Ill have to let you know when i actually get mine running, I have 2, well, kinda, they are Norton 961 Motors but the rest is prototype Norton America bikes. You can buy the third and I think you should, be a staff machine to flog, and rebuild every few years in different variations, Im leaning towards a updated Production racer yellow Peril machine, others say they want to see a Fastback, or a Tourer based on the Mark 3.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-961-Comm ... 884wt_1292
I need the funds to finish my bikes, Stainless exhausts made by a local craftsman are not cheap, same with some of the other bits to get these on the road. Plus i have dyno tuning and testing coming up, So its fair to say i have "Material needs"
Dont you want a repeat of that cover that set an all time CW sales record? Tell you what, spring for the bike, and I'll throw in a model from "Model Mayhem" for the photo shoot, I imagine you have your own staff photogs, but if you want i have a great photographer or 3 up here who I have worked with in the past for Museum events and bike shows I have put on. One model is "Miss CJ" she appeared on a past cover of our museum newsletter (scroll thru back issues)
http://nwcarandcycle.com/ but the REALLY cool thing? She is a REAL Norton girl, no kidding, Her last name is really Norton! She was stoked when i gave her some Norton America swag,
Another OUTSTANDING local photographer here locally is
http://pashaproductions.com/ One of PDXs super cool hipster chicks, plus she looks great in leather and togs riding around on her T25 Triumph warning, some of her portfolio above is NSFW, wont raise any eyebrows here in PDX but in some places might create some issues.
I also have contacted the former frame builder who owned C&J Frames, he is semi retired now but is willing to make a few more frames, and I have the materials he needs to replicate them, (He doesnt have the original jig anymore, but I do) You could configure it any way you want,
My motors have the earlier Falicone cranks, and I believe superior, Falicone and Norton parted ways for a number of reasons and the word around the campfire is that Norton went with an Asian supplier, but at this point thats just a rumour, long term will determine how the vendor parts stream works out.
Thats a tough business,,, managing a limited cash flow and dealing with vendors.
The biggest issue in my mind is one few people are discussing, and its not just Norton who is dealing with this but those petrol tanks?
This isnt a new problem, Buell dealt with this in their tuber frames with bubbling paint and graphics, they solved it with seperate tank covers and eventually fuel in the frames instead. But Ducati, MV Agusta, BMW, Triumph and the rest are all scrambling to address this prohlem. The market is dominated by Acerbis, all the major companies use them. And most of their products are great, However this Alcohol in the fuel business is eating tanks left and right.
Theres a Duc dealership in Texas thats addressing this on some of their models by replacing the affected tanks with new tanks that have been lined with a sealer but eventually all sealers seem to fail and the insight I heard from Business insiders is "Buy time till the warranty runs out" I called Evan Wilcox the other day and he told me he gets 2-3 calls a week on this topic, and has piles of failed tanks with Caswell in them, and he has a long waiting list for replacement tanks in alloy. At some point the major bike companies all are going to have to come up with a solution to this.
Be interesting what CW comes up with a future article about these bikes. And while you are at it, any chance you can talk to Indian/Polaris and tell them to come out with a "Sport Scout"?? Id buy one, the new indians are cool, but I already have a Laz-y-boy recliner in my living room, I dont need a leather and concho festooned one in my garage. Just like Big Twin HDs,, I have no use for them, I like Hot rodded Sportsters and Buells and own a multitude of them
Bring on the Sport Scout!
Come on up to the Norton rally and Ill bring the Oregon Beer, Theres a reason the Beer media/Press have declared Oregon to be "Beervana", Ill send you home with your own 961 to flog along with a case of Rogue brewings Dead guy Ale or McMennamins Terminator Stout. Dont forget the winner of the above auction gets 2 free passes to the rally.
