This Week's Story, May 18th, Where are Those Made?

[mhershon]

Where are Those Made?

My friend Corey rode his sweet old Norton Commando “S” from his home in San Antonio north to Wimberley to be part of a gathering of Commando owners in that part of Texas. While he was chatting with his Norton friends, three guys no one knew rode up, evidently interested in the goings-on.

Two of them were guys about Corey’s age, early 60s, riding early, four-cylinder Gold Wings, restored and gleaming. The third fellow, Corey told me, was about 40. He was on a Triumph sport-touring bike about two years old. 

The Triumph rider looked at the assembled Commandos and asked Corey something about them that revealed that the fellow had never heard of a Norton motorcycle.

Corey was taken aback but did not reveal his surprise. I too was surprised when he told me the story and I’m going to assume that you, dear reader, are surprised too. One would think that a Triumph rider would’ve heard (at some point) a mention of the brand name Norton.

I’d think so anyway.

But I would think so, wouldn’t I? I’m pretty old, I’ve been riding since Julius Caesar’s BSA Empire Star kicked back and injured his ankle. I’ve been thinking about motorcycles and writing about them nearly as long as that Triumph rider has been able to read.

It’s interesting to me that in that situation he did not hesitate to ask about the old bikes. Lots of guys would’ve faked it. In the midst of all that expertise and enthusiasm, many young men would be embarrassed to admit their ignorance. Good for that guy.

He is not my point. We...are my point. We are, most of us, aging enthusiasts, growing older in a society that cares not a bit about many of the things we have cared deeply about for most of our adult lives. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Our fathers or uncles, bless ‘em, if they had passions of their own, either shared them with us or watched as we formed our own. Almost certainly ours were different. Mine sure were.

You and I came to care about motorcycles and have for years or decades. We care about today’s bikes and the bikes that led to today’s bikes. We care about the bikes we owned and the bikes we wanted to own. We care about bikes our friends had and bikes that were impossible dreams for anyone we knew.

Some of those bikes were last made when we were young men or women. Corey cares about Commandos, Velocettes and Vincents. I too care about Velos and I have always admired BSA Gold Stars. I can’t imagine a genuine motorcyclist who has no idea what an icon a Gold Star was and where it fits in motorcycling’s great scheme of things.

But that’s where I lose my way. I forget how many years have passed since Gold Stars ruled club road racing, scrambling, flat-tracking and even trials.

The last new Gold Star was built in 1963, my friends, the year John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed. No one in the US had yet heard of those four cute mopheads from Liverpool. Gregory Peck won the Best Actor Oscar for a memorable black-and-white film about blacks and whites, To Kill a Mockingbird.

The 40-year-old Triumph rider at Corey’s Norton rally wouldn’t be born for another 17 years. It’s a good bet his parents were in elementary school. 
 
Many of us remember vividly when we could buy Gold Stars or Commandos or first-year Z1 Kawasakis brand new from our dealer’s sales floor, but that was a long time ago. A first-year Z1 is almost 50 years old in 2020.

Much as we cherish our memories of those bikes and those days, we cannot expect today’s young people, even today’s keen young riders, to share our feelings for machines that were already antiques when they were born.

The guys with the restored early Wings remember how cool those bikes were then, how tireless and fast and light-footed and agile. They know those bikes turned a corner in motorcycle design, even if they can’t articulate exactly what corner or how they turned it.

They could have bought a couple of R1200RTs for what they paid to buy and restore those Gold Wings. Maybe they already owned a couple of R1200RTs.

The Triumph rider, who may make more money than either of the other two, doesn’t want an old Gold Wing or an R1200RT. He doesn’t want to ride what his father rides or his uncle rides -- just as we didn’t want our first cars to look like our dad’s.

I’m certainly old enough to be the father of a forty-year-old but I’m past the R1200RT time of my life, I think. I prefer something lighter these days. I can imagine that my recent choices in bikes might seem boring to a younger man. 

But maybe I don’t have to understand any of this. Maybe I can just watch it happen -- the way my father did.

[Guzzidad]

   mhershon, that was an extremely well written editorial that I can relate to

[LowRyter]

This reminds of the early '80s.  I lived in San Antonio and rode my Seca 550 all over.  Wimberly, Hill Country, Devils Backbone, Lukenbach,  Kerrville, Bandera.  No cops and blitzing it.

Bev and I used to ride up to Medina Lake.  One time we passed a bunch "bikers" parked on the road.....a couple of miles later we saw a Harley broken down, a "biker" and his "ol lady" stranded.  I dropped Bev off with his better half and gave him a ride back to his bunch.  I couldn't resist stabbing the gas on my Yamaha and the biker grabbing me to hold on.   Cool.

Once Bev and I were on the Seca and some guys in a pickup threw some beer cans at us.  My fault for wearing a shirt with Japanese emblems.

I was really frightened when leaving work on highway 90 and just nailing it. Looked in my mirror and saw a cop running so fast that I could see a vortex of trash behind the car.  Pulled over and the cop was about 6-6.  First thing he said is that he didn't have radar on the car but had been trailing me for 3 miles.  No ticket.  Close call.

I love San Antonio. I could move back if Texas was a bit "different" now.

Also have a story about getting my TX motorcycle endorsement - another time.

[Scout63]

My Commando is an old man magnet.  I love the conversations, especially yesterday when a Marine with three tours in Vietnam stopped in front of the grocery store and we got to know each other. Later yesterday at the burger joint (it was a sunny day) a kid of about 25 asked me about the bike and said it was beautiful. I’m still unsure which conversation was more meaningful. Thanks Maynard.

[Tkelly]

Have you published any cycle stories?

[oldbike54]

Have you published any cycle stories?

 The answer is yes . Somehow in the confusion at Cedar Vale we forgot that Maynard was going to read a couple of his stories , you guys remind me next year please .

 Dusty

[blackcat]

Met a guy in his mid-20's on Saturday who owns a recently acquired 74 Commando. Loves the bike, needs lot's of cleaning up but he is riding it and has only had some issues with misting oil, but no leaks.  I gave him some pointers and he is going to come over to my house and check out my Norton; he is looking for some pointers which I will gladly supply. He also owns a HD Sportster, so that might have something to do with his appreciation of older looking bikes.

[Testarossa]

Thanks to Mhershorn for this wisdom.

In my other life I run the nonprofit International Skiing History Association. We publish a print magazine six times a year, eagerly read by a small but fiercely loyal audience. It's proven difficult to expand the reader base, partly because the average age is 70 and "aging out" of this group is fatal -- we recruit new members just fast enough to replace the dearly departed and newly senile.

In researching how to find new readers, I've learned that only about about two percent of the population is remotely interested in history. About two percent of academic degrees are awarded by history departments. Smithsonian has two percent the circulation of AARP Magazine. Etc. I don't know the distribution numbers for Classic Bike (but I guess I need to renew my subscription). Any kid on a newish Triumph who expresses interest in a Norton or any old poke should be encouraged and recruited. Recruited to what, though?

[mhershon]

Testarossa, that is super interesting! Two percent, eh? Sigh...

[oldbike54]

 Very few people have any interest in history W/O having their own history . Then getting people to see how and why history matters is necessary if they are to stay interested .

 Dusty

[jcctx]

I’m certainly old enough to be the father of a forty-year-old but I’m past the R1200RT time of my life, I think. I prefer something lighter these days. I can imagine that my recent choices in bikes might seem boring to a younger man.

My son turned 50 last Sat.
Damn, time slips away!!!!!!!!!

[jwinwi]

Thank you for sharing these stories! 

[Guzzi Gal]

Good read, thank you.

I'm old enough to have a 40-year-old, but just. A 35-year-old would be more appropriate. Our oldest will be 18 in September, the middle will be 14 in October, our baby girl will be 11 in February and I will be 55 'bout two weeks later.

Yeah, I started late, but I'm young at heart.

[ozarquebus]

Now you've brought a tear to my eye, Mhershorn. Its a dilemma repeated throughout time.
 Its like so many of those names listed in the credits of classic movies. Mostly masters at the top of their craft. ie Key Grip, Gaffer, Historical Consultant. Unit 1 Camera...etc. A great wealth of knowledge from experience they took with them after a lifetime of achievement in those and many other skills across the spectrum of human endeavor. Who remembers them now that two or more generations have passed?
 Many much greater than me are already completely forgotten, so what chance does little me have at immortality in this temporal world?  Keep telling myself.."I am Nothing, I am Nothing." ...just a fleeting shadow across the shifting sands of endless time...
 Then I have a smoke and go online and watch a Rat Patrol re run.

[Canuck750]

Good write up, I can relate a bit to the story;

Our local vintage motorcycle club put on a display of 42 vintage motorcycles in an empty retail store at a local shopping mall for the past two months:

Ariel, BSA, Triumph, Rudge, Norton, Vincent, BMW, DKW, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Benelli, Gilera, Jawa, CZ, Indian, Harley Davidson, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, Bridgetstone, and Yamaha.

Many people that came through the exhibit noted they had not heard of many of the manufacturers but most where interested to learn more about the new to them brands. As a group I think we were all pleased with the interest the public showed in the old bikes.

[Ncdan]

I normally can’t stay interested in a post of this length, however this one held lmy attention throughout and I enjoyed it enough to read through it a second time. Sir, you did well penning a read interesting enough to hold this old guys attention.
Thanks 👍