
– Mr Steve McQueen would have been 91 today. Always the King of Cool! he’s wearing his iconic blue dial Tag Heuer Monaco watch. The Norton Commando fits the Bill too!

– Mr Steve McQueen would have been 91 today. Always the King of Cool! he’s wearing his iconic blue dial Tag Heuer Monaco watch. The Norton Commando fits the Bill too!

– more likely to see him riding a scooter through the Chelsea district of London; actor Jude Law, seen here modeling a Post Office Red Norton Commando, is 48 today.

– chopped Brit iron developed into winterized transport for the northern climes. Well, it extends the riding season!

– found pencil study of a Norton 750 engine. I’ve been warming up my HB’s & ink pens for a more dedicated sketching programme that I will be undertaking over the winter.

– on our return drive from a weekend away we stopped at the hipster town of Three Oaks MI. In one of the dusty window displays at an old hardware store stands a couple of vintage bikes. A 750cc Triumph Bonneville and a Norton Commando. I’ll have a 1/2lb bag of 6d nails please!

– genuine nice guy Keanu Reeves is 56 today. True motorcycle enthusiast and manufacturer. He’s currently starring with Alex Winter in the long awaited latest installment of the Bill & Ted buddy outing franchise.

Madeline Smith & Nicky Henson taking a break from filming the 70’s comedic version of the 18th Century Henry Fielding classic novel. I don’t think the Norton motorcycle is period accurate…

– benchtop engineering. If you think you have trouble working from home with a cat draped over your keyboard, imagine one on your work surfaces chasing bolts and washers about.

The Leather Boys | classic early sixties biker film depicting a fictionalization of the rocker lifestyle in the UK. Gritty kitchen sink drama.

Kinky Boots | As Patrick Macnee (John Steed) & Honor Blackman (Cathy Gale) sang back in 1964:
“Full length, half length,
Fully fashion calf length,
Brown boots, black boots,
Patent leather jackboots,
Low boots, high boots,
Lovely lanky thigh boot,
We all dig those boots..”
Nice Trident & Commando too!

Theodore “Ted” Logan | Keanu Reeves is known for many iconic movie roles (Johnny Utah, Neo, John Wick) but the first was as one half of the dim witted Californian duo Bill & Ted. They travel through time, in a phone booth, meeting historical figure thus ensuring good high school grades and eventual fame for their band Wyld Stallyn’s. A future utopian society based on their music depends on them not flunking high school.
It was just announced last week that a third B&T film is going to be made for release in 2020. Bodacious dude!
Keanu is a very keen motorcyclist, being seen on all kinds of rides including this contemporary Norton. He also formed a company called Arch Motorcycles building high end custom bikes. We’ll cover this in a separate post.
“Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K”

If the Cap Fits – I found this Norton hat in my bikes top box at the weekend. It’s Deans sun visor he bought last year for strolling around a hot sunny bike show. I’d better get it back to him!

‘Ard as Nails – superb ink drawing of Tank Girl on a heavy booted Norton from the capable illustrator hand of Jamie Hewlett.

One Million Years – Chicagoan Raquel Welch stirred the hearts of many a red blooded male in the 60’s as Loana the Fair One dressed in a chamois bikini amidst a world of dinosaurs. She keeps the look on the right side of this triptych with s Vespa scooter. But the centerpiece is a smiling lass astride a Norton. Honest happiness of a smoldering brunette who swept away the submissive blond bombshell of previous sex symbols and led the way for stronger women in the limelight.

Close-Up – finishing off the week with some choice details of several motorbikes from last weekend. From Arial, Honda, Kawasaki, BMW, to Norton and Triumph. Some original, some personalized; from badges to pinstripes; tank, fairing, frame and fender.