Our friend Dominic Magri scored a serious barn find. A period BSA A50 chopper with a rebuilt motor, wassel banna tank (check that paint job), Bates seat and matching piilion pad and a TLS front wheel. This thing is oozing patina and literally hasn't seen the light of day for over 30 years.
Sold this pre unit to my friend Kelly. It had been collecting dust in the old Ed Brooks Cycle Shop in San Jose. Sitting there frozen in time with other Triumphs, Vincents, Indians, BSA, Vellocettes, Nortons etc. Also, a tonnage of genuine old stock parts and real mccoy memorabilia. Walking through that shop and going to the auction was one of the coolest things I had ever done in my vintage motorcycle career. However, Im still mad at the greedy old guy from so cal who wouldn't let me have just one of the four early pre units I was bidding on. Really? Did you have to out bid me on all of them! You couldn't let the young disheveled kid get just one?
Took a scoot to Alices restaurant in Woodside and Applejacks bar in La Honda. I never remember to take pics, but here's as few. Short lil video we shot a few years ago. Those were the days. Took the ol' Victor out of the barn and I went on a single cylinder ride with my friend Dan. That ol' girl kept right up with its modern competitor the Drz400s. The Magris took a trip East, from San francisco to Oregon to Nevada and back. Dennis on his one off custom 'Vindian' (Vincent motor in a Indian Chief frame) and his son Dominic on his BSA Lighting. They said they did not see any other vintage bikes on their entire trip, which speaks volumes.
Favorite Norton we've ever worked on. Best looking, coolest model, great back story, cool owner and rode the best.
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