RC readers have been bagging Nortons all summer. Now's your last chance to join the fun, at the end of year get-together in October in Staffordshire...

The Norton Challenge is just an excuse to get out on your motorcycle and go to somewhere unusual. Hundreds of people have joined in this year's Challenge, visiting places with 'Norton' in their name in all corners of the globe.

Stephen Chase, for instance, found a Norton located in New Brunswick, Canada. 'It's a fairly prosperous village of maybe 500 souls' says Stephen, 'located approximately 30 miles from Saint John, on the Bay of Fundy. My Norton is a 1975 Mark 3 Commando, completely original and un-restored in all respects, original paint, decals etc. It has just recently been cleaned and brought back to life after a 20 year sleep. On the trip it turned 22,000 miles.'

Not everyone has travelled quite so far to bag a Norton! Stephen gets huge kudos for clocking up the highest known mileage in pursuit of a Norton. But it doesn't really matter if you just popped out and rode around the block: the idea is to encourage folk out onto their bikes before the winter weather sets in.

It's still not too late for you to join the fun, if you feel so inclined. You don't have to ride a Norton motorcycle; any bike will do - but older is better. You're very welcome to join members of the RC Crew plus other Norton Challengers and members of the Norton Owners' Club at our final fling, on Sunday October 3rd 2010.

This is an informal get-together at Chasewater Light Railway, Chasewater Country Park, Pool Road, Brownhills, Staffs, WS8 7NL. Meet at the Chasewater Heaths Station at midday. The café will be open from 7.30am until 2pm. Show your crash helmet when you buy a ticket to ride on one of the classic trains and you'll save £1 on the usual fare.

'Nortons' can be bagged before or after meeting. FW and RH aim to attend on Nortons - we hope that at least one of them will be on a Commando of some kind, maybe even a new 961 -- and will be leading a party over to the Norvil premises, open from 10am to 4pm. Tours of Norvil's bike building workshop available.

Prizes will be awarded for the some the most unusual Nortons bagged during the year, but it doesn't matter if you've not taken part so far. Just grab a bike and come out to play!

If you need some inspiration before setting off, then here's Jim Peace's contribution to the Challenge. As he says, 'at least it has the words "Featherbed" and "Dominator" writ large!'

Dominators on Right Now......

Ian Woolley discovered a Norton which seems to suggest 'What people would like to do if the bs'tards won't start!'

Meanwhile, John Hunter struggled to find a suitable Norton, north of the border. 'Not many Nortons in Scotland so hope the "Commando Memorial" is acceptable.' Sure is!

Martin Peacock found 'this sparky Norton on my way to Seaton Carew and the Norton Hotel'.

And we finish off back across that Atlantic again, with Chris and Tom in the USA. 'We returned to Duluth MN again to bag one last Norton -- Norton Rd. A bone-jarring road where some clever soul had already stolen one of the Norton Rd signs so we had to go a long way to find this intact sign...'

You don't have to go quite so far: toddle along to Staffordshire on October 3rd and join the 2010 Norton Challenge. Or if you have already bagged a Norton or two, you can upload your own images here: www.facebook.com/pages/The-RealClassic-Norton-Challenge (You'll need a free Facebook account; then become a fan of the Challenge and join in).

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