Sunday, March 4, 2012

My choice, for now.

What is your Ultimate Cafe Racer? For me it was always the Norton Production Racer.



Now one can argue that the Production Racer isn't a true cafe racer but rather the first racer replica. Perhaps, but really, cafe racers (the real ones, you know, that had actually been to a cafe) wished for nothing more to have than a real racer. Just look at their bikes, if they aren't an attempt to replicate the look and performance of a racer what is?


So you see my point.

Right, where was I? Ah, yes, my lust for a Norton Production Racer. Some 20 years ago I found a Commando basket case. The gearbox was actually in a bucket. So maybe it was more like a bucket case. The rear wheel was off and there was some damage, especially to the brake lever and master cylinder cover.


Of course at the time I couldn't afford to actually rebuild this bike, especially into a Production Racer. In the meantime I fed my need with pictures and, believe it or not a model of a Production Racer.


Keep in mind this is before this whole internet thing, so there wasn't a lot of information about Production Racers. You would be lucky to even find a picture of one in a book (for you kids a book is something that contained information and was made from paper, you know sort of like an iPad but analog) so the model has to suffice. While I pondered the whole Production Racer thing I fed my Norton lust I got another Commando, an Interstate.


To be continued...



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