#UPFORADVENTURE - Norton Commando

#upforadventure -

ture lillegraven and his norton commando

NORTON COMMANDO – TURE LILLEGRAVEN Ever since I first saw this motorcycle I’ve wanted to photograph it. Moving works of art are so commonly overlooked - but way that everything fits together integrally was undeniable. I’m often the most impressed with the subtleties of things and this Norton was no different, just enough Black, just enough chrome and from a distance you might mistake it for a unassuming café racer with a few aftermarket parts that commonly populate city streets but upon closer inspection, passion and attention to detail is revealed where other bikes would falter.

The fact this is a daily driver astonishes me but after witnessing the rumble of the engine, the bitch of a kickstart and the vibrations that serve as enticement to get on the throttle. It’s clear to see, this bike was meant to be ridden. Luckily enough this bike has an owner that embodies those same qualities. Ture Lillegraven is a LA based photographer with a keen eye for unexpected moments, beauty and motion so it only seems fitting that this motorcycle would serve as one of his inspirations.

1.What was you first Motorcycle and what was the progression of motorcycles you have owned from that til the Norton now?

The first bike I owned was a Kawasaki KE100. I must have been 12 years old. I scraped together some money and bought it from my cousin. You could only jump start it…so I always had to park on a hill. The next bike I bought was years later which was a BMW R90s…I rode that for years until it was totaled when I was rear ended by a car. It was after that that I searched for the bike I always wanted which is a 1975 Norton Commando.

2. Can you tell me through some of the custom modifications or restoration process?

After much searching I came across this director that had three very nice Nortons. He was looking to sell one. When I bought it from him it was in great shape and was all stock.

I knew I wanted to Café it out…with keeping with the spirit of the bike. I had some help with locating parts from Kenny Cummings in NYC who is a renowned Norton racer/mechanic etc. He turned me to Mick Hemmings in England for some beautiful rear sets. New seat from Corbin, ace bars from Old Britts…and Mikuni conversion. Most recently I upgraded to a Tri Spark Ignition and a Shorai lithium battery…those are the only two real modern upgrades I’ve made.

3. In our talks about the bike you told me a bit about going down on your bike. Can you describe the process of rebuilding it again? I’d also like to know a bit about the mental process about getting back on the bike again. Having a motorcycle wreck is a scary thing and everyone always comments about how dangerous it is but I’d like to know your personal experience of the desire to get back on and ride. It’s often hard for normal people to comprehend; the need for freedom and to ride again outweighs the danger.

Going down is never something any rider wants to happen. I’ve been down twice since I’ve been riding…once I was rear ended by a car on my BMW R90s which was much worse. And going down on my Norton. I think if you ride consistently it’s going to happen at some point.

All you can do is prepared as much as possible how to handle it and react to it. I’ve never had a problem getting back on the bike after those two instances… but I would say that I wasn’t seriously injured…and if I had been, my perspective might be different. Now I mainly ride to ride…go up in the mountains etc. On my BMW it was my main mode of transportation and rode it everyday everywhere, which of course takes the risk up.

Just have to make sure you are paying more attention than anyone else on the road…most people in cars really aren’t. Just be careful out there.

4. You often find a way of working motorcycles into you shoots. Jamie Foxx, Charlie Hunnam, Tim Allen etc. Obviously much of it is planned but what is it about these dynamics that add excitement to the shoots?

I do like having bikes in shoots, but I’ll be honest that in most cases it wasn’t my decision to include one. Mainly because I don’t ever want to have to shoot someone just sitting on one because they don’t ride etc. I remember on the Jamie Foxx shoot I was very clear to the company delivering the bike that they had to be ok with him riding it. They agreed…but then conveniently delivered the bike without a battery. We got them on the phone and told them to return with one or I wouldn’t use it in the shoot. When someone like Charlie or Tim is involved that ride quite a bit it’s really fun…not just shooting but talking bikes. Tim and I talked about Nortons and how he once had one and got excited when I showed him pictures of mine. Bikes, no matter what it is can instantly bring this respect and bond between two seemingly strangers…. It’s one of things I love about bikes and people who ride them.

5.

Can you explain the California TT tour ride you normally do?

Yeah, it’s the Socal TT. I haven’t done it for a couple years now…but miss it. Every year it happens and your bike is supposed to be 1975 or older. It’s a two day ride starting in Echo Park going through the mountains and an occasional highway jaunt to get to the next mountain road. We end at a Motel up near Santa Barbara. The whole motel is rented out for the ride and there ends up being a great meal and somewhat of a party. The next day we ride back on a different route. It’s a really special ride…there are a few chase trucks for every ride at least one person breaks down etc. I remember one persons clutch lever broke in the middle of nowhere…there was a few houses and one gas station that was closed. We went from house to house looking for someone that had an old bike around that we could buy a lever off of. Eventually found one and patched it up to get to the motel. These are the things that can make riding old bikes so awesome.

6. If you could pick a new bike and another to restore or modify what would they be and what aesthetically draws you to them?

That is a really tough question. I’m really not a fan of most modern bikes. I’ve been wanting to go on a long trip that would require one and have looked at the same bikes that many people probably look at BMW 1200GS and the KTM Adventure. I’ve also had my eye on the BMW R Nine T…for it has a throwback feel and have seen some interesting custom builds with it. I’ve also wanted to build a custom Harley as many of my friends ride knuckleheads etc and have grown to really dig them. As far as restoring old bikes…possibly a Harley as I mentioned or maybe a Triton. I’ve also always really been into the 1973 Moto Guzzi 750s.

Learn More about Ture and his work here - http://turelillegraven.com

www.stanevansphoto.com stan@stanevansphoto.com 503.701.6870