With the Spirit of Youth, 86-Year-Old Achieves Success in Motorcycle Driving Test
- ADV News
- October 25, 2024
Tony Norton, at the age of 86, defied expectations and overcame obstacles to fulfill his lifelong dream of riding a motorcycle. He had led an adventurous life, engaging in motor racing and sailing, but one aspiration remained: to pass his motorcycle test.
After the passing of his wife of 58 years in 2019, Norton was determined to take action toward achieving this dream. “I spent 16 months figuring out how to look after myself without my wife doing everything for me. Then I thought, what now? Do I sit in an armchair with a blanket around my knees watching daytime TV? No way.”
When asked about his bucket list, he emphasized one goal, saying, “I want to be done for doing 100 mph on my 100th birthday.”
To start his journey, he bought a Yamaha YS125, only to realize he needed a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) certificate to ride it, which he obtained a year later. However, he faced an unexpected challenge. “I was told to go away and buy a pushbike, which was one of the most sensible things anyone has ever told me, because I hadn’t even ridden a bicycle in 20 years, and your sense of balance just goes.”
After some practice on the YS125, he recognized that it was too tall for him, especially after dropping it three times, which resulted in visits to the doctor to fix his leg. Undeterred by these setbacks, Norton passed the first module of his A1 license in November 2022 and completed the second module a few weeks later in December.
But he wasn’t finished yet. Norton set his sights on obtaining a larger capacity license so he could ride his beloved Honda Rebel cruiser. After briefly owning a Kawasaki Z650, he bought a Kawasaki Z300, which he modified to make it more manageable for the slow-speed maneuvers required in the mod 1 exam.
Ultimately, Norton passed both elements of his A2 license, achieving his biking goal nearly four years after embarking on his motorcycle journey. His story serves as a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to pursue one’s passions and dreams.