Ron Fratturelli Nortons

Ms Peel's very heart, 4.5 lb lighter, 1/2 inch less OD steel plate flywheel came from Ron. Scan about to see his sense of sport and style from over 40 yrs now. Was a Norton name to know on the East coast back in the days.



960CC

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THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS BUILT IN 1985 , WHEN NO ONE EVER HEARD OF A BIG NORTON
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91MM NOURISH CRANKSHAFT
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82MM CUSTOM CYLINDER MACHINED FROM A SOLID BLOCK OF GRADE 40 CAST IRON BY (JOE SARDO)
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TITANIUM RODS MACHINED FROM BILLET BY (JOE SARDO)
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ARAIS SLIPPER PISTONS
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CAM IS A SPECIAL NORRIS .500 LIFT AT THE VAVLES AND SPECIAL CUSTOM RADIUS LIFTERS
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INTAKE VALVE IS 1 3/4
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EXHAUST VALVE 1 1/2
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40MM MK2 CARBS ON SPECIAL INTAKE MANIFLOWS THAT I MADE
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GEARBOX USES STD GEARS IN A QUAIFE SHEEL
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CLUTCH BASKET IS ALLOY AND IS STILL USING CHAIN
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WHEELS ARE REAL MORRIS MAGS
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BRAKES ARE ALL EARLY LOCKHEED (CALIPERS ARE SMALLER)
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DUCATI DISCS ON THE FRONT
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REAR DISC IS A TOYOTA CORROLA , CUT DOWN
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FORK LEGS ARE SEELY FROM YEARS AGO
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SWINGARM I MADE STYLED AFTER A DUCATI AND SEELY
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I MADE FENDERS ,FAIRING, SEAT , SIDE COVERS, AND FRONT BOTTOM SPOILER
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FRAME IS STD, WITH A NORVIL HEAD STEADY
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GAS TANK IS A SEELY MADE FOR COMMANDOS
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I MADE THE 1 5/8 EXHAUST AND MUFFLERS EXHAUST PIPES HELD IN BY OVERSIZE EX FLANGES MADE OUT OFF STAINLESS

Dude

More Pictures ?

Matt Spencer said:

More Pictures ?

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Here's Ron's website....gotta love guy who does such amazing work and lives to keep Brit Iron on the road.

http://nortoncommando.com/start.htm

I worked for Ron in Leominister, MA in the early 70s while in college, his eye for detail is beyond obsessive...Ron will readily admit that he is a ledgend-in-his-own-mind. I spoke with Ron a few years back looking for an obscure torque spec, he said that he woud have to ask his 3/8" drive air gun, told me that he had trained is it so well he forgot the spec...Ron's efforts to make a more efficient cylinder head began in the early 70s with a goal of decreasing the valve angle. An amazing Norton fanatic with enough ADHD to keep everything in the shop and around him on his "radar".

Don't expect much from Ron nowadays unless cash in hand for left overs.

i have known ron for over 40 years. one of the most knowledgable Norton guys on the planet he can be cranky and abrasive, but he's as old as dirt, so i guess he's entitled. also , once he gets to know you, he really is a good guy. he now lives in Arizona and will help anyone with a problem by phone or email. he doesn't like to repeat himself and if you ask him something and he gives you an answer, don't question it, or he won't answer you the next time. i really like the guy and his machines are awesome. don't know how much he has left as far as spare parts. i'm hoping to talk him in to going to the rally in Vermont, as i think the last one he went to was Utah

His"left overs" are sometimes, extremely rare items. I paid big money for some unatanium, and was happy to find it

If you talk with Ron tell him I said he is a plonker lol

I was in Arizona 2 or 3 years ago picking up a Triumph Bonneville I had bought. While I was there I scanned the local Prescott Valley Craigslist and saw a 1974 Norton for sale. I called the seller and went over to his house to look at the bike. I was met by an older gentleman who introduced himself as Ron Fratturelli. Not knowing him from Adam he showed me the bike, which was just an average '74 Norton, plus the nice workshop he had set up in his garage. I wish I had known more about his past and the bikes he built. The only thing he told me was that he had owned a shop at one time. Anyway that Norton eventually turned into CNW build 102.

I know this is a little old to post to but I want to add that I bought my '75 C'do from Ron and still have it. I well remember him busting my balls when I brought it in for services - then I joined the service and moved around the world a while, but I kept that bike. I did one rebuild in the 80's following an accident of my own making (where I learned I couldn't really take that turn near my house at 90 miles an hour). He was mad that I tweaked the triple trees and didn't take care of my bike. I was mad I messed up my bike - and STILL madder at him for selling me that new bike in 1975 with NO damn gas so that I ran out on Route 2, 15 minutes away in Concord Mass. He said I should have checked my tank. I learned THAT lesson!

Still, he knew his stuff and ran a dependable shop.