I have just got my 72 750 Commando back on the road after 2 years and rode to the Ace Cafe from my home in North London. Ver satisfactory indeed. On my way back at the lighte next to Highgate tube on the A1 I spied a 961 on the pavement. I of course had to swing in to the station car park to get my first in the flesh encounter.
The owner spotted me and came straight over to say hello. Sadly he was being attended by the RAC. The 961 had blown a valve seal and was going nowhere. I spent half an hour having a very nice Norton based chat (he had owned Commandos in the past).
There has been much said about the new Norton company both here and elswhere but I listened to what he had to say.yes he had problems in the past with mapping, yes he had to wait 18 moths to get delivery as he wanted a dual seat, and yes it had stopped in a cloud of smoke stranding him on the A1.
However, he only had praise for what an extraordinary ride it is and the quaility of the finish which was superb. I got to sit on it and appreciate what a slim lithe machine it really is. Moreover, he had nothing but praise for karen in customer service. He did observe that staff turnover seeme quite high and that enthusiastic passionate and skilled people he met on one visit would be gone six moths later. He did point out that he was very proud to own a handbuilt machine and whatever the foibles he was never letting it go.
I really hope that Norton can make the most of the skills we have here and that the difficulties of producing a fine machine can be ironed out. He also met Pierre Terrblanche in his brief tenure and was shown some of his cool designs. There is a lot to praise about Norton and I hope it carries on to go from strength to strength.
After being assured that there really was nothing I could do to help, I jumped back on my Commando, ticled the carbs gave her a hefty kick and went on my way with a fabulous 70s blast of peashooter exhaust noise.
Reall nice to meet an fellow Nortonian, hope he got home OK. Nick
