Story and photos by Frank Skinner
The Man …
The Man …
Few bikes are as interesting and classic as Britain’s Norton, and few bikers are as interesting and classic as Bob Gilbert, proprietor of Bob’s British Bike Company in Jupiter, Florida, just 15 miles north of Palm Beach.
To say Bob was “Born to Ride” and motorcycles are in his blood is a major understatement. Bob literally grew up surrounded by motorcycles, tools, oil and exhaust, and everything else that goes with a motorcycle dealership in McAllen, Texas in the 1950s. Bob’s father, Robert Gilbert, Jr. was the only Indian Motorcycle Dealer south of a line drawn from El Paso to Houston. He was an AMC Dealer – Associated Motor Cycles. This meant he was obligated to sell and service many different marques of British motorcycles including Vincent, Ariel, Greeves, Panther, BSA, and Triumph to name just a few. He was also a Schwinn bicycle, Cushman, and Whizzer Dealer. His childhood ride was an “Indian Papoose,” 98cc two-stroke. The family business being what it was, Bob found himself turning wrenches on cars and motorcycles at an early age. 
As a teenager, Bob was attracted to ‘engines that could fly’—airplanes. Bob earned his commercial pilot’s license at 18 and went on to work as a flight instructor for many years thereafter. In the mid ’70s, Bob moved to South Florida. His new interests turned to the sea and he became a commercial boat captain. He landed a job as Captain of a classic 70-foot Trumpy motor yacht and enjoyed many years on the water, traveling around Florida, the Bahamas, and beyond.
“I don’t restore British bikes—I build real café racers!”
Fast forward to recent years and you will find Bob in his shop just steps away from the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter, Florida. When he isn’t building one of his awesome café racers, Bob can be found next to the lift working on a customer’s Triumph or other classic British bikes. As one can imagine, Bob’s shop is filled with British bike memorabilia and just about every tool created for motorcycle repair, including some Bob created. Bob is quick to point out that he doesn’t restore bikes for his customers. To him, restoring a bike means taking it all apart and rebuilding it to the way it left the factory. Rather, Bob does repairs—as always needed, on customer’s bikes to “pay the bills.” What Bob does with tremendous passion is build amazing café racers reminiscent of the bikes that screamed around England’s greatest racing venues—Isle of Man, Brand’s Hatch, Oliver’s Mount-Scarborough. These aren’t cobbled-up “rat” bikes with no fenders and turned-down handlebars; no, these are period correct British café racers down to the last detail. Needless to say, Bob can build anything a customer wants but tries to hold to period specifications as much as he can. You won’t find Bob installing a Harley twin in a Triumph Bonneville frame and adding a fat rear tire. If you bring Bob your Triumph or Norton and you don’t know what the correct café racer specs are—no worries. Bob will tell you and show you all of the bits that make up a real Brit café racer. The customer must remember that Bob’s 50+ years of technical motorcycle knowledge and skill is priceless, not to mention that you probably won’t meet a nicer guy.
The Bike …
The Bike …
“The café racer to have is without question a ’71 Norton Commando”
The 1971 Dunstall Norton Café Racer started life as a 750 Norton Commando. To give a bit of history, the Commando was first seen at Earls Court in September 1967 and went into production early in 1968. The engine was the 745cc Atlas unit with a 9.0:1 compression ratio and twin 930 Amal concentric carbs. Ignition was by twin coils and a capacitor, powered by the Lucas RM21 alternator. The gearbox was the standard AMC type with only minor changes. In production, engine, gearbox, and chain case formed a single assembly along with front and rear mountings. Assembly of the engine unit and the frame was with the Isolastic mountings at front and rear to reduce vibration. Front suspension included short Roadholder forks, used by the other twins. Braking up front is managed by an effective 8-inch twin leading shoe front brake. At the rear was a standard hub with a 7-inch brake. The Commando was an immediate success and was altered very little after its launch. Norton stopped building the Commando model in 1977.
The 1971 Dunstall Norton Café Racer started life as a 750 Norton Commando. To give a bit of history, the Commando was first seen at Earls Court in September 1967 and went into production early in 1968. The engine was the 745cc Atlas unit with a 9.0:1 compression ratio and twin 930 Amal concentric carbs. Ignition was by twin coils and a capacitor, powered by the Lucas RM21 alternator. The gearbox was the standard AMC type with only minor changes. In production, engine, gearbox, and chain case formed a single assembly along with front and rear mountings. Assembly of the engine unit and the frame was with the Isolastic mountings at front and rear to reduce vibration. Front suspension included short Roadholder forks, used by the other twins. Braking up front is managed by an effective 8-inch twin leading shoe front brake. At the rear was a standard hub with a 7-inch brake. The Commando was an immediate success and was altered very little after its launch. Norton stopped building the Commando model in 1977.
“This is no replica wanna-be – this is the real deal”
Bob explains clearly that building a café racer does not mean extensively modifying the basic bike. The factory and privateer café racers were only purpose-modified, meaning that changes were made to better equip the bike for the racer and racing circuits. For example, Bob’s Norton now carries a 5-gallon aluminum Norton Manx-style tank designed to enable the bike to complete three runs around the Isle of Man without running out of fuel. Bob has the aluminum tank, sea thump, and front “mudguard” (fender) made in Scotland. One might ask why he would need to go outside the US-of-A to get good aluminum parts made. Bob just says that the Scots have the experience and skill to make these parts to his demanding standards. Looking closely at the visually seamless curves of the tank and the streamlined sea thump, it is hard to question Bob’s choice of craftsmen. Speaking of the “sea thump” or seat and tail section, Bob is quick to point out that it is not in fact a seat, but a “seat slide.” The seat slide is there only as a platform to allow the racer to quickly shift weight from one side to the other. Those looking for any kind of distance comfort need not apply. In front of the long shiny tank is a welded “clubman” handlebar set. Unlike many other handlebar sets that are one piece of bent tubing, capable of undesirable flex, welded bars are much more rigid and greatly reduce flex. Thomaselli Italian grips are installed on the bars. Italian grips on a Brit bike, mate? It turns out that during the 60s and 70s, Italian rubber was far superior to British rubber and racers cherished the feel of the soft sticky rubber from the land of lasagna. Bob has used period-correct 19 inch Akront “high balance alloy” rims, made in Spain, for the front and rear. The rims are shod with 4.10 racing tires, “not intended for road use.” The frame, motor, clutch and other mechanicals remain mostly stock. To improve everyday reliability, Bob replaced the points with an electronic ignition. Of course, Bob will leave the frequently faulty point system in place at the customer’s request. The only real performance option is the exhaust. Bob has installed a period-correct, but now rare to find, Dunstall 2-1-2 exhaust system. These Dunstall “Decibel Silencers” were a desirable performance option and considered to be the world’s first “pea shooters.” Bob points out that the Dunstall exhaust system with its increased back pressure adds approximately 9% more horsepower and well, more is better, right?
Bob explains clearly that building a café racer does not mean extensively modifying the basic bike. The factory and privateer café racers were only purpose-modified, meaning that changes were made to better equip the bike for the racer and racing circuits. For example, Bob’s Norton now carries a 5-gallon aluminum Norton Manx-style tank designed to enable the bike to complete three runs around the Isle of Man without running out of fuel. Bob has the aluminum tank, sea thump, and front “mudguard” (fender) made in Scotland. One might ask why he would need to go outside the US-of-A to get good aluminum parts made. Bob just says that the Scots have the experience and skill to make these parts to his demanding standards. Looking closely at the visually seamless curves of the tank and the streamlined sea thump, it is hard to question Bob’s choice of craftsmen. Speaking of the “sea thump” or seat and tail section, Bob is quick to point out that it is not in fact a seat, but a “seat slide.” The seat slide is there only as a platform to allow the racer to quickly shift weight from one side to the other. Those looking for any kind of distance comfort need not apply. In front of the long shiny tank is a welded “clubman” handlebar set. Unlike many other handlebar sets that are one piece of bent tubing, capable of undesirable flex, welded bars are much more rigid and greatly reduce flex. Thomaselli Italian grips are installed on the bars. Italian grips on a Brit bike, mate? It turns out that during the 60s and 70s, Italian rubber was far superior to British rubber and racers cherished the feel of the soft sticky rubber from the land of lasagna. Bob has used period-correct 19 inch Akront “high balance alloy” rims, made in Spain, for the front and rear. The rims are shod with 4.10 racing tires, “not intended for road use.” The frame, motor, clutch and other mechanicals remain mostly stock. To improve everyday reliability, Bob replaced the points with an electronic ignition. Of course, Bob will leave the frequently faulty point system in place at the customer’s request. The only real performance option is the exhaust. Bob has installed a period-correct, but now rare to find, Dunstall 2-1-2 exhaust system. These Dunstall “Decibel Silencers” were a desirable performance option and considered to be the world’s first “pea shooters.” Bob points out that the Dunstall exhaust system with its increased back pressure adds approximately 9% more horsepower and well, more is better, right?
“I don’t ride the Norton very far—just to the pubs and back”
Everywhere Bob rides, he is asked if the Norton is for sale and if so, how much? He has no real interest in parting with the “old Norton” after 23 years of ownership and the multi-year café racer conversion. As far as what it would take to buy this magnificent work of motorcycle art, as the saying goes— if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. This does not mean that you cannot afford to have Bob build you a great café racer. He can give you a quote for finding a donor bike and delivering a finished, turn-key café racer, or you can bring him your old Brit bike from the back of the garage and let him do his magic. Better yet, this winter, find an excuse to visit some of the best sunny weather in the country and stop by Bob’s British Bike Company for a chat and a beer. You might just end up shaking hands on a deal to have one of the best café racer builders (and nicest guys) create the bike of your dreams!
Everywhere Bob rides, he is asked if the Norton is for sale and if so, how much? He has no real interest in parting with the “old Norton” after 23 years of ownership and the multi-year café racer conversion. As far as what it would take to buy this magnificent work of motorcycle art, as the saying goes— if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. This does not mean that you cannot afford to have Bob build you a great café racer. He can give you a quote for finding a donor bike and delivering a finished, turn-key café racer, or you can bring him your old Brit bike from the back of the garage and let him do his magic. Better yet, this winter, find an excuse to visit some of the best sunny weather in the country and stop by Bob’s British Bike Company for a chat and a beer. You might just end up shaking hands on a deal to have one of the best café racer builders (and nicest guys) create the bike of your dreams!
You can find Bob Gilbert at:
Bob’s British Bike Company
561-385-7425
Rlg31951@me.com
561-385-7425
Rlg31951@me.com
Bob suggests you check out his local club—Vintage Iron and their upcoming Vintage Motorcycle Festival, February 8, 2014 downtown West Palm Beach.
For more info contact Bob Gilbert or vintageironclub.com
For more info contact Bob Gilbert or vintageironclub.com
via born to ride lifestyle
