How many times can one say good-bye?

[zenbiker]

Dont get me wrong , be happy to have either of those bikes in the shed (if i didn't have a Speed Triple and RIII that is ) just saying thought Triumph could have given the Bonnie , Triumphs retro hot-rod a bit more sting. The America and more to my liking the Speedmaster are good bikes for what they are , no doubt. Just didn't agree with the 'retro' tag that's all' ... PS I'd really love a Norton 850 Commando.

Oh, Man...just the mention of the Norton Commando brings me way back. I had the 1971 (750) which was nearly impossible to kick start after I had 12:1 pistons put in her. Once I got her going, however...what a runner that bike was !..... Nimble as hell and fast as snot!! The "Isolastic" suspension kept it smooth as toast. (Rubber mounted engine/swing-arm combo that Harley did in it's FXR, eventuaully)
I can think of no other bike of the twenty plus I've owned that gave me the exhilaration that that bike did. I saw one recently and it looked like a bicycle to me now but memories be ****ed...it was how to ride! Light, quick and a pain in the ass, mechanically!
It had 'Z" bars and it would wheelie at the touch of the throttle in first AND second!!
Although I had owned other bikes prior to it, that was the bike that hooked me, forever, on motorcycles.

 

[dougl]

Oh, Man...just the mention of the Norton Commando brings me way back. I had the 1971 (750) which was nearly impossible to kick start after I had 12:1 pistons put in her. Once I got her going, however...what a runner that bike was !..... Nimble as hell and fast as snot!! The "Isolastic" suspension kept it smooth as toast. (Rubber mounted engine/swing-arm combo that Harley did in it's FXR, eventuaully)
I can think of no other bike of the twenty plus I've owned that gave me the exhilaration that that bike did. I saw one recently and it looked like a bicycle to me now but memories be ****ed...it was how to ride! Light, quick and a pain in the ass, mechanically!
It had 'Z" bars and it would wheelie at the touch of the throttle in first AND second!!
Although I had owned other bikes prior to it, that was the bike that hooked me, forever, on motorcycles.

We just sold a '72 Commando - hadn't been started in over 20 years. As far as Bonnies go, the new bikes are way better - having owned both. My dealer is doing head work and cams on a new one. That should move. I took a new T100 as a loaner while my T-Bird was in the shop. It's a cute little bike but way too cramped for my aged body.