Ihor electronically vents his spleen.

I went out on the Norton Owners Club ride to Wheels and Wings in Oceola. About twelve riders and passengers met at the Up North Restaurant on Seven Corners. I had an OK brunch and headed out about 10:45 AM. It was a gorgeous day. Mine was the only Norton in our group. Maybe all the Nortons went in the early group from Bob's Java hut.

When I got to Classic Motorbooks in Oceola I rode in to the show area, collected my registration and participation packet, visited with my travel companions about the return trip, and went to look for some Nortons. I may have miscounted, but I saw maybe three other Nortons.

At the TCNOC meets at Dulono's I've counted over twenty-five Nortons or more than one occasion. I've seen beautiful, shiny, glistening, and otherwise examples of the Commando line. Would someone please write in and tell me what do you owners do with your bikes? Do you trailer them to some inconspicuous spot a few blocks from Dulono's and ride from there? As far as I've heard a Commando is worth $2000 to $4000 so its not their irreplaceable value that keeps them from being ridden.

 I wonder if my fellow Norton owners have forgotten what Nortons were made for. Ride them, the faster the harder, the better.

My '73 Norton "the mobile oil leak" with some help from Jeff Phillips and Steve Hamel and a few skinned knuckles of my own has kept me smiling and riding these twenty-some years and 60,000+ miles.

 Sure, my old Nort will lug around town, do torque offs with my Harley buddies from 2,000 RPM. Sure she'll even sing a pretty good Ducati impersonation at 4500 in second gear blasting traffic in Uptown.

 But my Black Norton Temptress always beckons me on. Don't stop she says, lets get out of town. She says take me where the roads are two lane and curvy. Take me on Wisc. 35 by Lake Peppin or County Road O and K, or N and S and SSS and Hwy 61 way down to Zumbrota. Let me sing to you at 4,000 to 5,000 RPM in high gear.

A 130 to 140 mile ride is my before dinner, after the chores are done, blow the stink off recess. Are you Norton owners someone's weak-kneed sisters? Or has your Norton forgotten how to sing its beckoning sirens song? If it's the former, maybe vitamins or hormone therapy may help.

If it's the latter, maybe you need to take your Norton out in the company of others so it can re-learn its enticing song.

 Maybe your destiny is to simichrome the cases to a mirror shine and dote one your image reflected in them.

 Norton Owners Be Ashamed.

Ihor Yermolenko INOA 6337