Riot Engine would like to thank the following people for their participation in the making of this article.
We had to ask. What motivates you to so painstakingly restore these beauties, Mr. Muthukumar?
Though each bike is special in its own way, there are striking similarities between many machines of different eras, in their performance, technical innovation, commercial success or simply style.
Each played a part in bringing “Motorcycling” to what it is today!!!
Almost every INVENTION duplicates some function or process that happens in Nature; it may well be that the WHEEL will remain Man’s only original INVENTION, the one device that does not duplicate something in NATURE.
So, I feel it is our duty to preserve some of the Wheels from the bygone era, for our successors, just atleast to understand the EVOLUTION of this Man’s Wonderful Invention”
Riot Engine requested Nevil for a few words..
As a motorcycle Despatch Rider (DR) in Royal Signals from enlistment in September 1939 to 1942 when I left for officer training, I rode the Norton. They were very reliable and required a minimum of maintenance, essential conditions for active service.
DRs performed an essential service in those years, as army wireless (radio) was not well developed and with telephone had the disadvantage of being restricted as to what could be transmitted, as well as being suspect for security concerns. So DRs carried most of the military “mail” along with urgent and top secret despatches.
In 1940 France, after the German breakthrough, the situation became too fluid for telephone line-laying. So DRs literally saved the day in maintaining communications between units in the field and command HQ.
I was commissioned in Royal Signals in 1943 but my time as a Despatch Rider on the Norton was the most satisfactory part of my service….great camaraderie and a great workhorse of a motorcycle.
You can read more of Nevil’s experiences during the war here .