Norvil

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peter12 said:
"Fully assembled from some new & some restored parts"
Must admit I found that one of the most bizarre pieces of wording for an advert when I got the email the other day. Made me want to rush to get my credit card and order on...NOT!

Obviously relying on his reputation!!
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Why on earth are you getting email from Norvil? 'unsubscribe' :shock:
 
peter12 said:
:D
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Peter, you seem "very happy" at the outcome of this post. What was it's purpose?
1) Have you had a bad experience with Norvil?
2) Are you intending to buy a load of parts and want to get some feedback before parting with your hard earned?
3) Are you intending to buy Les out, and want to know if he has a viable customer base?
4) Was it just for fun (like putting a stick in a wasp nest)?
5) Do you work for a competitor?
6) Do you work for Norvil?


:twisted:


Cheers,

cliffa.
 
Strange request Cliffa as I have never seen anyone else asked to justify a posting on this forum, however:
Yes I will be doing work to my machine over the winter, probably won't buy from Norvil as I usually buy from RGM and Andover Norton.
Have bought from Fair Spares in the early days, and at one time had vague ideas of buying a reconditioned machine. I Don't recall an issue but it was long time ago at a time when good parts were hard to find. Genuine interest really as I assumed because Les Emery has been in the business for so long I thought that the people with bad experiences must be in a minority, however there seem to have been very few genuinely good experiences, which has surprised me. Lets put it this way, I will not be changing my mind who I buy spares from.
I value this forum as doubt I would have heard all the issues without it.
I think we all have our trusted suppliers/ machinists/ painters etc, I used Fred Barlow for most of my work in the 80's and 90's great bloke and a sad loss. Im sure because of the nature of the beast one or two people will have a bad experience or two but not a constant stream of similar complaints over a long period of time. Oh and still be in business!

Not employed/ hired friend of, any one involved and I have no axe to grind other than don't like being ripped off, or seeing other people being ripped off and thought I would see if the "Bad press" was really justified.
 
I though this was the most informative thing I've read in the last two days because of this post. He must've had his account cancelled for a few more reasons than what I could find. There is a big grey area .

ZFD↓
Re: Interview with Les Emery
Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:49 pm
Keith1069 said:
he's no longer on Andover's UK dealer list. I wonder where he gets all his 'genuine parts'? Have to assume he's using up old stock or they are still supplying him, grudgingly? Business is business after all :)
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I decline to go into details here. Andover Norton (i.e. I) cancelled his trade account last year for reasons the more informed members of this forum will most probably guess. I wanted a clean division between what we have manufactured to works drawings, on works tooling, to works spec., and what is sourced from "alternative" suppliers.
One of these "alternative" suppliers is BASED in England, but few of the products sourced from this "English" supplier are MADE in England, most coming from China, India, etc. Hence the "99% British" figure quoted has to be put into perspective.

Not even Andover Norton- who source about a dozen parts from this same supplier, by the way, less than 1% of the total purchasing budget- but who have the vast majority of their parts actually made in England, could truthfully claim that high a percentage of English content in our product range. We also source parts from Germany, Italy, France, Czech Republic, the US, etc. An FAG bearing is not "Made in England", even if we buy it from FAG UK. It is all a question of definition or, dare I say it, truthfulness.

"Business is business after all" was true when I took Andover Norton over. Andover Norton was then (2007) in the ropes financially. We simply could not, at the time, afford to cancel anybody's account. This situation has since changed dramatically by widening our product range and re-investing all the profits. Instead of leaving half the Norton spares to others to source and supply we now do that ourselves and can offer dealers and retail customers alike the full range of Norton parts for Commandos and an increasing number for Dommis and even singles.

The cancellation of Emery's account has not hurt Andover Norton in the least. We have increased turnover yet again in the financial year that just ended on the 31st March. I have to thank you, the Norton customers, for this, and hope we can go on improving our services to you.

And, by the way- neither I, nor members of my staff collect locomotives, busses, or aeroplanes. We, at Andover Norton, collect, and ride, Norton motorcycles. Even my three kids have at least a Norton each and ride Nortons on road and track. I need to keep Andover Norton going in order to keep my own Nortons going!

Joe Seifert, owner, Andover Norton International Ltd
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peter12 said:
Strange request Cliffa as I have never seen anyone else asked to justify a posting on this forum, however:
Yes I will be doing work to my machine over the winter, probably won't buy from Norvil as I usually buy from RGM and Andover Norton.
Have bought from Fair Spares in the early days, and at one time had vague ideas of buying a reconditioned machine. I Don't recall an issue but it was long time ago at a time when good parts were hard to find. Genuine interest really as I assumed because Les Emery has been in the business for so long I thought that the people with bad experiences must be in a minority, however there seem to have been very few genuinely good experiences, which has surprised me. Lets put it this way, I will not be changing my mind who I buy spares from.
I value this forum as doubt I would have heard all the issues without it.
I think we all have our trusted suppliers/ machinists/ painters etc, I used Fred Barlow for most of my work in the 80's and 90's great bloke and a sad loss. Im sure because of the nature of the beast one or two people will have a bad experience or two but not a constant stream of similar complaints over a long period of time. Oh and still be in business!

Not employed/ hired friend of, any one involved and I have no axe to grind other than don't like being ripped off, or seeing other people being ripped off and thought I would see if the "Bad press" was really justified.
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Hi Peter,
Please don't think I was asking you to justify your post. I was just playing "Devils advocate", and was was not meant to insult you or question your integrity. Apologies if it came over that way. I am in full agreement about being ripped off and helping others not to be.


Cheers,

cliffa.
 
Not grey at all, a company can choose who to supply or not, this is clear cut and happens all the time.

As for trademarks, it's a strange world, registered in bad faith can be considered if one of many tests are met, this is primarily to protect companies so that an employee or an associate cannot run off and register it. Can you imagine registering not the Ford part, but the Fiesta name in an automotive catergory- Ford would be on top of you like a ton of bricks, sadly it seems that this is OK in the motorcycle world, Honda have done it with Dominator. Model vehicle names are not normally registered, but use of a name can be contested, ie Fiat was going to name the 2004 Panda as a Twingo, but Renault objected, and thus the Panda name returned. If past use previous to registration is proven by a company, then that company can carry on using it - anyone who has not used it before can't.
 
Just thought I'd add my recent Norvil experience. I sent off for 2 x side panels for my 1969 Commando S, they sounded reasonable at 40 quid each. They were dispatched promptly and didn't take long from the UK to Aussie. When they arrived, I excitedly opened the box and after a short examination, I found both panels to be concave and one having gouge marks. I sent off an email outlining the imperfections together with requested images of the panels.
I received an email stating they were produced from the original moulds and quote "THAT'S HOW THEY MADE ORIGINALLY'' I sent back an email telling them I was in possession of an original panel in Grenadier red from 1969 and that the moulds must be showing their age. I was told to ''Just send them back'', wonderful good old fashioned service NOT!!
 
if you had seen all the horror stories of his business dealings and not just in brit bike parts you would not think of it as harsh. the man had a reputation as a crook in his mail order business's

Pedro500 said:
bill said:
marshal hagy is dead passed a few years ago. good riddance to bad rubbish
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Bit harsh there mate
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I wonder if Mr Emery ever reads the pages of this site, or is advised on the negative comment regarding his levels of service & the number of dissatisfied customers???
On the other hand perhaps he doesn't give a dam :oops:
 
From everything I've read here, I doubt he reads the forum or cares what people think, what I cannot fathom is that he obviously has a great turnover. Something I mentioned before in a reasonably niche group.
The number of Commandos still in existence must be greater than I would ever guess!
 
Just make it clear that these problems are common amongst "dealers".

Just because a product is sourced in a country it does not mean it is made in that country.

Dealing in chain I am aware that many chains sold are of poor quality but they are cheap for
the dealers to buy and the profit margin high. Recently I have been contacted by many riders
who have been sold the wrong product and an inferior product at similar prices to my German
made iwis. Bantam and cup owners in particular being sold 420 chain instead of the Renold
type 110044.

On Nortons and other classic bikes I have seen a very cheap chain sold as primary and then the
owners ring me for a crank link to fit and i have to tell them that cranks from the correct chain
will not fit and that the vast majority of manufacturers of Japanese type ref chain, 530, 520, 428
etc etc do not even make them. A shame really as many bikes including Commandos need them
to get correct adjustment.

It is not just Norvil but common in UK.

I have no objection to cheap chains made in India and China as long as the customer knows where
they are made and pay a commensurate price. One more comment, if you have a plant in China
and yes iwis do for a particular brand name, you are obliged to buy Chinese steel......I rest my case.

Andy
 
andychain said:
Just make it clear that these problems are common amongst "dealers".

Just because a product is sourced in a country it does not mean it is made in that country.

Dealing in chain I am aware that many chains sold are of poor quality but they are cheap for
the dealers to buy and the profit margin high. Recently I have been contacted by many riders
who have been sold the wrong product and an inferior product at similar prices to my German
made iwis. Bantam and cup owners in particular being sold 420 chain instead of the Renold
type 110044.

On Nortons and other classic bikes I have seen a very cheap chain sold as primary and then the
owners ring me for a crank link to fit and i have to tell them that cranks from the correct chain
will not fit and that the vast majority of manufacturers of Japanese type ref chain, 530, 520, 428
etc etc do not even make them. A shame really as many bikes including Commandos need them
to get correct adjustment.

It is not just Norvil but common in UK.

I have no objection to cheap chains made in India and China as long as the customer knows where
they are made and pay a commensurate price. One more comment, if you have a plant in China
and yes iwis do for a particular brand name, you are obliged to buy Chinese steel......I rest my case.

Andy
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yes this is true but Mr Emery would take great delight in re packaging an item and selling it as genuine etc etc it's just the way he is
 
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