Ton Up NC: 10 Years of Vintage Speed Demonology 2003-2013

Ton Up NC founding fathers in 2006: Patman and Marcus

Ton Up NC was founded in 2003 by one Marcus Rogers and Patrick “Patman” McGraw after a chance meet-up in Raleigh, NC. The story goes: Patman, then astride his Triumph Triple, was sitting at a local pizza joint (Lilly’s to be exact) enjoying a cold one and a hot slice, meanwhile Marcus rolls by on his angry Norton Commando (sure to cause a commotion wherever it is). Patman, recognizing the sweet tune of the Birmingham twin, chases down the Marcus and wallah, several beers later, Ton Up NC was born. 

Well, that was ten years ago and a lot has changed: unlike in 2003, cafe racers are currently the bike de jour, the Bull City Rumble Vintage Rally has taken on a life of its own and we’re not as young as we used to be. Meanwhile, a lot has stayed the same: Ton Up NC’s mission continues to be the riding, racing and restoration of vintage motorcycles, members continue to compete nationally in the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) series in vintage road, motocross, cross-country and trials, the annual Bull City Rumble continues to be a major focus of the organization and much time and care is spent maintaining and riding our vintage machines. So with this blog post we raise a toast to all Ton Up NC members, supporters, family, friends and you. Here’s to another decade of vintage speed demonology!

Ton Up NC 2013: L-R Chad, Jim, Eric P, Marcus, Brian (Eric G absent)

Ton Up Highlands 2013: L-R Doug, Patman, Daniel

Ton Up N⋆C est. 2003

10 Years of Speed Demonology

You can help support the Bull City Rumble and Ton Up NC by purchasing something at our webstore here.

-Brian

Ton Up NC Nortons...

Marcus' Commando (top) w/ Brian's Commando.

The unapproachable, the roadholder, no matter what you call them, Nortons have long been a part of Ton Up NC, in fact you might say that 10 years ago it was a 1974 Norton Commando that started the club. Case in point, in 2003 club co-founder, Patman, heard familiar sound of a Norton roar by the local Pizza shop in Raleigh and had to know who was riding it. He chased down what turned out to be Marcus on his 1974 Commando and the two immediately bonded over their affinity for British motorcycles and made a pact to form a local chapter of the International Ton Up Club. And so it was done.  Since that meeting, other Nortons have joined the Ton Up NC family, here's a list:

Marcus: 1974 Norton Commando 850 Roadster

Eric G: 1974 Norton Commando 850 Roadster

Eric P: 1971 Norton Commando 750 Roadster

Brian: 1974 Norton Commando 850 Roadster

Chad: 1966 Norton Atlas

Eric G on his 74 Commando

Eric P's Commando

Brian's Commando

Chad's Atlas

Ton Up NC

 10 Yrs of Riding, Racing and Restoration 2003-2013

-Brian

Freeze Your Balls Off!: The Scooter Rally

Brian leads the FYBO TUN*C country ride 2012

Another year, another January, another Freeze Your Balls Off (FYBO) rally goes by... The good peoples at the Incriminators Scooter Club have been putting this thing on for, can you believe it, 14 years now! The FYBO rally blueprint of long weekend, beer, bikes, bands, has been followed by (ahem...) many other clubs and always proves to be a winning combo no matter the weather. Ton Up N*C has traditionally been involved via the creating the Best Motorcycle trophy, organizing/leading the FYBO Country ride and the provision of drunken fools. Heres a TUN*C photo retrospective of the event (some photos were borrowed from Scoot.net)...

Straight 8's circa 2005 @ FYBO w/ Patman on upright bass.

Alex, Patman and Marcus FYBO 2006

TUN*C 2006: Patman, Chad, Marcus and Alex

TUN*C @ FYBO 2007 L-R Hillbilly Marcus, Alex, Chad, Jim, Toro

Straight 8's circa 2008 @ FYBO w/ Patman on upright bass.

FYBO 2009 @ Green Room w/ L-R Camper, Chad and TJ

TUN*C's Alex tickles the Rickman, FYBO 2010

Brian scans the bike show in 2011.

Doyle, Alex (TUN*C), and Riever at FYBO 2012

In 2013 TUN*C's Eric takes home the Best Motorcycle win with his Superhawk.

Thanks for the good times FYBO. See you next year on MLK weekend!

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian

Races from Seasons Past: VIR 8.7.2010

One of Ton Up NC's founders, Patman, raced his 1969 Triumph T100S at one of the last AHRMA sanctioned events at Virginia International Raceway way back in August 2010. This was also one of Patman's final races before blowing this bike up at Road Hotlanta in the fall of 2010. The bike is still in the process of rebuild as I write. Pics follow...

Patman and his 69 T100S

The pre-race huddle with California Alex, TUNC's Chad and Portland Zed.

Patman heads out to the track.

Patman hits the straight.

Patman post-race. The race was red flagged.

Patman describes this video...
This is from the WERA 500GP race at VIR, August 2010.  Jack Hauman passed me on the first lap of the race. I chased him for the next 10 minutes until I caught him in the right turn going up the hill.  Jack was on a Honda 350.  The pass secured 3rd place in that race.  

Patman had four races that August weekend and took podiums in all four!

If you like what you see, support the Ton Up NC mission by buying a poster, shirt or patch here.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles