Norton factory on TV next week

Why the media think that man represents the motorcycle community I never know.  Even worse  he is the headline billing at National Motorcycle museum "Live" this weekend 29th and30th Oct.

There will be plenty on there to distract me though.  Take a look!

https://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/event-directory/museum-live/

Jon

He is the only person actively promoting motorcycles on the mainstream TV at the moment. And he truly does cover a large area of why we all love bikes, whatever you are into, eg.classic, modern, sporting, customising etc. 

No, I'm not a fan of him personally, but I take my hat off to him for what he has done to support/promote one of my main hobbies.

Regards,

George 

... besides his being an absolute prat, the programmes he makes are calculated to appeal to the sort of people who like Big Brother etc. I've watched a few and there is very little of interest to what I would consider the "real" motorcyclist - just sensation aimed at the lifestyle crowd. I don't think what he does actually does support motorcycling as I know it.

Juust my opinion.

The subject thoroughly deserves better coverage, he has it as his hobby horse via  HCA to produce and sell tv programs, a niche he is carving for himself.  The content is very thin and aimed as Ian  says, towards lifestyle "wannabe" people.  He clearly didn't "achieve" in Eaton but like his  contemporaries of the time (B Johnson etc), found a way of making money off Jo Public under false pretences.  

Jon 

Where's Sam, very noticeable absence this series. Have to watch the program using the mute button.

... much impressed by him either. I remember seeing a programme years ago where he & Mr Cole were "restoring" a Bonneville. They'd sent the rear mudguard off for painting. When they came to try to attach it to the frame the mounting holes were misaligned. What did he do? Drilled through the bracket and through the freshly painted mudguard then bolted it all up. Didn't clean up the hole or prime / paint the raw steel left.

A proper restorer would have done a dry build before painting and sorted out the misalignment then and made it all good.

Oddly enough I've recently caught a couple of Car SOS programmes and apart from the (mercifully limited) clowning they actually seem fairly competent - not bikes of course although they did do a little grey Fergie and made a decent job of explaing the triple link system - although ignored one of its major features which is that it uses the weight of the tractor to force the plough into the soil.

I suppose whatever the interest of the viewer this type of programme is unlikely to satisfy the real enthusiast who will anyway be out in his/her shed themselves!

Perhaps he wanted it just like it came out of the factory.

Alan Millyard a hell of a engineer

Certainly will not be going this year, at £27 admission + £10 parking.

It takes all sorts-------Just have to develop a good dose of tollerance . I let the NOC into my world after all.

I didn't spot the "NEC" title...

Anyway, tele on, sound off for his presence (thanks for that John) for this weeks episode.  Then  lets see what the verdict is.

See you at the NEC...  no  no NMM...   

J

Mr Cole promotes a particular motorcycle lifestyle adequately but his presentations could be improved if he could learn to say the word ‘motorcycle’ correctly instead of his usual ‘mod or-bike’.

Whether you like Henry or Sam, at least they are portraying motorcycles to a potentially wider audience, this must be good thing at this moment in time when you can get an HGV licence cheaper and younger than you can a full motorcycle licence.

Some see the demise ahead with the enforced arrival of E bikes, but realistically if the younger generation are not trying or can't get onto motorcycles it matters not what bikes are about in the future.

At the moment the only things pushing people over to bikes is cost of fuel and road congestion, a lifestyle choice but not the lifestyle choice as those with spare cash go onto motorcycles for. Maybe the wheel is reinventing itself, back to the days when cars were expensive and the bike or outfit was part of family transport and commuting.

Quite a few I speak to are not going to the NEC due to cost, yet again another kick in the teeth for the motorcyclist. Must be a UK thing as a recent visit to Intermot for two of us over 2 days was less than £44.00. 

A good ride out this morning, Enjoyable 3-4 hours there. Walk around the bikes parked outside and among all the bikes there, I saw 2 proper Triumphs (non Hinkley ones), a Hesketh(!), a BSA twin and one Norton (mine). Lots and lots of modern bikes, but only a handful of pre 1990 stuff. Obviously winter has come early.

Its still open for free tomorrow (Sunday) and worth it , if only for the sound of the Millyard Dodge Viper V10.

Jill and I went to the NMM open day(s) on Sunday arriving on the dot at 10:00. The few disabled 'blue badge' spaces were all occupied so we were guided to the rough overflow parking behind the museum. I had to push my wheelchair (I have a little mobility but my foot is heavily bandaged with a special shoe) to the nearest decent surface. We then tried to get to the museum building entrance but parking was so chaotic that riders were told to park on pavements and double yellow lines thus the pavements to the entrance were blocked and we had to go back onto the main entrance road against the flow of incoming cars and bikes to get around to a small remaining area of dropped curb to get into the building. When we got into the museum it was so crowded with queues of folk paying for car parking and/or snacks etc. We concluded that we were never going to see much and turned-tail and went home. It's fortunate that we only live circa 15 miles away so we didn't waste too much time or petrol.

I'm glad the event was obviously a success for the museum and being the first 'proper' big bash since pre-covid times, was obviously a big attraction but not for me/us in future. I am a 'friend' of the museum so can get free entrance at any time but obviously miss out on some of the special 'spectacles'.

Also arrived at10 with a car full of kickstart fatigued limpers.  Directed to same field and we walked in to the melee. Good to see so many support the museum and the museum did its job.  But the chaos in the car park; disregard for parking criteria, general organisation of external  events was pretty much non existent.

Pale Green Commander was the only ridden Norton I spotted. I am not a "Friend of the Museum"  so took the opportunity to view the relevant machines for free.  There are some great examples  of  British engineering in there, but their care and condition could do with some support. 

Its a huge collection but marque clubs should be invited in to help in the preservation of their  particular favourites.  Flat tyres and loose bracketry on many of  the exhibits indicates not all is  under control.

I missed the Cole show...  but I take the point about the new audience with scarves and bush hats...

Jon

I was there on the Sunday morning on my 73 blue 850 Roadster . I agree the parking was terrible but I parked as directed by the marshalls so it was their fault. I bumped into Mark and Jill Woodward and had to agree with them that it was virtually impossible for someone in a wheelchair to get through the crowds. I think the show has become a victim of its own success in that there were too many people for what is quite a small venue.

Big Al

Love him or loath him ,at least he brings together,some who know what that are talking about,with the likes of Allen Millyard ,and he presents the show , without taking himself too seriously,I personally find him entertaining, anything that presents Motorcycling on mainstream TV must be a good thing..

If anyone is a better presenter and producer (and prepared to invest before being paid) and can give us a better TV show, let him or her come forward. People complain about his apparent lack of knowledge, but it's his job to ask silly questions and let the experts talk. Which, generally, he does.  And (unlike Top Gear) he does give time to the old stuff...which gets my vote. I'm reminded of Earth's obituary in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy..."harmless".  Which is much better than most of the alternatives...

…Just doesn’t suit me in style or substance…

J

I like the last comment as I have recently found the “on switch” for my reluctant starting Norton single. Thanks to the members who pointed the way…

Cheers

Jon