Going Commando!

Sometimes, but not very often, you get a chance to turn back the hands of time and go back to a time when things were simpler, perhaps more joyful, and at least in the mists of time, more golden.  Sometimes music takes you back; other times it can be something that was really important to you way back in 'once upon a time, time'.  For me it is the sound and feel of riding a Norton Commando motorcycle.
 

A bit of history here.  In 1971, when I was 21 years old, I bought my first 'real' motorcycle. (The 1955 Royal Enfield 500 single army surplus bike that I owned when I was about 17 didn't count because I didn't ride it all that much.) I was originally looking at a 450 Honda twin but my friend Kerry introduced me to Jim MacIlvena, the owner of Mac's Motorcycles in Peterborough, ON.  Jim sold Triumphs, Suzukis,  and Nortons and when I walked into the shop for the first time I was sold on a bright yellow 1971 Norton Commando 750. 

The only photo I have of my 1971 Norton Commando 750.

I didn't have my motorcycle license at the time and before I could get it I was caught riding it near Lindsay, ON. A $23 fine later, and getting my license shortly afterwards brought me over to the 'dark side'.  Within a year I had graduated from Trent University and after 14K + miles the main crankshaft bearing failed on the Norton. (A not unusual occurrence in those days.)  Faced with a $600+ repair bill or a trade in on a new bike I chose the latter and rode out of Mac's  on a new 1972 Suzuki GT750 (also known as a 'Water Buffalo' because of the liquid cooling for the two-stroke engine.

 

I did, however, keep the 'Captain Canada' leather jacket that I bought just after buying my Norton Commando.  Unfortunately, over the years it has shrunk so that I don't wear it any more.  It is my only physical connection to those days when I rode across Canada with two good friends. I'm glad to have it and happy that I have kept it for almost 43 years.  It actually looks pretty good with my new Norton.

 



My 1971 'Captain Canada' jacket on my 1974 Norton Commando.

 

Jim rebuilt the engine on my 1971 Commando and sold it to Jim Knight.  Coincidentally in the spring of 1973 Kerry, Jim and I left Ontario and headed west on Kerry's 1969 and Jim's 1971 Commandos, and my 1972 'Water Buffalo'.  After a ride across Ontario and the Prairies, Jim met a young lady and remained in Calgary, while Kerry and I headed to Vancouver, and then to Prince George. 

Our paths separated for a time although we did keep in touch in a desultory fashion over the years.  Kerry graduated from the Commando to a Honda CB750 'Four', then on to the first of many Goldwings which he rides to this day.  He retired in Vancouver and lives there now.

Jim moved to the Lower Mainland, became a banker and eventually retired to Sooke, BC.  It's hard to say in which direction his bike proclivities went because he has had literally dozens of motorcycles, including Nortons, BSAs, Triumphs, Harley-Davidsons. Yamahas, Hondas, and perhaps a Kawasaki.  He had the Norton that I had first owned for more than 31 years until he decided to sell it to a guy who 'curbed' it right after.  According to Jim, it's still in Victoria somewhere.

I stayed in Prince George, became a teacher, married Darlene, had two children, Ian & Rachel, and moved on to a Suzuki GS1100L which I owned for 15 years before I sold it.  I often said that the Suzukis were like a Chrysler K car. They did the job, but they weren't bikes that grew on me or that I could love riding. 

In July 2009, I retired and in September bought a 2009 H-D Ultra Glide Classic and have done several long rides with good friends since then.

So, enough of history for a while.

Back to 1972. Even though I had traded my yellow Norton for a Japanese bike, it was never the same. Every time I saw a Norton, which wasn't very often, I would get a feeling of loss, sort of like the feeling you might get for a lost first love. On our trip across Canada, old guys (they seemed old to us but there were probably in their 50s), would come up to Kerry & Jim and tell them how they had ridden Nortons during the War.  There was a mystique about that name that had stayed with those men for thirty years or more.  I didn't understand it at the time.

For more than forty years I have regretted my decision to trade my Norton, and I grew to understand why those old guys felt the way they did those many years ago.  I began to feel the same and began to toy with the idea of getting a Norton.  After checking Craigslist and other sites, I asked my friend Jim to check out a beautiful black and gold Norton near Victoria.  That didn't work out but sometimes fate works in strange ways.

Last September, while I was at a classic bike display admiring the Nortons, I remarked to a guy standing beside me that I loved the bikes and was looking to buy if I could find one in decent condition.  Surprisingly, he said that he had one for sale and gave me his information.  Garry and I were already planning to ride to Port Alberni where the bike was so we added that to our itinerary.

After finding his place, looking at the bike, a 1974 Norton Commando 850 which had only 4200 miles on it, but seemed to need some work, and getting a price from Lawrence, the owner, I spoke to Jim who advised me to 'jump on it'.  The next day I called, offered him his price which he accepted after some second thoughts, and then picked it up two days later.

 

 

 

Picking up the Norton in Port Alberni in Jim's truck.

 

 

 The Norton at Jim's garage in Sooke, BC

 

 



 

Jim on my 1974 Norton Commando 850

 

Jim came up from Sooke, met me in Parksville, and we drove to Port Alberni to pick the bike up.  We took it to Sooke where Jim added it to his 'stable' of motorcycles which included two Nortons, a Triumph, a BSA, three Harley-Davidsons, a BMW, and assorted Japanese bikes.

Although my Norton was a strong runner, it needed a lot of cosmetic work which Jim 'the Norton Guru' did over the winter.  From front to rear he put on a new front tire replacing the original Avon which probably still had English air in it, a new headlight pot along with the brackets, new fork tubes and seals, refurbished tachometer and speedometer, signal flashers all around, a centre stand, new gaskets, new peashooter mufflers to replace the aftermarket Dunstalls that were on it, a new handlebar, and a new taillight bracket.  That being done, the Commando looked terrific when I went to visit it in February.  I even kick started it - the first time I had started a Norton in almost 42 years.

 



In late April the Norton was ready for the road so I insured it and drove to Sooke.  Bear in mind that I hadn't ridden a Norton in almost 42 years.  It is also important to understand that while the hand controls on a 40 year-old British motorcycle are the same as those on modern bikes, the foot controls are a different matter. Norton controls are reversed from those on American and Japanese bikes. The brake pedal on modern bikes is on the right and the shift lever is on the left.  The shift pattern on modern bikes is also reversed from that of the Norton.  In effect, the foot controls on the Norton are not only reversed, the shift lever pattern is upside down.  So, imagine having to relearn how to ride a bike that you haven't ridden for 42 years with controls that are reversed and upside down. Now you understand what it was like to get on my Norton for my first ride.

Incredibly, the bike started on the first kick and I rode it up the hill from Jim's shop to his driveway. It felt great!  We then did a tour around the roads near Sooke.  I was slow!  Going into a corner and shifting into a higher gear when you mean to touch the brake is disconcerting.  As much as you think things through, there are times when instinct takes over and with reversed controls that can be a real problem.  However, I did make it back and we eventually rode almost 80 kilometres that day.

 

Ready to do the Circle Route.

 





The 'Thundering Herd' ready to roll.

 



On Saturday morning the plan was to ride the Circle Route from Sooke, to Jordan River, Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan, Duncan and back to Sooke with Jim, his son Jeff, and his friends Al, and Shaky Bob.  The ride started under partially cloudy skies but by the time we arrived at Jordan River the rain began and we were dogged by showers until we arrived at Port Renfrew where we stopped for coffee.  Just in time too, as the skies opened and we watched a heavy rain for about fifteen minutes as we drank our coffee. By the time our coffees were done, the rain and stopped and we were on our way again.

We stopped at the Harris Spruce, one of the largest trees an BC before continuing on toward Lake Cowichan.  Halfway there we ran into a shower of ice pellets. Jim on his Electra Glide and Jeff and Bob who had full face helmets didn't have a problem. Al and I, on the other hand, were wearing half helmets with no windshield.  By the time we arrived in Lake Cowichan both of our faces were numb.  Fortunately(?) we were able to stop at Timmy Ho's to warm up.



Jeff at the Harris Spruce between Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan.

Smoke break at the Harris Spruce. (At least for Jim.)
 



We continued on to Duncan and stopped again at Timmy's in Mill Bay before riding back to Sooke, a total distance of about 250 kilometres.  The Norton was a joy to ride and didn't miss a beat for the whole ride.  And almost best of all, when I parked it, it didn't leave oil marks on the floor of Jim's shop.

The next day I walked/ran the Times-Colonist 10K and instead of loading the Norton and taking it home, I was so sore that I left it in Sooke for another week then drove back the following week to pick it up and truck it home.  After eight months and numerous replacement parts it was finally at home.  I ride it regularly and have had numerous comments on it.  A lot of people know about or have heard of Nortons but not many have seen one.  However, I'm delighted to have it and ride it because it is so much fun.  I still make mistakes with the foot controls but it is getting better.

 

 

The refurbished Norton washed, waxed and polished

 

The Norton at the seashore

So now I have my two dream bikes; a Harley-Davidson, and a Norton.  And I am absolutely delighted. More to come as the summer progresses.

 

My two wheelers all cleaned up.