The Richard Spooner Column: Revving up as a born-again biker�
Apart from one disastrous attempt wrestling with a Lambretta scooter while on holiday in Spain, I regret that I have never ridden a motorcycle.
Nevertheless, I was delighted to read that the Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd is moving to Solar Park in Solihull from its Castle Donnington base.
It is so fitting that the company is moving production back to near where it was founded in Birmingham 122 years ago. And, of course, just down the road is Meriden, where the Triumph marque flourished for many years.
Poignantly for Norton, the National Motor Cycle Museum is just up the road from Solihull in Bickenhill and has now recovered from the fire that destroyed much of it in 2003. It ruined 650 vintage machines and left 60 per cent of the building a blackened shell.
Motorcycle production is part of this region 's DNA and one of the most iconic models was the BSA.
BSA, which stood for Birmingham Small Arms, was originally founded to manufacture guns at Small Heath, a setting for the hit BBC drama Peaky Blinders. Its metalworking factories were later turned to bicycles and then motorcycles.
By the 1950s, it was the world 's largest motorcycle maker, but it went bankrupt and ceased production in the 1970s. Rumours of a revival often surface and BSA Guns (UK) Ltd lives separately producing air and spring sporting guns in Armoury Road, Small Heath - next door to the remains of the historic factory
The new Norton facility is the result of a multimillion-pound investment by Norton 's Indian parent company TVS Motor Company, which says it will be the most advanced in the motorcycle brand 's history.
And what a boost for manufacturing in the West Midlands with 50 jobs being created and the prospect of more to follow.
The company has announced that the state-of-the-art production site in Solihull will open following a multi-million pound investment by their Indian parent company, TVS Motor Company. It will be the most advanced manufacturing facility in the 122-year-old motorcycle brand 's history, they say.
The premises will be the central hub for all of Norton operations, providing a permanent base for all staff. The new headquarters will be home to design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing, and support teams as well as the skilled production team that is resuming manufacture of motorcycles.
As indicated, motorcycles and me have never been trhe best of bedfellows. Why spend hours climbing into a suit of leather, gloves, heavy boots and a crash hat in freezing weather when you can slip into a limo with a heated steering wheel?
That WAS my view. But I now quite fancy the idea of touring the lanes of the country with a two-wheeled beast between my legs. I have friends who are total motorcycle devotees.
One has toured the world making more friends than a dog-walker on his machine, which has the Union Jack flying proudly from one of its rear panniers.
On one of his excursions to the US he teamed up with a group of Hell 's Angeles after a few scary moments and he joined them on a journey into Los Angeles.
They went out to dinner and one of the Hell 's Angels turned out to be Gilby Clarke, the US musician, singer and record producer who had a spell as rhythm guitarist with Guns 'n Roses.
You can meet some interesting people as a biker. Now do I start with a Harley-Davidson or perhaps something a little more modest�