I managed to get my 850 Norton into the high 12's about ten years later, but it was anything but stock. That's pretty impressive for a Trumpet. What year was the bike, looks like an early 60's non-unit. I still have a 68 BSA firebird in the garage.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Frank,

It was a 1965 unit construction T-120 Bonneville model.  Like so many other former owners of their favorite machines, I still wish I had it.

That "Snortin" Norton must have been a handful.  I am jealous of your BSA.  I still drool when I see those English bikes at shows and gatherings.

Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com

Charlie, nothing in the world sounds better than a British twin, except maybe a Y-Block.

I figured out that the British twins used a 360 degree crank, with both pistons moving together. Most of the Japanese twins used a 180 crank, pistons opposed. That gave them a totally different sound. The exceptions were the Honda 250-305 Dreams and the CB160's. The Super Hawk and Scrambler 250-305's used a 180.

Got me hands on a CB160 and built Desert straight pipes for it out of some Buick straight 8 breather pipes, cut up and welded. Sounded like a Triumph, or as close as I could afford in high school.

http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

John,

You are so right.  The sound of those twins were sweet indeed.  For a while I drag raced a 66 Lightning for the local BSA dealer.  The next season I switched rides to a 750 (stroked 650) Triumph drag bike for the Fresno Triumph dealer.  That was followed by my Triumph for a few years.  My brother still has a 750 Royal Enfield Interceptor.  Each and everyone of those bikes had the greatest sound, especially my Triumph with TT pipes.

Interestingly, my first motorcycle purchase was a new CB160 in 1964.  I had a great time drag racing it and with only straight pipes and velocity stacks, I set three different strip records for its class.

I'm still impressed with Frank's 850 Norton going 12s.  That was flying for a heavy bike like that.

Over the years, these stories fall on deaf ears when talking to young people.  They try to compare with the crotch rockets of today and the fact that they all could out perform any of these bikes right from the show room floor. 

You know, it would be fun to jump on a hayabusa and do 10s or go to Bonneville and do over 200! 

Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com

Here's a guy out racing Y-Blocks when ever possible. Mike Henault of California races this Y POWERED Comet in the central valley area. He's done quite well and is building a new engine for next year to scare the scrubs, like the one he's passing here, even more.

http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

My stock '70 Commando 750 turned mid-high 13s (handlebar kill switch for shifting, and 45# in the rear tire).
It was a terrific bike, if you could get past the poor quality control (throttle & clutch cables arrived dry, and without a meticulous prep more than one new owner roared out of the dealership and right smack into into a wall), the Lucas electronics (don't even ask), the leaks (even O-ringed components weeped constantly), the Brit dock strikes (some parts took 6 months to get), and the carb floats that were always sticking. But, it was FAST for that era, handled like a road racer, and pulled like a freight train!

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Agh jeezes Dan;  Lucas electric's where the Best-_????!!!!   HAHA  How did they ever run??  Use to play with MGs  last one was 1954 TF>     God Bless,   Best just to laughat the wiring   Eddie

Eddie

Lake Forest, Ca. 92630

Why do Brits drink warm beer?  Lucas refrigerators.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

     Might have been dumb luck, but I really never had much trouble with that bike. Kept it 14 years. Crank was lightened (and flywheels) Jerry Branch did the head, Factory Sport Cam and kit. Pair of 36 mm Amals and Conti's on the stock head pipes. Together with a BIG rear sprocket. That's about it. Rode it to Denver and through the Rockies (from Ohio), My buddies brand new 85 Harley broke, we pulled it to a dealer in Denver with the Norton. That's me, the Harley, him and his wife, on the end of a rope for about 15 miles. Never heard much more Bad mouthing about British bikes from him after that

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Lucas... The Prince of the darkness ! That's what they teached to me about auto electronics at school back in the late eighties.... And I belive every word about it!

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)