You might know that the Norton Owners of America are having a rally at the Catskill mountains in New York state during July this year. I have a place in a container to New York docks booked and was planning to use my Commando.
From the dock to the rally is only about 150 miles. My WM20 has been behaving itself recently and I am confident it could do this trip, so I have been having thoughts of taking it instead of the Commando. Do you guys think the WM20 could handle life on the roads around New York?
Do I have to have a working headlight on during the day? If so are the cops hot on this? Does it have to be a bright headlight, or would just a sidelight be enough?, Would I get away with my blackout blind (see it on the visitors bikes page)/
Thanks for any advice.
Peter, you have space in that container for my Commando and WM20?
I live directly in the city and here is a picture of my first M20 under the Manhattan Bridge....a civilianized 1940/42 WD bike (I didn's civilianize it myself). it did just fine on the streets of NY for several years. the hot summer weather made for hard starting but that was remedied with a tufnel spacer at the carb.
Henri lives out on the island and would be a great ride if you have the chance...
Rob Gibson in PA now owns it and has converted it back into a very nice WD bike...Maybe Rob wants to post an after piccy here.
I'd be more concerned with a working, visible taillight, than the headlight, for your own safety. I don't think running without a headlight on is going to cause any legal problems here. I'd also be concerned if the M20 could handle the roads in the area of the rally-you really wouldn't want to be laboring up some twisty steep road at 25 mph while a line of cars impatiently follows on your rear fender.
Eric is the one for info on the headlamp and other mechanical quirks, but I would be most willing to assist on escort in case of mech breakdown and even overnight facilities if required. Also for spare parts should something be required.
I am located a bit of a trek out on the island, fifty miles from NYC, you can google it. Northport Village, Suffolk County New York.
Have a hitch on the Sequoia if trailering becomes a necessity.
Traffic moves around 70 to 80 mph/hour in most places these days, so the WM20 would be huffing to say the least.
Take that into consideration Peter.
And of course, my comments always available for scrutiny or remarks.
re a good rear light i have a 1960s style stop and tail light with a number plate on a bit of MDF board which is connected to the 2 rear pannier wing nut via a flat metal bar with 2 slots in it which can be removed when you show the bike i wired it up so that i can put it in the pannier without disconnecting the wire
Peter
if you notice a couple of Kiwi's on a Guzzi California and a Kawasaki Concours (we have very generously been offered local loan bikes) please say hello.
I have pictures of when i pulled her out of the crate back around 1995 (I don't remember exactly)...
I can tell you that it was brought over from Singapore (I have the original Bill of Sale from the despatch company) I bought it from the second owner (third owner if you include Her Majesty) who was based overseas and brought it back over to the states in 1980 from the said despatch company....he had it until 1995 or so. I owned it until 1998 and sold it to some youngish guy from NJ....He must have sold it to someone else who then sold it to Rob.
Rob returned it to its wartime state. Its mostly there. I am gathering all the wartime parts and will hopefully soon do another restore. Still the big things I am after are a proper wartime tank. A pillion seat. The correct bronze levers. A proper headlight switch... Mostly small things. Big ones are the tank, levers, and copper fuel line parts. I also am suspicious of the pannier carriers. I think they might be Indian made. So thats on the list. Wish I had bought the superb repros a fellow from the forum had made.
Peter...When you say you bike is arriving in NY...Where in NY? The main shipping terminal is actually in Newark NJ....Where are you coming from.???...I live in West Point NY, 45 miles north of Manhattan. There can be some shady characters at those ports...I was a cop for 20 years in the city, NYPD....If you have any problems, let me know and maybe i can help....My m20 in in 1000s pieces, But i can come down on my 1942 WLA Harley for A RESCURE MISSION, IF NEED BE...Or a trailer....I think it would be too dangerous to ride on any NY highway...the m20 are just too slow...Robert
Peter:
I agreee with the comments about traffic often moving at 70 but the M20 may have an advantage over the Norton: The roads in the City and surrounding areas are never in good condition but they are particularly rough now, because this winter was particularly bad with lots of snow (did someone say "global warming"?). Four-inch deep holes and ruts are very common, sometimes running for hundreds of yards, as are road "repairs" that are several inches higher than the surrounding road surface providing your ass with a good kick when traversed. If you are not used to it you could easily get into trouble which is more probable if you're mid- or left-lane running at 60+ than if you are going flat out on the M20 in the right lane. With either bike, be very careful until you get a sense of the road conditions. I have a feeling that there are not many places in the civilized world where roads are this bad.
Also, you may need to adjust your riding habits. Never rely exclusively on your mirrors when changing lanes or turning. Boy racers and Tutonic Terrors seem to come out of nowhere to zip by you and if you haven't actually looked at the lane to make sure no one is comming up it will not be a good day for you. (Maybe it's my impression but it seems that BMW [cars] and MBs are disproportionally represented in the world of overly aggressive driving.) I have an unbroken rule (for bike-riding only) not to change lanes unless I can turn around and actually look at the traffic comming up.
As for the headlight, I assume you won't be riding at night a lot. Unlike most other places, City cops are not always on traffic duty. Mostly they really don't care what you do in traffic or whether you have your headlights on or off - they have real criminals to worry about or, more frequently, to ignore. But if you come across one that is on traffic duty or thinks he is (or is trying to fill his quota - oh, I forgot, they keep saying they don't have quotas), he might well write you up for a blackout mask. On the other hand, even though it could be written as a moving violation, chances are that you will only get an "equipment violation" which means that you need only get a licensed repair shop to verify that you have "fixed" the problem and send it in with the summons to get relieved from the violation. I've even heard that you could take the bike to a police precinct and they will give you the necessary "dispensation".
The foregoing applies only to NYC cops. Everywhere else traffic is the cops' primary duty so when you cross into Westchester County north of New York, and until you get to your destination, either remove the blackout mask or be prepared to provide lots of explanations. BTW, bikes are required to have lights on at all times everywhere in New York State. Some guys who run older bikes sometimes try to get away with only the parking lamp on during the day, but I don't know how effective that is to avoid getting stopped.
Finally, don't be surprised if you get stopped by cops who only want to take a look at your bike because they are just curious. A fair number of our police are bikers.
I bet that if you take the paint off the primary chaincase inspection plug, you'll find it's the alloy type that usually goes on the timing cover.
at least that's how I got it.
Pity, I had a NOS brass fuel line but I sold it to Lex a while back and a set of bronze levers, but they weren't correct for my bike, so I sold those too.
I will keep a look out for you for any parts if you promise me to let me have a ride one day.
Thanks for all that information chaps, it was all very usefull. I will probably decide nearer the time wheather to take the Commmando or WM20. My freind is going on a 1936 girder rigid Norton ES2. Being an OHV 500 that has more go in it than the my sidevalver. It really does keep up with modern traffic well.
All though it is a Norton rally run by the International Norton Owners Assosiation, I am sure they would like see any British or interesting continental bike there, so check out their web site and come along if you can-- I would certainly like to meet up with you.
We are having our bikes deliverd to Newark docks, so we shall fly to Newark airport, have a hotel near there, then get a taxi next day to take us to the dock where we will uncrate the bikes and ride them to the rally.
Eric's old M20 is looking pretty good now...I might be able to help out with the correct light switch...e mail me off forum (I'll be away from Friday this week to Monday next)...Ian
Peter: As to whether the Norton members will be interested to see an M20 . . . well, maybe. Don't forget, about a month before your Norton meet, there will be the Rhinebeck meet, which is (I think) by far the largest antique m/c get-together in the US. Most or all of the people who will participate in your show will have recently been to Rhinebeck and have seen lots of Norton and non-Norton bikes there.
As for "uncrate and ride" . . . Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know but I assume you have looked into what paperwork and insurance is required for your bike to be on the road here? And don't forget, each state has its own traffic laws so New Jersey, where you land, has different requirements than New York, where you'll end up.