A Streetfighter For The World

As featured on the #1 custom bike website www.bikeexif.com/nyc-norton/ In early 2014 we got a call from an overseas number on the shop phone.  On the other end of the call was a pleasant voice with an unidentifiable accent who introduced himself as "Joe".  He was calling from his home in a small country nestled in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.  He had just purchased a pristine Norton Commando in the States and asked if we could add some performance and reliability mods to it before ultimately shipping it across the seas to him.  Sounded easy enough.  This was the humble beginning of a relationship that has circled the Earth many times.  Having already in his stable a bone-stock Commando, as well as other vintage bikes of various marques, Joe wanted this Commando to have a bit more "oomph".  This is our specialty and we were very happy to [...]

2024-02-25T17:56:31-05:00October 7th, 2015|builds, commando, nycNorton, street|

NYC Norton goes Sturgis!

NYC Norton got some amazing press from Paul d’Orleans, who summed up so nicely our bike at Michael Lichter’s “Naked Truth” show at Sturgis this year, in a piece he wrote for Cycle World Magazine: http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/10/13/the-naked-truth-motorcycle-show-cycle-world-custom-and-style/ The story: One morning in July, a call came in from Michael Lichter, asking if we had a bike to put in his show at the Buffalo Chip at this year’s 75th-anniversary Sturgis rally. Michael’s Sturgis exhibitions are legendary, and I knew we’d want to be a part of this. This year’s theme was “Naked Truth,” and the criteria were that the bikes could have no paint, extraneous details, or fluff—just the meat of the matter. Michael rattled off a list of builders who were participating, and it was clear that we’d need to be on top of our game. As we talked, I looked around our shop, and, although there were a lot [...]

2024-02-25T17:56:32-05:00August 13th, 2015|nycNorton|

(re) birth of a 750

When I received this 1970 750 Commando motor from its owner, Peter Billow, it was scattered about in milk crates and dog-eared boxes,  and showed signs of a tragic life, made ever-more evident as we worked off the 1/8" coating of grease.  Yep... it needed serious love.  Peter had a pointed vision and wanted something not excessive or over the top, but something more than stock.  Often, when I hear this, I find folks are looking for the single magic (and inexpensive) component that will immediately transform their bike into a fire-breathing dragon.  Not this time.  I worked with Peter though several discussions, mapping it all out. We chose to go with a racing cam with useable midrange (PW3, in this case) and all associated components that must accompany such a cam to achieve any benefit; making it flow, and setting the top end up so it could handle revving [...]

2012-04-11T16:01:11-04:00January 26th, 2012|builds, street|
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