It is great to go the extra mile and put the electric start to keep riding the bike. Like the guys who put a electric starter on a BSA Gold Star. British motorcycles are cool but Triumph is the coolest of the cool.
@@ashleyhoward8926 A Silver Jubilee was not in 1977. NVT stopped selling motorcycles in the US in 1976 but continued in the UK for 2 more years. In 1977 a regular 750 Triumph was $2,800. In 1976 NVT was selling T-160 and Norton Commando 850 for $2,000.
I bought my Norton new in 1974 at Red House Harley-Davidson (HD, Suzuki? Kawasaki?, Norton) in Washington DC. I still have all the original delivery paperwork, but not the receipt. However, the figure $2300 hangs in the back of my mind. I also remember sitting on my Norton in the showroom, right next to the Japanese bike and looking at its super-smooth, polished aluminum cases, and comparing them to the Norton's gravel-cast cases and thinking, "Hmmm, am I making the right choice?"
Yup. It's the red one in the shop. "Starship Snoopy." One owner, one rider, with one exception. At a National Norton Rally I let a good buddy ride it to see if he wanted to use it in the next day's group ride. He took it up the road, and back down the road, and said, "This is the most uncomfortable bike I've ever ridden!" I guess he's just not a cafe' racer type of guy.
Some thoughts: First, the tradition of mounting/dismounting on the left probably comes from the tradition of mounting a horse from the left (although that is not always the case now). Second, I had the opportunity to engage in the training undergone by motor officers. At that particular training (don't know if it is true for all departments) it was recommended to dismount from the right since that would have the officer step AWAY from traffic when stopped. So I just got in that habit and at the same time found it easier to lift my leg at the high point and slide down, rather than having to extend further and lift. When I was working as an MSF RiderCoach I of course taught the riders to mount/dismount from the left, since that was the program. You recommend using the center stand to dismount saying it is easy enough - how does one get a 500 lb. bike on the center stand while sitting on it? Small bikes I understand. Do you have a video showing me how? Thanks!
Excellent.
Electric start is a great idea as you get older but those kits are not cheap!
Sweet as.
It is great to go the extra mile and put the electric start to keep riding the bike. Like the guys who put a electric starter on a BSA Gold Star. British motorcycles are cool but Triumph is the coolest of the cool.
In 1977 a QE2 silver jubilee Bonneville cost £749, but a commando cost £1,600, which tells us something.
@@ashleyhoward8926 A Silver Jubilee was not in 1977. NVT stopped selling motorcycles in the US in 1976 but continued in the UK for 2 more years. In 1977 a regular 750 Triumph was $2,800. In 1976 NVT was selling T-160 and Norton Commando 850 for $2,000.
I bought my Norton new in 1974 at Red House Harley-Davidson (HD, Suzuki? Kawasaki?, Norton) in Washington DC. I still have all the original delivery paperwork, but not the receipt. However, the figure $2300 hangs in the back of my mind.
I also remember sitting on my Norton in the showroom, right next to the Japanese bike and looking at its super-smooth, polished aluminum cases, and comparing them to the Norton's gravel-cast cases and thinking, "Hmmm, am I making the right choice?"
@@fjdelmonte Still have the bike?
Yup. It's the red one in the shop. "Starship Snoopy." One owner, one rider, with one exception. At a National Norton Rally I let a good buddy ride it to see if he wanted to use it in the next day's group ride. He took it up the road, and back down the road, and said, "This is the most uncomfortable bike I've ever ridden!" I guess he's just not a cafe' racer type of guy.
Always dismount on the left. Even better, use the centre stand too, it's easy enough.
Some thoughts: First, the tradition of mounting/dismounting on the left probably comes from the tradition of mounting a horse from the left (although that is not always the case now). Second, I had the opportunity to engage in the training undergone by motor officers. At that particular training (don't know if it is true for all departments) it was recommended to dismount from the right since that would have the officer step AWAY from traffic when stopped. So I just got in that habit and at the same time found it easier to lift my leg at the high point and slide down, rather than having to extend further and lift. When I was working as an MSF RiderCoach I of course taught the riders to mount/dismount from the left, since that was the program. You recommend using the center stand to dismount saying it is easy enough - how does one get a 500 lb. bike on the center stand while sitting on it? Small bikes I understand. Do you have a video showing me how? Thanks!