Norton 650SS 1967 Winter Rides

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Hey everyone hope we are all keeping well although I no longer have a beemer an decided against another love UK GSer so gonna stay involved now have my new to me 2010 Triumph T100 Bonnie my main bike is a 1967 Norton 650SS Which I restored an am the 2nd owner off.

In this thread I'm gonna chronicle my winter adventures from this year + some from last year to catch you all up.

Winter 2019
A few will probably be familiar with my adventures on using my Norton 650SS as a daily rider.
With severe flood warnings in place I had to pick dad and I a route that would be okish weather wise.

Today was beyond freezing headed out with the intention of going to Matlock got as far as Monyash after starting out at the Cat some different country roads an dad was really cold so turned off for Monyash stopped and had some chips and dad had a bacon Sarny.

The SS performed perfectly even in those rubbish conditions no matter what we came across she took it in her stride an as usual dad's GSXR 750 was great as well.

Quite a few bike pic's should have some footage on the go pro of dad an I talking an riding which I'm gonna edit over the weekend once I've warmed up.
Freezing in Monyash getting warm

74804232_10220347958473498_6213099402630791168_o by norton.rider, on Flickr
Can't beat that for parking!

76654420_10220347959273518_5390150086367903744_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

75278278_10220347934872908_6534190998765961216_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

77099999_10220347935432922_5016497947479638016_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

76793180_10220347936912959_3963915606280896512_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

75521828_10220347938873008_845032015169323008_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

75625313_10220347954633402_4414084292649418752_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

74211277_10220347955473423_5187651024130670592_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

Dad spotted a pretty epic view

75610855_10220347956713454_5728497903320694784_o by norton.rider, on Flickr

75521604_10220347938553000_6283002894476115968_o by norton.rider, on Flickr
Woop! Such a cool view as usual the cat and fiddle doesn't disappoint!

20191115_141057 by norton.rider, on Flickr

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Credit where credits due!
Epic picture by Alex at bikerpicsuk a few who watched the video from that day will remember me getting all excited at spotting them

As a former pro wildlife photographer always do appreciate good photography.
Pic is on the Cat and Fiddle. 650ss has been running like clockwork so not much to report.

Alex-6096-(ZF-0944-20606-1-001)-01 by norton.rider, on Flickr

Merry Christmas everyone

Been out on the 650SS today for Christmas Day with dad the weather was interesting to say the least. My Macbook has just let go so working on another solution to edit some more footage.

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Few more mobile pics from today

20191225_120025-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

Not much of a view with todays weather!

20191225_120029-01 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20191225_120100-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20191225_120112-02 by
norton.rider, on Flickr
Would think it was Christmas day 1967

20191225_120056-03 by norton.rider, on Flickr

Merry Christmas everyone

Some riding footage from the Christmas day ride up the Cat and Fiddle!

Maximum smiles per miles!
Hope you all enjoy had to edit on my phone as my computer just let go.

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Had a wander out on the 1967 Norton 650Ss today by myself dad thought -1 was to cold..... even after offering him the gsx750et

Had great fun on some local yet very slippy roads!

By the time I got back my road was like a skating rink! Certainly interesting haha!
Video to come later.

In other bike news currently starting to hunt for a ww2 Norton 16h, my tz project sold the other week sad to see that go an it looks like my Triumph Daytona previously owned by Maria Costello MBE might be making it's way to auction now I've got the estimate.

So it's all go 2020! Some huge plans for this year.

The 650ss is flawless as ever although even cleaning her after every ride shes starting to show a lil bit of corrosion in places easy to fix though! Although I have to say shes faired far better than the bmw gsa I had used the Norton in much nastier conditions so smiles all round

20200119_125141-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_125546-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_125609-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_125141-03 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_130129-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_125149-05 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_125441-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_125149-04 by norton.rider, on Flickr

20200119_124521-02 by norton.rider, on Flickr

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

October 8th 2020

Had a spin out on the 650ss for a splash about

up the Cat and Fiddle. Superb as always need to drop the idle a notch on her as the monoblocs are a pain on an incline at trafic lights. Apart from that all great! Still my all time favourite bike nothing quite like the roar of a British Twin.

Need to do a bit of cleaning up on a few bolts here an there but shes held up great with all the wet weather riding.

Norton 650ss ^-^ up the Cat and Fiddle had a spare 30 mins the other day so had a wander out on the 650ss. No music on this one as the audio came out good totally one for headphones. Hope you all enjoy.

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Mini ride on the Norton 650SS base lining the carb idle after a few adjustments.

hit a tiny issue which meant I had to turn back as a preventative measure an cut my ride short really easy fix though an she's allready fixed for another ride (note to self dont leave toolkit on workbench) been working on the Commando chassis tear down today.

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Had another ride out today to fettle the idle a bit more ended up nailing it today super happy! Also opened her right up the roar was insane sounded amazing an reminded me of my Commando sound wise.

Can't wait to share the video with you all when it uploads.

Hit some typical local weather for this time of year pea soup the gopro superview makes it look super mild compared to how it was haha.

Great day all round.

Video is up from yesterdays ride on my daily rider Norton 650SS.
Although it was raining on and off really didn't expect the fog.
Trying to show a bit more of the odd adjustment etc when I'm out an about in this one a continuation of setting my monobloc carb idle up from the other days ride, stuff like that rather than just one camera of me riding on her. In this one I also show a quick how to on how to Start a Norton hot. Did a post ride video as well at the end discussing how the ride went ��

vincentrapide · Oct 18, 2020

SS Norton

Lovely looking bike, mine was lots of trouble back in the day though. Good for you for keeping it in use.
Cheers

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Thanks mate glad you enjoyed

she's been really great very enjoyable an reliable to, hoping to get my Commando back together in the next month or so.

Tarka · Oct 18, 2020

Super photos, although there seems a lot of near repetition, and my arthritic knee gave a twinge at the sight and thought of the cold, damp morning.

alanbmwgs · Oct 18, 2020

Throughly enjoyed reading that Steele, but I now have to recall a memory from back in 1965 ish . My older brother bought the very same bike from, what was then Pride & Clarkes in London, had it sent by Rail to a small local Station (Lostock Gralam) I remember walking to the Station with him to collect it. I can still see it now with a sheet of Cardboard tied to each side. Anyway after running it for 4/5 years he decided to strip and rebuild, well he stripped it alright and that’s the way it stayed in Dads shed until my dad got sick of moving it around. So dad told him to move it out or he will throw it in the Council skip and alas that’s where in went a FULL 650SS. :blast

steele01 · Oct 18, 2020

Yep just a few cheapo mobile phone snaps Alan tend to stop at the same place as the other roads aren't safe to stop on, not bothered taking the camera out properly all taken over a year interesting riding the same road all year round on the way out to other places. The last few videos are much much better than the earlier ones probably starting with the Raw sounds one.

The videos show the views an the sights an sounds rather than the pics which is what I'm mainly trying to do a bit more now rather than the pics so gonna be a lot more video content to come over this winter now I've sussed out a way to edit them on my phone no computer at the moment. So will be lots more views etc on the vids.

Thanks Alan glad you enjoyed it

wow that must have been amazing to see new my uncle raced one and a 68' Commando which is why I ended up with such a passion for Norton's. Damn when I started the WW2 RAF WD16H Norton resto it seems like alot of amazing bikes ended up skipped. Such a shame when I started my 350lc and 250lc resto's the dealers told me they were skipping parts by the trailer load imagine how much that lot would be worth now.

steele01 · Oct 22, 2020

Squeezed one last ride in before the extra restrictions come in tomorrow been riding her every single day.

Decided I might as well start exploring the local area ^-^ looking forward to editing the video from todays ride.
Super love this bike know I sound like a stuck record but really is a golden age to own an ride a Norton.

FatAl · Oct 22, 2020

Thanks for a great post. Nice to see a lovely old Norton being used in all weathers. I had a 650 mercury for a while, same colour scheme as yours, but ended up selling it as an abandoned restoration project. When I see bikes like yours I wish I'd persevered.

steele01 · Oct 22, 2020

Thanks mate yep shes been such a great bike in all conditions really are meant to be ridden. Oh wow Mercurys are nice! They do come up every now n then if you ever fancy another

one good thing is the availability of Norton parts is adays what I meant about a golden age can get everything next day for them.

steele01 · Oct 23, 2020

Yesterdays ride on the Norton 650SS had a wander out down the leafy lanes of Cheshire out to Prestbury. Going to be focusing on workshop stuff now I'm in tier 3. Plan is to get the 68 Commando bottom end together by Sunday evening.

Tomorrow will be spent cleaning and re cleaning components tomorrow, previous owner left glass media in the cylinder head on the Commando. Once she's sorted it'll be back on with the WW2 Norton.

snelly · Oct 24, 2020

steele01 said:
Yesterdays ride on the Norton 650SS had a wander out down the leafy lanes of Cheshire out to Prestbury. Going to be focusing on workshop stuff now I'm in tier 3. Plan is to get the 68 Commando bottom end together by Sunday evening.

Tomorrow will be spent cleaning and re cleaning components tomorrow, previous owner left glass media in the cylinder head on the Commando. Once she's sorted it'll be back on with the WW2 Norton.

Good to see your post Steele ; i had a quick brew and a chat with this guy at Yondermans the other week; lovely Atlas; it's good to see these old girls getting some proper use.

steele01 · Oct 24, 2020

Thanks for sharing the pics of that Atlas Snelly always liked them in that colourway. Indeed they are great riders bikes that's for sure :beerjug:

Micky · Oct 24, 2020

Great photographs :thumb2

I very nearly bought a Norton 650SS in 1965 when I moved from being a police cadet to a copper proper, but being a BSA man I bought a BSA A65L Lightning .... what a load of trouble that was :blast

snelly · Oct 24, 2020

A couple more old girls i spotted up at the Flash bar the other day; both 650 rivals to the SS Norton; :beerjug:

Norton 650SS 1967 Winter Rides

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