INOA Norton rally, 2018 Washington state, & mandatory BSA!

[Sluggo]

Any of you coming to the INOA Norton rally??? Usually a few Ozzies, an occasional Kiwi and a few from the UK show up.  I dont know how TRULY International it is, but usually at least one guy in Mexico shows up (Technically he is a gringo and was the original owner of Colorado Norton Works AKA CNW, now known as "Dougs Nortons" and is usually driving a Hearse with trailer for the bikes.  (Muy Bueno Morte !!)

But just because a bunch of Canadians show up doesnt make it a truly international rally or club, but I especially enjoy the ones who travel from outside the US to attend.  The Aussies in 2016 at the Quincy California rally had such "Strang" that I couldnt understand anything they said.........
(I needed to setup my voicemail on my new cell phone and was seriously interested in having one of the Aussies doing it, would be virtually unintelligible to most Americans..)

There is a good accounting from Chris Grimmett of the UK NOC who attended of the 2016 rally.  They move around each year, but the 2018 is just north of me about 2-3 hrs approx West of Seattle Washington near the coast in a little town called Elma.   There IS a race track at the rally site and hoping its poorly secured and I can take a few laps on my BSA Goldstar and run it against my Matchless G80TCS typhoon (600cc thumper) and settle this AMC-VS-BSA debate once and for all.  Some say the Matchless outclasses the BSA by a wide margin.  Had this debate with the "Sandy Bandit" and his answer to why BSA won so many races was his profane response "Because the whole F**K'n race was BSA! They couldnt help but win!" and pulled out old race programs to prove his point.

Still hard at work getting them ready. I set out in January with the goal of having 2 restored and show quality but you know how that goes,,,,,, several are going to be "Oily rag" Patina specials but that seems popular now anyway. 

At this point aiming for:
1965 N15CS Norton desert racer with PNW history 750cc twin. (one of them hybrid Matchless-Norton jobbies)
1961 Matchless G80TCS Typhoon 600cc thumper
1956 DB Goldstar 500cc thumper with PNW race history (Dig the flanders bars!)
1972 Combat Commando upgraded to VR880 specs
Several Norton America 952/961 prototypes, and on the "Maybe list" is a 1968 BSA 441 Roadster and the Mrs's 1947 Norton ES2.   Will take several singles motors as static display as well,,including my 1962 Poor Mans Manx ES2 project.

Might make a artistic display of the singles ( i have a bunch of Goldies from ZB to DB) with a mirror and sign......."Mirror Mirror, tell us all! What is the sexiest single of them all??"  I discussed this idea with a local promoter and he wants it for the ONE moto show coming in February... He wants me to make it interactive with a computer terminal for votes.

Here is some progress photos,, lots of work still to do,, I am ALWAYS behind the curve, anyone have some free time I could use a hand, Polishing, servicing, wrenching.

See: http://nortonrally.com/inoa-rally-2018

and.........

See: https://www.nortonownersclub.org/noc-chat/noc-riders-section/587192344  (pictures on the blog) 

[Sluggo]

I meant to add my buddy wants me to bring one of my Triumphs too... The motor is out of the rolling chassis but will only take a few hours to get running.  But it continues the Oily rag theme and competition bikes and thats why he wants me to bring it.  Plus its a totally anti social bike.  I rode it for years as a Bobber which is how I got it. I have all the parts to fully restore it and over $3,000 in parts sitting on the shelf but I used to tell people I was going to make into a chopper as i was ,,,,,,,,,errrr, ahem, known for building choppers and customs and was fun to get a rise out of some with a stick lodged firmly up their posterior.

Its a 1966 T120C (early one) but its pretty rough.  But it makes a magnificent sound with the TT pipes and no baffles.  Just learned my shop helper I was hoping might come back and help out  has parental health issues and cant make it. (I offered to pay his rally fees and feed him)  And I have another guy who is not into motorcycles but is generally available for low wages seems to be off the grid again (He does that often)
So, I cant offer much money, but I have BEER! We live out in a very rural area and there IS a country tavern next door (walking distance) and food is good,(ours) plus I can cover rally entry if someone is up for a 2 week thrash getting bikes and gear ready. (We live on coffee here at the Gearhead ranch).   I also have Buells and Sportsters for loaners. (The Ducatis are both inop unless you are a miracle worker) 

[Greybeard]

It's a lovely thought but I must politely decline, thank you. Both on a pension now!

[muskrat]

G'day Sluggo.
It would be worth the air fare just to have a bo-peep in your shed. I don't do flying well and I can't swim. Bugga.
Cheers

[Sluggo]

Thanks for the thoughts,,, I WILL take lots of pictures, I have a bunch from the 2016 rally and need to buy a seperate hard drive to store them.  I am expecting my friend Dave to show up with his Manx. I call it the gold standard Manx as it raced in the early 60s in Indonesia and won the race with a dutch guy riding it. Pictures and everything to document. I spent an hour at the Calif rally taking detailed photos of it, and know another guy who did a pro photo session with it with a better camera than mine.  Dave is in our Southern Oregon OVM group (much cooler group than the wankers up el norte around me) and he fired up the Manx and rode it around a bit. Lovely sound.  I dont pretend my thumpers are as cool, but maybe we can all make some music together.

The offer still stands for visitors, But dont be afraid of being put to work (ever run a chain saw??? We still have tree projects as well) I am building a guest house out back or a place for me to hide when the Mrs is angry at me. (Irish and German ancestry and menopausal, plus we have guns)

I have been making good progress despite many setbacks. Just got news from HYCAMS about some of my other frames and projects.  Very interesting.. the other Frame I have is one of 200 of the very first Atlas Scramblers and all went to Seattle Washington.  That changes course for that project a tad bit.

But I do have to sell off some stuff (The more pedestrian stuff) before the wife turns me into that TV show
" Hoarders "....

As to travel restrictions,,, I understand, but it makes me chuckle as there used to be a eBay vendor who made light of shipping and I used to borrow it.......... Approx:

"One eyed Willy in a rowboat singing Waltzing Matilda still has not cleared the barbour, but rest assured your personalized package is in transit"  (Probably too late to hitch a ride with Willy.)

[worntorn]

Sluggo, have you ridden the Typhoon on the road?
I'm wondering if it might be a useful single, that is enough speed to keep up with modern traffic and not too much vibration?
There is a local one here that may come for sale one day.

Glen

[Sluggo]

There is developments on whether it is a real Typhoon or a regular G80CS, turns out there was 2 in the collection I sourced it from many years ago.  I have the title, rego, and bills of sale for the other one, and trying to find out what exactly mine is.

I ahem........ Didnt notice the discrepancy until this week despite owning it 20 years.  Complicating the issue is all the factory records are gone, so I joined the UK AJS/Matchless club and seeking assistance and joining the US version as well. I used to know Dave who was the president,,, But awaiting details from another guy who maintains a registry for these.

To answer your question.............NO,, I have not ridden it all.  I am anxious too.....I have a bunch of BSAs and its going to be fun to compare.

Short history was it came from Eastern Washington in the 1980s as part of a collection. My Friend Gary bought them all as  a future "Father/son" project and never got to them.  Eventually he funded as a business partner Dreer and Vintage rebuilders to restore his other bikes (2 vinnies, Nortons, Triumphs BSAs)  But they never got to the Matchless's

I bought out most of the Vintage rebuilders inventory many years back when they moved into strictly Commando builds.. and then Gary fell on hard times and sold off much of his collection. I brokered many of these for free, But I did purchase this one for myself.  It was partially restored at some point, but unknown many details.  I have been wanting to get to it for years, and declined many offers to sell it. 

SOMEDAY IS TODAY.... my health issues forced me to confront waiting for someday is a bad idea, So I am excited to start moving things forward.   Hence my wide array of projects in fits and starts...

Will you be at the rally???  some years there is a unruly bunch of Canadians,, last few were more muted,, but mid 2000s at the Southern Oregon rally was a really fun bunch and I enjoyed partying with them, drink till late, ride at dawn (I cant drink like that anymore)  But I have a blurry photo of some of the Canadians who stripped naked and rode thru the rally campgrounds carrying the Canadian flag on a open exhaust Norton. One stood on the pillion/passenger pegs waving the flag while the other revved the motor at 2 am,, I was expecting a crash but they pulled it off.   Some stood on picnic tables and sang Canadian folk songs, and the morning of the end of the rally gathered around the campfire at 6 am, Belted out the national anthem and Gary told me Canadian geese flew overhead which they felt was a sign from the Cosmos........
then they rode out back North.  Following years have not been as lively,.,,

[worntorn]

I was planning on getting up early one day to ride down on the Commando, then ride home late the same day. I think it's about 5- 600 kms round trip.
Unfortunately it's a full ticket deal only this year, no $20 day passes and I'm a cheap guy.
So I'll probably miss it.

Damn!

[Sluggo]

There IS a opportunity for a day trip, but oddly its a wednesday only for the bike show. 

You bring up a valid point and one which I rail against and rant often about the logic of this, It WOULD be helpful if the leadership of the INOA heard from more people on this topic, because if its just nutters like me its dismissed as static.

This is an ongoing issue for years now and used to be it was a Wednesday thru Sunday type of event.  The rationalizing is for people traveling from several states away or cross country they can use the weekends for travel,, But the percentages of attendees who travel to rallys is small. So, result is locals who cant take a week off but could squeeze in 1 day with a weekend from Mr Scrooge have a chance, but zero when its a M-F gig.  My friend Jeff said...."Dont these people work???"  And "Maybe Ill see you when I retire"

These events are NOT growing and not pulling in many young people so the thinking needs to change, which is a common problem across the board for many of my activities. (Crotchety Old SOBs who dont understand why their clubs are dying off).   

Here is a notice posted on our local......... (If you dont agree,,, then by all means contact Suzi Greenway, President of the INOA or Alan Goldwater, Vice pres.   See:

https://www.inoanorton.com/Contacts/index.html
-----------------------------------------
Hello guys

For anyone who isn't registered for the whole Monday-to-Friday rally and was planning on a casual day visit, here is a response from the organizers to a friend in another club.
 
To summarize:
Due to insurance constraints, it is only possible to attend on a casual basis on Wednesday July 18 to see the concours show.

It's good to have clarity on this situation and I can only imagine how difficult it must be to arrange insurance coverage for an event like this.
But it is rather disappointing that this will prevent an opportunity for folks who were unable to commit to the whole rally to visit on other days.
 
Regards
Mike

[worntorn]

That's the problem alright.
There were 5 of us headed down , now reduced to two.
The two that are going are booked into a hotel Thursday night for a Thursday/Friday visit.
They feel that somehow they will be allowed to join the last part of the rally, or that they can talk their way in.
I doubt it.
They will likely come home disappointed.

Glen

[Sluggo]

I am sorry that is the case, And as I said, I strongly disagree with how these things are run.  It USED to be Oregon-Idaho- Washington were all one club, NWNO, but there was a bit of rocky history and we formed a Oregon chapter initially with blessings but then it turned acrimonious and when the whole thing got ugly I dropped out.  (Myself and several others were, and still are Black sheep)  Ironically, the same issues happened again and this time the new guy leading separation contacted me for help.  This time It went smoother and Oregon is a recognized chapter O.N.E- Oregon Norton Enthusiasts.  At the last rally I went to, Suzi gave me a hug and said we are good!  So, I dont roil the waters as much, but I still bitch and moan locally about how our local is run and some of the decisions.
So, long story short, I am not a member of NWNO and its their decisions, I have made my feelings known for the last 20 years on this topic and many others.  I am THAT GUY and largely disregarded at this point, So it doesnt matter what I say anymore.    I went in 2016 more as a promoter for our regional musuem, and spent most of the rally working my booth, giving tech talks, and explaining our museum, and using the Dreer Norton America stuff as a tool for promotions.  I never even made the rides that year which I regretted.
This event, I am going for fun.  And since I am NOT there pre se representing the Museum,,, If someone pisses me off, they will get an earful,  If its not fun in anyway I will pack up and go camping elsewhere (There is some great riding and camping areas as you know all over)  But this year is very casual.  Lifes too short for A** Holes so i dont tolerate them.  I am enough of a handful on my own as a guy with Brain damage.
But hopefully all goes well, and ask ANYONE where that nutjob Doug is, believe me, they know who I am!
(The Southern Oregon guys decided that when Sir Eddy and I used to attend these that therefore they should call me Squire Doug, it never took off so only those guys call me that, but you will find the Southern Oregon contingent cool guys to hang around.) Ill PM you my cell..Maybe Ill see you on Wednesday??? 

** IF ** I enter any bikes in the show on Wednesday, Look for the names of Metallica and Judas Priest members, I dont enter bikes under my own name anymore.  Its an inside joke but too long to explain here.