Still one of my Favourite bikes it just looks so solid

[Freakshow]

It just looks so ....  Staunch 

[mainline]

yep, they are pretty well perfect proportions.

Excuse my ingnorance, but what's with the contraption/bracketry on the side of the bike?

[Davey Crocket]

It's called a gearbox son!!

[Freakshow]

yep

[jimg1au]

its gear leaver and rear brake on the same side allmost  all usa flattackers are set up tis way.workshops change you jap lhs gear to right hand side.eg 120.00 usd with clutch cover and gear selsctor shaft supplied by you and job is done.alloy brackets are for adjusting where foot peg and gear leaver can go.my tt500 staracer has somethig similer adjustable foot peg and brake mounts.
jim

[firko]

I saw Alex Jorgenson ride this bike or another just like it at Ascot nearly every Friday night during the mid seventies. It's my all time favourite tracker. The 3" tube Ron Wood frame is a work of art. I know of a bloke building a replica for the street using an 850 Commando engine in the USA.

[mainline]

It's called a gearbox son!!

bloody old fogey

I was assuming it was a gear lever, didn't know they switched the gear lever to this side as a matter of course

[jimg1au]

the gear leaver on a norton is on the rhs from the factory

[Davey Crocket]

These young wipper-snappers have no idea!!

[mx250]

Handsome is as handsome does, I guess, but this things looks like a piece of ancient agricultural equipment  .

Even Norton on the side of the tank looks ancient and out-of-proportion  .

[firko]

As primitive as it may look to you Graeme, this bike broke new ground in flat track chassis design during the seventies. The Ron Wood Norton was the trickest bike on the planet and even though it had it's problems and the unique frame design was eventually discontinued, it prompted future research into flat track frame configuration. It was a milestone bike.
The following article tells the story: (MMMMM? I'm not having much luck transferring the Ron Wood Norton story on a PDF file to this page. Either I've gone senile or I'm doing something wrong. How do I transfer a PDF file from 'My Documents' to a forum post?)

[vmx42]

Firko,
I assume you are talking about the Cycle [or Cycle World/Cycle Guide - too old to remember] story on the Ron Wood Norton and his rider Alex Jorgenson. It's a great story that illustrates how brains and animal cunning can triumph over cubic dollars.

It is that kind of success from an underdog that lies at the heart of real motorcycle racing - this is what is missing from most current racing series [as the manufactures frame the rules that only benefit the big guys]. The David vs Goliath battles are fascinating to watch and great to cheer for. These are the stories that become folklore and passed from generation to generation.

VMX42



_{As for the pdf problem. Place them in a host web browser, eg. Photobucket and paste the link into the forum. Just like hosting an image.}

[firko]

As for the pdf problem. Place them in a host web browser, eg. Photobucket and paste the link into the forum. Just like hosting an image.

I totally agree with your take on the Woods Norton piece however mine may be a different article but with the same story line...little guy triumphs over Harley Davidson mega cash.
As for the PDF thing, I use Village Photos and it won't accept PDF files. Funny thing, I thought I had in the past. I'm sure I've posted PDF files before?

[jimg1au]

just on a recent event a twin ducati beat all the factory harleys home in a mile event in tx
jim

[pancho]

Handsome is as handsome does, I guess, but this things looks like a piece of ancient agricultural equipment  .

Even Norton on the side of the tank looks ancient and out-of-proportion  .

       Have a bit of respect son!  cheers pancho  {I don't know how to do smiley faces]