Ordered a new Norton (motorcycle)

[bofh]

Ok, I figured it was time to upgrade my bike to well, something else.

I've been looking getting a classic brit bike for the last year or two, but I stop myself, because I don't want to deal with the headaches of owning a 40 year old bike. I already have a 30 year old british car, and a 20 year old british car.

And really, as cool as a 60's brit bike is, they are underpowered, underbraked, and bad handling compared to anything made in the last 10 years. And of course, they leak oil. But they are really pretty.

Triumph is back, and they are making some retro-styled bikes, and Ducati did release their Sport 1000 and Paul Smart 1000, which are all pretty bikes.

But the guy I go riding with often, already has a Triumph Thruxton, A Ducati Sport 1000. So I wanted to get something different.

Enter this.




Kenny Dreer, a guy who used to re-manufacture 70's Nortons (the VR880) started to make his own, from scratch, example of what a 60's / 70's brit bike should be. Modern Ohlins 43mm fronts; Real 17" radial tyres all 'round; redesigned engine, using modern alloys and seals instead of o-ring, and head design, making 80hp; shifter on the left, and brake on the right. He got a hold of he Norton name, and is now the new Norton Motorcycle company.




So I put a deposit down on a 961S. Delivery in Mid 2007.

[Maksimus54]

Thats awesome. My dad will love it, he bought a '73 snortin norton commando new when it was still fastest production bike made. That thing is sweet, congratulations on the new bike.

[kosmo]

Quite the fancy piece of machinery youve got there. Im mulling a Monster for myself when I get back, but then Id really like to throw 25-30k into the stock market instead of blowing it on toys. Except a gun. I gotta get a gun.

[bofh]

Quite the fancy piece of machinery youve got there. Im mulling a Monster for myself when I get back, but then Id really like to throw 25-30k into the stock market instead of blowing it on toys. Except a gun. I gotta get a gun.

Well, I don't have it yet

And a Monster will only run about $10k for the 1000c one. Plenty left over for the market.

[Kyle.Kimber]

Oh my goodness, that bike is NAKED!!!

[gimp]

Sweet. That wait is gonna be killer. I really like the monsters too. I saw a paul smart ducati and I didn't care for it.

[Ole Unka Phil]

Thats cool. Is that picture you linked the way its going to be? Still a big single?

Still has that good Cafe racer look.

Here is where I am on the Sporty this week (waiting on the saddle bags):

[Bear_Claw]

Pretty Neat i like the looks of the triumphs and that norton looks damn good too but their not for me.

I always liked Sportys but every one i ever talked to pointed me away cause their sutch a small bike (and well i aint small in ANY means of the word LOL). But even still i eventually want to get a older one and make a bobber coustom out of it.

Right now i ride a 2000 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic. Hopeing next year to get the 1100 Vershion and give my 650 to my mother (she has a 650 Suzuki Savage witch would then go to my youger sister).





Its pretty mutch stock and i dont think im gona do anything too it cause i want the 1100. I may get grips and sadelbags just for utility reasons this season but other than that shes staying as is.

[bofh]

Thats cool. Is that picture you linked the way its going to be? Still a big single?

Still has that good Cafe racer look.

Here is where I am on the Sporty this week (waiting on the saddle bags):

It's a vertical twin, kinda looks like a single but it's a 270* twin. Not a twingle. BUt it'll be just like that, not sure if I want red or black and silver. Yellow is out. :0

I've always loved the cafe racer look

The sporty is looking good. Why saddle bags?

[Ole Unka Phil]

The sporty is looking good. Why saddle bags?

Just for overnighters and beer runs. More of a commuter short touring option to it. Nothing too big. Also very convertable. A simple swap of seat and take bags and trunk bag off and your back to naked.

[Ole Unka Phil]

Pretty Neat i like the looks of the triumphs and that norton looks damn good too but their not for me.

I always liked Sportys but every one i ever talked to pointed me away cause their sutch a small bike (and well i aint small in ANY means of the word LOL). But even still i eventually want to get a older one and make a bobber coustom out of it.

Right now i ride a 2000 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic. Hopeing next year to get the 1100 Vershion and give my 650 to my mother (she has a 650 Suzuki Savage witch would then go to my youger sister).





Its pretty mutch stock and i dont think im gona do anything too it cause i want the 1100. I may get grips and sadelbags just for utility reasons this season but other than that shes staying as is.

You'll find the sporty is as big as that V is. At least the ones with the larger Custom tank. Like perhaps the 1200C. Oddly enough there are about 10 1200c's down at the local dealer now left over from 05 on special. $1000 off MSRP, Which puts you in at around $7800. And probably out the door at 8K. However I got nothing against the V star at all. My savage is currently being ridden by the kid.

[Bear_Claw]

Well i may just have too look into em a little more.

I love my 650 V-Star and its GREAT power wise (10x better than my mothers 650 savage). But i dont want to dump too mutch money into it if i eventually am gona upgrade.

IM moveing in two weeks and their is a Harly dealership litteraly around the corner from my house so i deffinatly gona look at the sporty but i am a BIG guy (6ft 285lbs) so i doint know. Iv yet to see one any were near as long or wide as my V-Star.

[punkncat]

Well i may just have too look into em a little more.

I love my 650 V-Star and its GREAT power wise (10x better than my mothers 650 savage). But i dont want to dump too mutch money into it if i eventually am gona upgrade.

IM moveing in two weeks and their is a Harly dealership litteraly around the corner from my house so i deffinatly gona look at the sporty but i am a BIG guy (6ft 285lbs) so i doint know. Iv yet to see one any were near as long or wide as my V-Star.

I am a pretty big guy at 6'3" and around 230. I ride an 883 XLH.

Power wise the bike is fine. Its got a respectable amount of low end power and cruises out well up to a mild highway speed. Because of its lighter weight I think it will pretty much stay with any of the larger unmodified Harleys. I have never gotten lost from any cruiser I was riding with short of a VTX....thats another story.

Its a great bike for around town, backroad tooling, or short hops. I have the forward controls which are great for my long legs, and as much as I hate the way they look, the buckhorns are comfortable. My gripe is that once I have ridden on it for a while it gets extremely uncomfortable. I have tried different saddles and the conclusion I have come to is just how narrow it is at the saddle, and how short a distance it is from saddle to neck. I just yearn for something I can really stretch out on during those long trips.

If you are going to go Harley look at FatBoys, or Road Kings. I think even a Heritage is stretched out more.....but all those cost much more than very comparable and in some cases mechanically superior "rice".

[Target Practice]

Sweet bike.

TSC says you need to come to the chat more often. irc.zirc.org #automags

[Ole Unka Phil]

Well i may just have too look into em a little more.

I love my 650 V-Star and its GREAT power wise (10x better than my mothers 650 savage). But i dont want to dump too mutch money into it if i eventually am gona upgrade.

IM moveing in two weeks and their is a Harly dealership litteraly around the corner from my house so i deffinatly gona look at the sporty but i am a BIG guy (6ft 285lbs) so i doint know. Iv yet to see one any were near as long or wide as my V-Star.

Well be carefull with Harley Dealers. Some of them are good and stick to MSRP and some don't. Some of them gouge ya. If they do not go MSRP then walk away. They think too highly of themselves. sometimes.

I really was not keen on a Harley. Just happened into this deal when I was in the market. I was decided on the Suzuki S50. But this one came to me at about the same price, had over a year warranty left on it.( Harley gives two, Suzuki 1) and it is the new Rubber mounted motor. So none of the old Vibration issues. Things that sold me on it were some of the features. Oil tank right up there with dipstick, self canceling turns and... biggest thing was the ease and cheapness of finding upgrades and add ons. There are tons of take offs, aftermarket companies, ebay items, types and choices for them and they all not too bad in prices because there are so many of them. Not true of most metrics. Problem the Japanese are into is they keep changing things too much so some of thier models never get any aftermarket bling or even performance items made over here. Harley tends to run a model for a good while, and even when changing a lot of stuff still cross fits. For instance my 883, I can buy, right now a entire brand spankin new 1200cc top end kit for it for $750. And it can be done while motor in the bike.

The only thing about Harleys I don't like is some of the dam intolerant arse holes that own them. Not all of them are that way.