***IMPORTANT PLEASE READ (but don't panic)***

cliffa said:
Unfortunately most bikes these days are only coming with a sidestand, so not so easy to do that. The 961 isn't particularly light either so I would hazard a guess that it's not a common occurrence on these and many other spoked wheel bikes. Even if it were easy to do you would not be able to detect a hairline crack in the hub as the tension would be maintained until it failed completely. As @City Garage said careful visual inspection is the only real answer, but to be honest the thoughts of sinking another $150 only to find I need to spend another $$$$? (if I can get one) to rectify it when I find the hub is defective is not appealing in the current climate.
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Yes, lack of centre stands poses a problem which I overcome using a rear paddock stand and have the front suspended from a small pulley block rigged from a roof beam. Just checked over the Talon hubs on my CCM prior to a run out and agree, my routine is fine for checking spoke tension but crack detection is another issue. An inspection torch and good spectacles reveal no issues thus far but something to check further me thinks.
 
cliffa said:
Unfortunately most bikes these days are only coming with a sidestand, so not so easy to do that. The 961 isn't particularly light either so I would hazard a guess that it's not a common occurrence on these and many other spoked wheel bikes. Even if it were easy to do you would not be able to detect a hairline crack in the hub as the tension would be maintained until it failed completely. As @City Garage said careful visual inspection is the only real answer, but to be honest the thoughts of sinking another $150 only to find I need to spend another $$$$? (if I can get one) to rectify it when I find the hub is defective is not appealing in the current climate.
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Doing a dye penetrant inspection on a PAINTED part is ridiculous anyway.
 
Fast Eddie said:
Looks to me that that hub design is designed for the spokes to pull straight.

In that plain they’d be pulling on very thick alloy.

But they’re not pulling straight, they’re bent and therefore leveraging on the thin part of the alloy. No wonder they broke…
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I reckon you’re bang on Fast Eddie. My 2013 Sport (11500 miles) has straight spokes and on first inspection the hubs look sound….
 
As promised as soon as the festivities were over, I was back in the garage, got the wheel out, the discs off and cleaned up the hub. The news is even worse than I thought. I can see either hairline cracks or swelling of the spoke socket on over 50% of the outer spoke abutments. I used a clip on macro lens on my phone, which is very good, but it was difficult to get focused. At first I thought maybe they are just scratches from the wheelbuilding, however the pictures prove otherwise. Picture 3 is a super closeup of the same double crack shown in picture 2, and you can clearly see it's gone all the way through. Also in picture 2 it looks as though there may also be a crack at the 12 o'clock position running in line with the spoke which I only just noticed on the photo. For picture 6, I changed the light position and got a much better image proving they are cracks without doubt.








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my visit to the Norton factory 15 th Jan 2023: I had a close look at the front hub, and it LOOKS the same style and possibly dimensions as some of the photos posted on this thread, and the spokes seem almost straight.
HOWEVER, have the Norton personnel reviewed all this, and has the manufacture and spoking/assembly been modified, we would all like to know??
 
cliffa said:
As promised as soon as the festivities were over, I was back in the garage, got the wheel out, the discs off and cleaned up the hub. The news is even worse than I thought. I can see either hairline cracks or swelling of the spoke socket on over 50% of the outer spoke abutments. I used a clip on macro lens on my phone, which is very good, but it was difficult to get focused. At first I thought maybe they are just scratches from the wheelbuilding, however the pictures prove otherwise. Picture 3 is a super closeup of the same double crack shown in picture 2, and you can clearly see it's gone all the way through. Also in picture 2 it looks as though there may also be a crack at the 12 o'clock position running in line with the spoke which I only just noticed on the photo. For picture 6, I changed the light position and got a much better image proving they are cracks without doubt.








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Some greedy PUNK(s) should be in jail for this.
 
It's one thing for a vehicle to be built to a Chinese scooter level of reliability & longevity. Quite another for the damned wheels to fall apart.

You all laid down REAL MONEY, for a retro bike, styled after a legend. If I had the disposable income, I may have as well. This is painful to watch.
 
jan nelder said:
my visit to the Norton factory 15 th Jan 2023: I had a close look at the front hub, and it LOOKS the same style and possibly dimensions as some of the photos posted on this thread, and the spokes seem almost straight.
HOWEVER, have the Norton personnel reviewed all this, and has the manufacture and spoking/assembly been modified, we would all like to know??
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Did they have any comment on this?
 
cliffa said:
Pretty expensive option though Tony.
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They are cheaper than the carbon fiber wheels from South Africa . HPS has them ready to fit your rotors and put them on the bike. Also you will get the better cush drive , and tubless , but sprockets will cost more than Norton TALON from the research I've done. I have been tempted more than once by these.
 
TonyA said:
They are cheaper than the carbon fiber wheels from South Africa . HPS has them ready to fit your rotors and put them on the bike. Also you will get the better cush drive , and tubless , but sprockets will cost more than Norton TALON from the research I've done. I have been tempted more than once by these.
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Plus color options if thats ones desire.
 
Voodooo said:
Your life may depend on it. How much is your life worth?

Please make me your beneficiary.
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You misunderstand me, I definitely will not risk my life on it. As I mentioned earlier I will not ride it as I deem it to be way too dangerous, and if I cannot get a replacement I will break the bike for spares as I could not knowingly sell it on in that condition. The Kineo wheels will cost over 3000 Euros, and although they have a lot of virtues, they are bloody ugly in my opinion.
 
The later cast hub would be the way to go, CNC billet hubs get stress risers from the cutting tools leaving valleys. Look at the cracks, they follow a tool cutter valley for a distance, make a sharp turn over the ridge before following the cutter valley again. A smoother surface with out stress risers combined with the thicker material around the spokes looks to be why there are no examples of later hubs failing.
 
Fast Eddie said:
Carbon wheels.

Like, duh …!
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This is why I hope Norton will offer an alloy mag wheel option.
Laced wheels are prettier, but alloy mags require zero maintenance, and forged ones are virtually indestructible.
 
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