMT-01]

Dave,
It sounds like you should get her fixed. With that sound emmitting from her, she won't be welcome in certain places!:)

[Boxerboy]

It's gonna fall apart.

I'll give ya fifty bux fer it... You pay freight though. :wink

OK?

[geechie]

Hmm...

I'd have that looked at. Maybe by someone with a new trailer.

G

[Dallara]

Cool, Dave...

I could almost hear the noise all the way down here when I saw the picture! :035:

Now I just need to find a weekend I can spare from work and I'll be there!

Let's see... Yep, gotta' polish up the ol' British twin starting drill - Check. Start programming mind to remember ol' Norton shift patttern... One up, three down - Check. Pay daily homage to Dr. Joseph Lucas, Prince of Darkness - Check. Keep up the twice daily ritual of looking in the mirror and repeating "You really do NEED to own another vintage bike..." at least 25 times - Check. Start shopping for proper paint job Davida pudding bowl helmet and appropriate goggles - Check. Lay in supply of Guinness Stout and Bass Ale for long evenings spent staring at details of Norton out in the garage - Check. Make falming sacrifice of modern day fuses, bulbs, and wiring to ghost of Dr. Joseph Lucas just to make sure - Check. Get old, tired, befuddled brain to remember long lost habits of "shift on right, brake on left" - Check. Get out all old Isle of Man and Manx TT books and video tapes and watch at all hours of the night- Check. Polish up arcane old English terminology like "have a pint" instead of grabbing a beer, "Ear 'oling" used instead of riding the twisties, "That lubricant is not from my bloody machine, you wanker" to explain away unexpected oil leaks, etc. - Check.

Yep, I'll be ready!

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara)