Quote from: Old-Duckman on June 28, 2008, 05:14:15 AM
Wow! I guess I am old!

Guess ya don't read many motorcycle magazines either.......

Nah, just look at the pics! 

Quote from: JoDuc on June 27, 2008, 10:11:30 PM
Not to threadjack, but I had never heard of a Norton Commando before. Before my time I guess. Anyways, front page of eBay was this bike - very very cool.

Take a look;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220249161860

That is a sweet bike.  I've been following that auction, not that I am looking to buy it.  I just want to know how much it will go for.  The last one didn't look quite as nice and sold for about $17,500. 

The Commando and other British bikes (like the Bonneville) are probably the reason so many of us like the looks of our Monsters.  The British bikes are what a motorcycle should like like for many of us and the Monster is the current day equivalent.  That is why many of the classic Monster lovers can not warm up to the funky headlight on the 696.

I'm newer to monsters and at first didn't really understand why all the animosity towards the new 696...after seeing the above Norton, I really understand the love for the classic look.  That is one awesome bike! 

Quote from: Travman on June 28, 2008, 07:51:31 AM
The Commando and other classic British bikes (like the Bonneville) are probably the reason so many of us like the looks of our Monsters.  The classic British bikes are what a motorcycle should like like for many of us and the Monster is the current day equivalent.  That is why many of the classic Monster lovers can not warm up to the funky headlight on the 696.

Preach on brother!!

Quote from: Travman on June 28, 2008, 07:51:31 AM
The Commando and other British bikes (like the Bonneville) are probably the reason so many of us like the looks of our Monsters.  The British bikes are what a motorcycle should like like for many of us and the Monster is the current day equivalent.  That is why many of the classic Monster lovers can not warm up to the funky headlight on the 696.

+1

IMO, the only cafe racer issued from a major manufacturer.  The Thruxton?  Nice try.  Too retro (as in speed, hp, and handling).

And in my case, the name is very apropos, as my Monster has tried to kill me three times now.   

Quote from: dlearl476 on June 28, 2008, 12:49:28 PM
+1

IMO, the only cafe racer issued from a major manufacturer.  The Thruxton?  Nice try.  Too retro (as in speed, hp, and handling).

And in my case, the name is very apropos, as my Monster has tried to kill me three times now.   

lol... i love the look of the thruxton at any rate... and yes, i prefer my old air-cooled monster, or as i am speaking of it to my girl, 'il mostro'

Quote from: teddy037.2 on June 27, 2008, 07:44:04 PM
Triton.







okay, so maybe that doesn't exactly count... but whatever. 

those made up names are cool
ts a norton with a triumph engine. better than Norumph
norvin norton with vincent engine better than norcent
Tricati  a Ducati with a triumph engine. waaay better than a ducumph

Quote from: teddy037.2 on June 27, 2008, 08:55:18 PM
S4R? monster? does it really matter?  ducati as a make is not... necessarily recognizable, n'mind the model of bike... I could have an ST4 ABS, or a 999R, and most folk wouldn't know wtf I was talking about...

I'm sure aot of ppl here have suffered the, "ducati? who makes that?" question.

Very true that it doesn't matter.  But I just don't like the name. 

Though, I usually get a different response to those that are ignorant to Ducati as a make.  When someone asks what I ride and I mention Ducati they automatically think of a high-brow bike because it's Italian.  Rightly so because just about every imported Italian vehicle is pretty highly regarded (ferrari, ducati, mazarati, bugatti, lamborghini) but I think that's just how people think when they hear of an Italian vehicle.  They may not know what it looks like or what it is, but if it's Italian then it must be cool.

Quote from: hyphen on June 28, 2008, 04:31:33 PM
  They may not know what it looks like or what it is, but if it's Italian then it must be cool.

And they are quite correct.   

Quote from: Old-Duckman on June 28, 2008, 05:15:50 AM
Sounds too much like the title of a porn movie...

I'm a very twisted soul.

I was thinking about the name and the history the other day.... Hear me out here...

The original monster was a parts bin bike...  900ss engine, frame from over there... Hey any spare forks?

A "franken-bike" if you will


Name makes sense to me

Cmorgan47 has a good point, it is kind of a frankenbike. The name suits it! The Monsters have always had that street fighter crossed with cafe racer with a pinch of sport bike in their looks.

Speed triple!

I always thought the Velocette Venom was a cool name.

FireBlade
Interceptor
Monster