The Norton Atlas has always been one of my forever dream bikes. This story started quite a long time ago, with the aborted purchase attempt at my first one.
After regrettably selling my Commando, I had gone about a year and a half without a bike. I had always lusted over owning a featherbed Norton special, built up as a period-correct café racer. One day my dear friend and longtime motorbike mentor, Bib, called me to say that he?d like to sell me an Atlas special that he had owned for some 20 years.

Some of you may know of Bib. Bill ‘Bib’ Bibbiani had cemented himself passionately in the Norton community as a rider, collector, and builder of iconic British iron, serving as the fearless leader of the famed Southern California Norton Owners Club. We had talked about this particular bike too many times to remember, drooling about it during every visit to his house?its Dunstall seat and hot rod motor held in very high regard by us both. I was shocked that he?d be willing to sell it to me. But it only took two seconds for me to proclaim that I?d take it, gathering up every penny I could muster, booking a flight to California. Unable to contain myself, I anxiously waited to take possession of it, agreeing that I?d meet Bib at his house on Saturday morning.

After landing in L.A. early Friday, I spent the day with my best friend, talking his ear off about the bike. I tend to get carried away when I discuss these things. Coffee and donuts were our ritual, and as ...