Blown engine (19/8/2018 update)

Reggie · May 20, 2018

Steve, I was at Steve Maney's this week and everything major has apparently gone. Crankcases, Crankshafts and barrels. I bought one of his last camshafts three weeks ago and I believe they are all gone now as well.
Sorry to be the barer of sad news.

SteveA · May 20, 2018

Reggie said:
Steve, I was at Steve Maney's this week and everything major has apparently gone. Crankcases, Crankshafts and barrels. I bought one of his last camshafts three weeks ago and I believe they are all gone now as well.
Sorry to be the barer of sad news.

Last time I spoke to Steve we talked about retiring, I already have and said don't hang on, go if you are ready. There is no fixed age for being ready.

There are others out there with interest and enthusiasm who may do something, but that is a huge amount of skill andknowledge lost to us. But we mustn't be selfish about it.

The only thing that makes me sad is the lack of Norton twin race bikes being used today in the UK. There are a few in use here in France, but that might also decline quickly if race parts become harder to source.

On the other hand AN is still there with cases and a crank, engines to other specs including iron barrels continue to be a practical build.

My motor actually has original iron barrels fitted and I sourced a good second hand set of Maney barrels from Yves (Seeley).

I guess I just need to take care of it all!

Adam_R · May 20, 2018

Reggie said:
Steve, I was at Steve Maney's this week and everything major has apparently gone. Crankcases, Crankshafts and barrels. I bought one of his last camshafts three weeks ago and I believe they are all gone now as well.
Sorry to be the barer of sad news.

Whilst it is sad news that he's winding up, its also good news that he's retiring, best to retire while still able to enjoy it

Reggie · May 21, 2018

SteveA and Adam_R, I absolutely agree about it being great news for Steve Maney to set the wheels of retirement into motion so that he can retire soon, and told him so myself. How could I not, having retired myself two years ago at age 58 and loving it?

When I said it was "sad news," it was only from the viewpoint of losing a great resource for the Norton community.

mdt-son · May 21, 2018

Adam_R said:
Whilst it is sad news that he's winding up, its also good news that he's retiring, best to retire while still able to enjoy it

This is a chance for an enterprising person to buy the outfit and have a flying start. Sadly, I don't think it is going to happen. Old Blighty is on the decline as an industrial nation. I wonder what Steve's intellectual asset is worth and if he'd be willing to sell?

-Knut

Dances with Shrapnel · May 21, 2018

In my opinion, it goes beyond Blighty. This business, like many others before it, is an obscure nitch within an obscure declining nitch. Though Norton big twins may be the center of our lives, the market age is moving on and the Commandos and their worshipers will go the way of the board track racers and their worshipers.
My personal assessment is that Steve’s intellectual asset is considerable. In discussions with him about it, the business would not support an apprentice (future owner) and I doubt Steve wants to put in three to six years working for an immediate buyer. There’s some potential transitioning in the works so we shall see.

JimC · May 21, 2018

Dances with Shrapnel said:
In my opinion, it goes beyond Blighty. This business, like many others before it, is an obscure nitch within an obscure declining nitch. Though Norton big twins may be the center of our lives, the market age is moving on and the Commandos and their worshipers will go the way of the board track racers and their worshipers.
My personal assessment is that Steve’s intellectual asset is considerable. In discussions with him about it, the business would not support an apprentice (future owner) and I doubt Steve wants to put in three to six years working for an immediate buyer. There’s some potential transitioning in the works so we shall see.

It appears to me there’s been a resurgence of popularity of the Commando in the last 25 years or so. They are relatively cheap and there is a readily available supply of parts and upgrades. As those who created this resurgence die, so too will the Commando’s popularity die out. Most of today’s owners have some connection to Norton’s past. Either they were of age when Commandos were being manufactured or their dad, uncle or older brother bought one, in years 1969-75. And a whole lot of us are getting close to the front of the line and I don’t see many replacements.

JimC · May 21, 2018

Raber’s quit selling parts, Fred and Ella are soon to retire.

Tin Man · May 21, 2018

Sorry about your bike. Just as riding season got here.

74ok · May 21, 2018

JimC said:
It appears to me there’s been a resurgence of popularity of the Commando in the last 25 years or so. They are relatively cheap and there is a readily available supply of parts and upgrades. As those who created this resurgence die, so too will the Commando’s popularity die out. Most of today’s owners have some connection to Norton’s past. Either they were of age when Commandos were being manufactured or their dad, uncle or older brother bought one, in years 1969-75. And a whole lot of us are getting close to the front of the line and I don’t see many replacements.

the support available today is unmatched & bodes well for the future

JimC · May 21, 2018

84ok said:
the support available today is unmatched & bodes well for the future

A number of suppliers of parts and upgrades have either died or retired. To validate your claim, please list the new suppliers replacing those who are no longer in business.

Dances with Shrapnel · May 21, 2018

My point being, great for near term consumers but who would stake capital and a 30-40 year career on something obscure? Great if somebody does!

Deets55 · May 21, 2018

With the Internet the parts and information should be available for a while. I think where the problem is going to be is the lack of talent and experienced people to perform certain work the average guy can’t do. Without young people being trained there will be vast amounts of info and skill lost. A lot of these guys are pushing 60 + years old with nobody in the wings.

JimC · May 21, 2018

Dances with Shrapnel said:
My point being, great for near term consumers but who would stake capital and a 30-40 year career on something obscure? Great if somebody does!

CNW?

Fast Eddie · May 21, 2018

JimC said:
It appears to me there’s been a resurgence of popularity of the Commando in the last 25 years or so. They are relatively cheap and there is a readily available supply of parts and upgrades. As those who created this resurgence die, so too will the Commando’s popularity die out. Most of today’s owners have some connection to Norton’s past. Either they were of age when Commandos were being manufactured or their dad, uncle or older brother bought one, in years 1969-75. And a whole lot of us are getting close to the front of the line and I don’t see many replacements.

Whilst that’s partly true Jim, if we look back further in time, we do not see interest in bikes die out when their original generation do. Veteran and pre war machines continue to generate interest and enjoy strong markets and prices.

I didn’t start riding until 1984, so I’m not one of the original generation myself, and there are younger followers than me.

I think bikes go through phases. Firstly the new phase. Then the ‘cheap old bike’ phase. Then the nostalgia driven ‘classic’ phase (this is the market driven by the original generation). Then there is the classic / collector phase where the bikes appeal to a different market, people who weren’t buying, or maybe weren’t born, when the bikes were current.

JimC · May 21, 2018

Fast Eddie said:
Whilst that’s partly true Jim, if we look back further in time, we do not see interest in bikes die out when their original generation do. Veteran and pre war machines continue to generate interest and enjoy strong markets and prices.

I didn’t start riding until 1984, so I’m not one of the original generation myself, and there are younger followers than me.

I think bikes go through phases. Firstly the new phase. Then the ‘cheap old bike’ phase. Then the nostalgia driven ‘classic’ phase (this is the market driven by the original generation). Then there is the classic / collector phase where the bikes appeal to a different market, people who weren’t buying, or maybe weren’t born, when the bikes were current.

Totally agree with your theory of phases. I think we are seeing the end of the nostalgic classic phase. The succeeding collector phase will probably be considerably smaller as are collectors of other older marques are few in number today.

Dances with Shrapnel · May 21, 2018

JimC said:
CNW?

CNW started decades? ago and should be able to ride it out until retirement. Who would stake 40 years of their life starting today on a business model based on a Norton Commando? As much as I love the Norton, I would rather brew beer; just a personal preference.

Dances with Shrapnel · May 21, 2018

Perhaps I am looking at this wrong as a "business" rather than a passion and hobby. There are still some out there servicing the board trackers and literally building replicas from scratch. Nothing wrong with that at all.

74ok · May 21, 2018

JimC said:
A number of suppliers of parts and upgrades have either died or retired. To validate your claim, please list the new suppliers replacing those who are no longer in business.

if you compare the support available for nortons today, vs the competition of the era, there is no comparison

last i heard, decent points were hard to get for old goldwings, someone just recently sourced new undersized babbit bearings, that were pretty much as rare as hens teeth nos up to that point,

the overall support might as well be boneyard equivalent for other make\models of that era & beyond, compared to current available norton support,

unmatched & unapproachable

JimC · May 21, 2018

84ok said:
if you compare the support available for nortons today, vs the competition of the era, there is no comparison

last i heard, decent points were hard to get for old goldwings, someone just recently sourced new undersized babbit bearings, that were pretty much as rare as hens teeth nos up to that point,

the overall support might as well be boneyard equivalent compared to current available norton support

You are missing my point. Norton parts and upgrade suppliers are fewer today than yesterday and there will be fewer tomorrow.

Blown engine (19/8/2018 update)

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