RC readers from all over the UK have been riding their classic bikes to anywhere with Norton in the name. And here's the proof…...

Eight and Upwards

Charlie Webster was among the first to take up the Norton Challenge, collecting four Nortons back in January. He's been off again: 'Saturday was such a fine day it seemed wasteful not to be out and about enjoying an old clunker in the sunshine. Jonathan and I duly set off in search of more Nortons - and found a few north of Cheltenham. Okay, so one of them is a cheat being just a farm, but it's another genuine four to add to our earlier four.

'We were reflecting on this rather wonderful day out, and came to the conclusion that we're really grateful to the Norton Challenge for giving us the slenderest of reasons to get out and about on roads that we've not travelled before. We had a nice lunch at a pub up in the Cotswolds near Stow, wandered around the very fine Norman (obscure biking reference) abbey at Tewkesbury, followed the Severn up to Pershore where a nice old tea shop drew us in, and then a good blast back via Evesham and Chippy. And it seems from the Norton Challenge pages in RC that plenty of others are having the same adventures.'

Indeed they are. Good, innit?

Punny Man

Roy Smith of Doncaster took his beast out for a run and here's the photographic evidence. 'You did say it must have NORTON in the name, didn't you?' says Roy: 'because the MAN in the middle of NORMANTON is yours truly!'

And then, just to make things worse; 'we have had a featherbed so I thought a garden gate would be in keeping too…' Oh. The pain. Etc.

Tourist Trophy?

Rob Norton has been in action again this month, and this time he has company in the shape of Nong, a visitor from Thailand. What a brilliant way to introduce her to the 'local colour'. Good thinking, that man!

Together they took in a raft of Nortons over Easter, including one at Monmouth and another near Prestigne. Rob promises to give the bike a clean. Sometime soon. Maybe even this year?

Yorkshire Calling

We hope you're all keeping count of how many Nortons you've each bagged… because TP has run out of fingers and toes to count on! Martin Peacock has now officially bagged A Lot of Nortons, and his latest excursion came about after servicing his Triumph. 'The fresh oil was circulating nicely but you can never be sure without a road test, especially when the sun is shining. A ride out to Norton would fit the bill perfectly but which one?

'Not having spotted one to the north yet I rode south through Northallerton and Thirsk, picking up the A19 to York. This is not the greatest of biking roads but a chance for a good steady run down through the Vale of York and into the flatlands of the Ridings to Selby. The arrow straight waterways, lift bridges and look of the countryside reminds you that Holland is not that far to the east. But we're definitely in Yorkshire for now and heading for that disturbingly large, dark cloud to the southwest. The roads were wet as I passed Selby and rode down past the great coal fired power station at Eggborough (well the clean power for electric cars has to come from somewhere) to Norton.

'So there we were, a quick picture taken then a ride up and down the high street before heading north again. Somehow the big, black cloud missed me so although the bike was wet and dirty, I stayed dry. After 80 or so miles the bike was running very well and dripped not a drop of its freshly poured oil so with any luck we're set for the summer.

'I rode back the same way with a couple of stops for a sandwich and contemplation of a fine afternoon's ride. For the first time I managed to ride through York and find the A19 again on the way out. This turned out to be a simple matter: just ignore all signs for the A19 to Thirsk and follow the wall, pass the station and York Minster then turn left. From there it was a more or less straight run home, stopping in Thirsk for some fuel -- again surprised at how little a Triumph 650 uses on a run like this. It wasn't until passing through Croft on Tees that I caught up with the big black cloud again but somehow the rain stayed ahead of me and it was just a case of cleaning off the bike once home again.

'Now there just has to be a Norton to the north…'

Unexpected Norton

'I think I may be able to claim the smallest bike to take part in the Norton Challenge' says Andrew Pattle, and he's right. So far, anyway. Who can go smaller than 18cc? 'I'd thought about posing the Lohmann in one of our local Nortons in Suffolk when you first proposed the idea but, you know how it is, thinking about it and doing it are quite different things. Then Fate lent a hand. I was -somewhat unexpectedly -- taking part in a cyclemotor run in Wiltshire, riding - again unexpectedly - the Lohmann when the route - quite unexpectedly - took me through a place called Norton!'

You can read the story of Andrew's entire unexpected adventure at: www.icenicam.ukfsn.org/ events3/090419.html. There may be more tiddlers on the way, too: 'the East Anglian Cyclemotor Run in May will pass through Norton - I wonder if I can persuade them to stop for a group photo...'

Small Hondas on eBay.co.uk

Snappy Shenanigans

Getting to Norton Priory in Merseyside was the easy part of the ride for Dave Wooding. Taking the picture turned out to be a little tricky: 'There was no one about and I'd forgotten my mini tripod so I had to set the camera on a triple shot delayed action. The nearest support was on the far side of the road so I had to leg it after releasing the shutter, that's why I'm looking even dafter than normal!'

North of the Border

There really aren't many Nortons in Scotland, but Rod Towers was so motivated after bagging his first Norton that he 'managed the mighty trek of about 10 miles into Edinburgh to the only other Norton (in Scotland) I've been able to find so far. The building is called Norton park and is a converted school. The name appears to have come from a family called Norton who owned a property in this area before it became built up in the 1830s.

Nortons hiding on eBay.co.uk

'I am always attracted to the odd contradictions in life and the sign by Norton Park is for the Easter Road Stadium where Hibernian FC play in the Scottish Premier League. So while most football clubs play in a park, Hibs play in a road and people stay in the park… and, yes, Easter Road Stadium isn't in Easter Road. I hope that's all clear then!'

Swanning About

'What a super plan the Challenge is,' says Ken Swan; 'something to do when there is nowhere to go.' Exactly! So Ken and his Bonnie went to a Norton which 'lies on the windy road from Shiffnal to Bridgnorth in the fair county of Shropshire. The pub in said village is called The Hundred Mile House, although as you can see the limit is in fact 40…'

Bonnevilles hiding on eBay.co.uk

Weather Permitting…

Paul White hopes to bag a bunch more Nortons providing the sun shines and his good lady looks favourably upon his adventures! Here is his first. Nice Commando, Paul!

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Join The Norton Challenge: You can do it on your own or you can do it with a chum. You can do it on an old bike, big bike, little bike or even a new bike. It certainly doesn't matter if someone else has been to that Norton before. Just quit sitting at your desk all day and get some miles under your wheels. Stop at anywhere called Norton, take a photo of your bike next to the sign, and send it to rchq @ realclassic.net

Then wait - your Norton could appear here or in the magazine!