That beautiful red Atlas caught my eye, reminded me of my first introduction to Norton. Back in '62 or '63, I was riding with my best friend on his Cushman Super Eagle on a side street in town when a guy on a Atlas came by, shifting at full throttle as he passed, at that time the most "wanton" display of raw power I had ever witnessed (it was another year before I saw my first drags). I got my first Norton, a '69 Commando 'S' in 1970 after getting out of the Navy.
Many thanks, Mark. Yes, it's one of my favorite bikes in our club. Here's a short video of a great ride on Sam's Atlas at a Norton rally. I'm also hoping to do a close up interview with Sam about his great bike one of these days. Best wishes, Mike. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rAwq61igcBg.html
Thanks Bernie. Yes, they are all really cool about it. Honestly, we don't have many visitors and the neighborhood is usually really quiet. I think they're more curious than anything. I think they're wondering what I'm up to with all the cameras and friends coming over with their old motorcycles. But it's never been a problem. Cheers, Mike
Sunday morning quietly sitting in the garden with a cuppa, still not fully awake. Then I see the words ‘crashes’ and ‘Cul de sac’😲😲 and I thought NO someone’s not dropped their bike! Then the penny dropped🙄. I’m awake now and it was a fantastic video. Good idea to add the bike descriptions at the end. Marvellous.
Thanks a lot Neil. Glad you enjoyed it. Haha, yes, no accidents so far (touch wood!). Thanks for your note about the bikes at the end. I thought that might be helpful. Best wishes, Mike
Wow Mike this is Motorcycle heaven what a fantastic turnout of British Norton’s, BSA and Triumph’s. Love the Guzzi 850 one of my favourite Italian Motorcycles. Huge respect for all them guys for how they have all presented them they are great. Takes me back to my youth when these bikes were an everyday sight. I’ve just spent the last 2 days at a Classic Bike Race meeting and it’s been fabulous, but I’ve only seen about a dozen old British bikes in the bike park all day. To be honest there were a lot in some Classes on Track. Thank you very much Mike for sharing this video with us I have really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to you Red Leader. I really appreciate it. Wow, it sounds like a great time at the classic bike race meeting. I bet there were some cool bikes in the pits! We had the honor of visiting the Barber museum again last year and some of the bikes in the paddock were better than in the museum 😀 I hope you will enjoy an upcoming video, most likely next Sunday, of one of your favs! 😀. Best wishes, Mike
What a great tribute. Do you notice how all the British bikes head to the left hand side of the road when they set off? And seriously, what do the neighbours really think? Time for a mighty garage interview with the Cul de sac neighbours. Do it!!!!
Haha, thanks! The neighbors are really cool about the bikes. We don't do it very often and honestly I think they hardly notice. They are more curious than anything. I gave a few of them a heads-up before the club members arrived and actually a couple of neighbors came over to look at the bikes and take pics. They were very surprised to learn that I have a RU-vid channel ;) The young boy across the road made me smile when I had a recent visitor. I overheard him saying to his friend that "these people over here just LOVE to take pictures of motorcycles"!
Fantastic, very uplifting. This weekend would have been the festival of 1000 bikes at Mallory Park, cancelled of course because of the virus so its great to see all the bikes in your close. Thanks
Thanks a lot Kevin. Glad you enjoyed the video. It was a very nice turnout and so pleased that so many friends were able to come over. Best wishes, Mike
Great meet up Mike! A delight to hear (in decent sound quality) that splendid gang of 360 degree twins! I have a feeling those two tasty Atlases may also have helped spur on the “Shep” project! Cheers and stay safe, Phil
Morning Mike!! Good Day to you out in Oregon!!! Always enjoy your videos!!! Seen this one 2 times!! Love all of the beautiful bikes of all your club friends!! What a life and you and your friends have worked hard and invested lots of hard earned money to reap the rewards of owning and riding these great time machines and to really enjoy to ride them together as a club and see the beautiful Oregon Forests!! Time for a little breakfast!! Thanks for sharing!! Take care Mike!!! W,scott!!
Thank you very much for your really nice comments. Yes, we are very fortunate to have such great friends and company here in Oregon. It’s such a lovely state at this time of the year and a joy to be riding. Hope you have a nice weekend. Best wishes, Mike
Yes, they are actually really cool about it. We don't do it very often and I think they are all a little curious as to what's going on at times when the bikes show up and I have the cameras out. I think they believe that we are just having a bit of fun. I gave the neighbors a heads-up before this club meeting and they were really great about it. Honestly, the neighbors leaf blowers make more noise ;) Cheers, Mike
Right on about leaf blowers and other noises that neighbors make. Dogs barking , sirens blaring and alcoholics fighting is common around my neighborhood. Enjoy your videos. I just sold my r90 because the carbs were leaking and Iam not very mechanically inclined.
Whatta buncha hooligans! Those Nortons sound (and look) great! Here in Texas, where it's now 103 degrees, I long for overcast skies and cool air - it reminds my 750 Commando of its home! Thanks for organizing the event and posting the video, Mike!
Hehe, it did! Thanks a lot for your great comment and good luck with the RE! They are a really great looking bike. I love what RE has done with them. Best wishes, Mike
'Brilliant' it most certainly was Mike, what a sight & sound treat for us all. My favourite I have to admit even being a 'Triumph Guy' was the1968 Norton Atlas 750 red tank chrome guards, outstanding. Thanks to all the guys for 'turning up' thanks to you for stitching things together & thanks to your neighbours for the no show demo ha ha. atvb t ..
Many thanks Terry! Yes, it was a fantastic event. I loved it and was so happy when all the bikes showed up. I was hoping for about 10 and there were 19 altogether 😀. Best wishes, Mike
A cul-de-sac nightmare: After all the countless glorious and impressive departures, deep throaty exhausts sounding into the distance - to be the last one left...the one whose bike wouldn't start.....
Haha, at least no one else would see it 😀 that's my nightmare too, stranded at the club meeting with everyone gone.. but then it's also a pub to wait in 😀 best wishes Jim
Greetings from the UK. Brilliant video. was really nice to watch all those bikes. Can't wait to get my 99 Domie cafe racer finnished and on the road .Thanks for putting this up. Ride safe.
Oh, I bet the neighbors love you! reminds me of when, as a kid, six of us on our mix of 50cc bikes would go visit our friend that lived on "the other side of the tracks" - the good side - and his mother would come out and scream back to the house, "Tommy, the motorcycle gang is here..." and when he would come out his mom would sneer at us and then walk past her son and say, "I should have never let you go to public school, nothing but hooligans..." -- but how I digress -- that is quite a gaggle of Norton's!
That was a pleasant start to my day. Thanks! Well, time to kick the Royal Enfield to life for a little "Mental Health Snort" through those Virginia back roads.
I used to know a fellow who fixed, tuned & rode mainly Vincents ! He was known as the "Vincent Doctor " . He did fix a few Nortons too ! His name was Rip Tragle ! He had a shop in northern new york. ! He wa a wizard with Vincents ! Most of his customers were wealthy Doctors, Lawyers, and such ! I have not heard of him for quite a while ! Anyone know where he is now ? I see no headlights on !!! We are required to have ours on while riding in ny ! Its a good idea for safetys sake !!! Loved these bikes. Still got my 1972 Long Range Combat Engine Norton Commando. It has a large (5 gal. ? ) petrol tank too ! WOT- NO PUDDING BOWLS ?
Hi, I wonder if some of the guys forgot to turn their lights on. They all met at a local park. It's also Oregon law to ride with lights on, so they may have forgotten to turn on. You have a great bike! Hehe, there was just 1 pudding bowl ;) Cheers, Mike
i had a domminator in the sixties fitted with goldie bugles what a sound that made best bike i ever had reg no two381 often wondered if she is still about
Thanks a lot Bob. I rode with Geoff this morning. He was "exercising" Dennis' Commando and so naturally I needed to exercise one of Geoff's bikes in turn. It was great fun. Best wishes, Mike
Many thanks, Jean-François. It was a really enjoyable day. I was pacing up and down like an expectant father waiting for them to arrive 🙂, best wishes, Mike
Great guys great bikes great chatter...and they all (cough cough) started on the first kick! And now to the shop to put my misbehaving velo back together...Thanks Mike good Sunday morning cuppa company --Hmmm Commando or Dominator I like them both only which one..?? LOL Cheers mate , Eric
@@kevinobrien1259 Yes, I have a neighbor from Scotland who loves to see the bikes and a couple of others who are always curious. But not too much interest otherwise 😉. At least they don't mind or get upset. Best wishes, Mike
@@TheMightyGarage it would be nice if the neighbours came out and got involved a bit, being as so many lovely bikes there on the day, do you all belong to a British bike club or something, a nice effort and I enjoyed the film, I wanted to be there to be honest, Obviously we aren't short of bike meets over in the u.k but this year we've been starved of all our shows and meets no doubt as you have too, but let's look forward to a better new year for all of us, regards K.O
Great video Mike. That Moto Guzzi is a beaut! I'd be interested in the history of that given that not many were sold in the US and I sold mine to a retired policeman in Oakland in 1987. Dumbest thing I ever did and regretted selling it almost immediately...
Look at all of those awesome bikes. If I stepped out of my house to get my newspaper on a Sunday morning and saw the cul-de-sac filled with vintage British bikes (and one Italian bike) I'd be so happy. If I got to pick one, it would probably be the red Atlas or the gold and white Triumph. Do you guys make fun of the dude with the modern Thruxton? Nice of you to let him in the club. : )
Hehe, you are so right, Stephen! I think it's one of the best looking bikes. It's another one of George's amazing restorations. As Dave, mentions, we saw George's own bike earlier. I also had the pleasure of riding this red Atlas during a Norton rally a couple of years ago. It was amazing! Here's a video of the ride. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rAwq61igcBg.html Cheers, Mike
GREAT! Gonna be hard to top this one. That moto guzzo (auto correct wrote gizmo) maybe my phone knows something I dont. Anyway, the red moto guzzo really stood out. You know that's one of Billy Joel's favorite bikes. He has an exhibit of all his bikes here in Long Island called 20th century cycles. You can google it but if you are ever around this way it's a nice way to spend a day in Oyster Bay.
Hehe, some came out to check the bikes out. It was fun. I did give them a heads-up, just a warning that there might be a few bikes and they were all really cool about it. Honestly a lot of their power tools and leaf blowers are a lot louder than our old bikes 😂 Cheers, Mike
Hi Nikola, thanks for your note. I don’t think the blue atlas is an original Norton color. I seem to remember that Sean told me that a previous owner had painted it that dark rich blue, which looks terrific. Cheers, Mike
What a great Norton-Gang! I prefare this yellow Paul Dunstall one. But really, what about your neighbours? Are the tolerant? Than I will visit you one fine day with my Mike-Hailwood-Replica with Conti-Mufflers ... Here in Germany and in Austria politics is discussing noise-reduction down to 95 dba. Some beautiful roads in the alps are actually closed for bikers on Harley and Ducati! Best wishes again from Allgäu/Germany, Ulli
I had a 1974 Norton 850 hayride or commando kind of made a chopper out of it running straight pipes took off air cleaners and run stack pipes. It was faster in the quarter mile then my 2006 Harley Davison softail deuce with a power commander cam high flow air cleaner etc. it would scream talking about The Norton. The harder you ran them the faster they would go and mine was fast so was the 650 BSA hornet
At first I thought what rude people you’re neighbours were using their whipper snipper in the middle of a film session, no it was the newest threat to peace and quiet, a drone!
Yes, it was just for a few minutes. No-one seemed to mind. In fact, most of the guys are quite interested in these new drones and the amazing technology behind them. Cheers, Mike
What township are you in? We need to petition a name change for your street. Just put Cul-de-Sac on the darn street sign! Of course, then somebody will want a sign at the edge of town proclaiming "Home of Cul-de-Sac street." And then.....Commando Way, Atlas Cir, Peashooter Lane, Lightning Alley, Bonneville Strip, LaRue Black Shadow...
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