Model 30 International

ollyoop1 · Dec 11, 2014

Does the Model 30 International ever show up for sale? I looked (for some time) for one here in the US to no avail so just curious if they occasionally become available in the UK? I did find a few in private UK collections but they were priced totally out of reach. Just wondering.
Cheers,
Ollyoop1

dennisgb · Dec 11, 2014

I think you might want to post this in the Other Norton's category. This is the Commando forum.

ollyoop1 · Dec 11, 2014

dennisgb said:
I think you might want to post this in the Other Norton's category. This is the Commando forum.

I'll do that, still not totally familiar with the protocol.
Cheers,
Ollyoop1

Rohan · Dec 11, 2014

Which particular one are you after ?
They come up all the time - now and then - in a variety of years AND conditions AND prices
You'll pay top $$$ off fleabay, of course...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-TT-REPLI ... 1536681746
http://www.ebay.com/itm/231400667762
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1956-Norton-I ... 1487012606

LAB (Moderator) will shift this over to Other Nortons, soon enough.

worntorn · Dec 11, 2014

A friend of mine , Tony, just sold one that he retrieved from a chicken coop many years ago. He sold it to a mutual friend , Murray, who is doing the restoration.
Tony was planning to restore and keep the bike, however during his last trip to England he was given a ride on a beautiful fully restored International. He found the bike to be vibratory, low in power and quite agricultural to operate. After riding a big twin (Vincent) an old single does tend to feel this way.
In fact it was so bad that he decided to pass his own basket case on to Murray, who will restore the bike but likely never run it or even put oil in it, just put it on display in his basement with the rest of his collection of old British bikes.

Glen

Rohan · Dec 11, 2014

worntorn said:
just put it on display in his basement with the rest of his collection of old British bikes.

The fate of many a 'Classic' these days. ?

worntorn said:
He found the bike to be vibratory, low in power and quite agricultural to operate.

Geez, thatz what they'z all about, innit ?
Otherwise everyone would be riding Kwikasakis or Duca-tis

ILLF8ED · Dec 11, 2014

ollyoop1 said:
Does the Model 30 International ever show up for sale? I looked (for some time) for one here in the US to no avail so just curious if they occasionally become available in the UK? I did find a few in private UK collections but they were priced totally out of reach. Just wondering.
Cheers,
Ollyoop1

They do come up once in a while. There were not that many made in the first place. Look at the major auctions such as at Las Vegas in January. There are a few of them owned by members of my club.

ollyoop1 · Dec 11, 2014

illf8ed said:
ollyoop1 said:

Does the Model 30 International ever show up for sale? I looked (for some time) for one here in the US to no avail so just curious if they occasionally become available in the UK? I did find a few in private UK collections but they were priced totally out of reach. Just wondering.
Cheers,
Ollyoop1

Click to expand...

They do come up once in a while. There were not that many made in the first place. Look at the major auctions such as at Las Vegas in January. There are a few of them owned by members of my club.

Thanks for the info ill8fed, I'll look at the Las Vegas listings for January.
Cheers

worntorn · Dec 11, 2014

The trick seems to be in finding an old bike that has enough power and speed to handle today's highways if needed plus is relatively smooth running. Not many old bikes are good for this, no matter how lovely they are to look at.

So far my quest has turned up two models that really fit the bill- the Vincent twin and the Norton Commando. Five hundred singles from my youth just don't quite do it on those mountain highways.

Glen

DogT · Dec 11, 2014

Hey, I had a 500 single BSA B33 that was fine all around CA from Monterey to Merced and down the PCH to Santa Barbara and it worked fine if you could tolerate the dead hands and arms after 15 minutes, which a 19 year old can do.

Rohan · Dec 11, 2014

worntorn said:
The trick seems to be in finding an old bike that has enough power and speed

Thats far too narrow a view of whats needed in old bikes !

I had/have an old Enfield that was about flat out at 55 mph.
It was a great bike to go out on the old bikes run.
Compared to the ones that had no clutch, no gears and no brakes, it was LOOXURY LADDIE, LOOXURY.
Of course, the roads were well chosen so there were few/no stop signs, traffic lights or intersections.
Seeing a whole gaggle of bikes doing a run-and-jump-start was like being in another era, a real time machine ??

worntorn · Dec 11, 2014

I'm only referring to the type of old bike I need. Tony's requirements are the same, that's why he passed the Inter along.
Our roads here (British Columbia, Canada) are quite fast, mileages between towns is great and there are major mountain ranges to cross. The areas in the US that we ride in are quite similar.
If I had more roads to ride on like the lovely old A &B roads that you have in the UK , then an old thumper would be enjoyable.

Glen

nickguzzi · Dec 12, 2014

Most fun bike I ever had was a pre war (so not an exWD model) sidevalve BSA M21, much better than the Laverda Mirage.
All rigid suspension, although the sprung saddle was not bad. Brakes? not really.
It worked beautifully on the Wolds around where I lived then. Just the sort of terrain it would have been tested in when new. Little ups and downs. Short straights. Lots of constant radius bends. Decent road surfaces.
45mph was not bad in 1937. Not fast, but faster than walking. Or the bus.

ollyoop1 · Dec 12, 2014

Thanks to all who responded/commented.
Cheers,
Ollyoop1

acotrel · Dec 14, 2014

I've still got bits for a pre-war Inter. I tried for years to get a decent frame. These days if you want that stuff, you need something to swap for it. The garden gate Inter would have to be one of the best looking bikes ever made. Other than that ...... ?

Paul W · Dec 15, 2014

It was always stated that the inter engine was too good for the original frame but when they introduced the same engine to the featherbed frame it was the just the opposite. I can only speak from experience as I have a 1957 international and I think it is perfect in all aspects especially looks.
Regards,
Paul.

Rohan · Dec 15, 2014

Paul Webb said:
and I think it is perfect in all aspects .

If only it didn't have that oil dribble to the valve guides ?
Which is sometimes described as a 'deliberate oil leak'.....

Keeps your knees well oiled, and waterproof. !

p400 · Dec 16, 2014

Found this photo online

Bernhard · Dec 16, 2014

acotrel said:
I've still got bits for a pre-war Inter. I tried for years to get a decent frame. These days if you want that stuff, you need something to swap for it. The garden gate Inter would have to be one of the best looking bikes ever made. Other than that ...... ?

Re: "The garden gate Inter would have to be one of the best looking bikes ever made"

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder :!: :shock:

gtsun · Dec 16, 2014

I have to agree with you acotrel, I passed on buying one in 1984 so cheap by today's $$$ it pings my heart when I think about it. A friend has a 49 Norton 500 single but I can't remember what model. 16 maybe. All I know is I followed him onto the freeway once and he was ten cars ahead of me before I even knew it..

Model 30 International

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