Vermont Brit Iron builder?

I've heard that theres a shop in the Burlington Vermont area that restores Brit Iron, particularly Nortons. Anybody know where they might be? My brother drives that area regularly (truck) and would like to check it out sometime.

It got to be the Classic Bike Experience in Essex, Vt. http://www.classicbikeexperience.com

Chris

That's the shop in the video, Chris did they build or work on your bike? I thought I saw one that looked like yours on the video.

Hortons Norton said:

That's the shop in the video, Chris did they build or work on your bike? I thought I saw one that looked like yours on the video.

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Good eye! That was, in fact, mine sitting there in the video. They are a really good bunch of guys and as honest as they come.

Chris

Northeast Cycle Works in Hudson, MA 978-212-5432, just getting set up but has been doing Norton restorations for years.

RS

Yes, Classic Bike Experience in Exxex, Vt. They are really a great group of guys. I do their paint work for them.
Brent Budgor
The Vintage Vendor

jbbudgor said:

Yes, Classic Bike Experience in Exxex, Vt. They are really a great group of guys. I do their paint work for them.
Brent Budgor
The Vintage Vendor

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And a great job you do! I still love the job you did on my steel tank!

Chris

Chris was your bike featured in a magazine add some time ago?
A burly biker is standing next to aa Norton Commando in same or similar colour scheme.
I think the add was for insurance or chewing tabacco?
Marshal

Just looked at CBE site very intereting approach to hands on assisting the owner in restoration.
I was just in Essex this weekend and wish I'd known about the shop I would have dropped in to say Hi.
We took the Essex ferry from NY side to Vermont and had dinner at Fire &Ice restraunt.
Very good I must add.
There was 1 bike on the ferry w/ us. BMW sorry :cry:
I sure would have loved to cross the river on the ferry and road off like this gent did.
Marshal

MarshalNorton said:

Chris was your bike featured in a magazine add some time ago?
Marshal

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I don't think so. I know there is another bike out there with this color scheme. It's the bike that was used for the picture of the command engine in Daniel Peirce's The Motorcycle Engine print. It seems like I read that the bike used for that print was out of Texas. It could have been that one, although, I think that bike has a springer style bobber seat on it and a "buddy" seat on the rear fender....

Chris

Edit:

I meant to add that my bike's paint scheme was inspired by that print.

These are a great bunch of guys, and the thing they do with bringing resto customers into the shop to work a lot or a little on their own bike is very cool - it gets people really involved in the process and it builds a close network of vintage bike people. I met them when they were just planning the shop (they'd already worked together for some years as a garage vintage bike club) - I was working on a Duc 750GT and realizing that it was too rich for my blood, so I sold it and bought a Mk III, and have had a great time ever since being connected with the shop.

All sorts of people have worked on bikes since the shop opened - many of them old enough to have ridden the bikes when they were young, but not all. We have a young woman who decided to restore a Commando as her first bike - she got her first test ride on it last week, and WAS SHE EVER PUMPED!.... We have a guy who restored a bike for himself, then did a 2nd one with one of his sons, and now is working part-time in the shop. Take a peek at the "Norton Project" video - the link to it is posted on this forum, or you can find it on the CBE website. It's the story of 2 sons who steal their father's torn-down Commando that's been languishing in the garage, bring it from MA to VT to have it restored at CBE, pick it up and bring it home, and give it to their father for Christmas. One of the sons is a videographer and he put together a great production. Give it a peek - it's a great story. -- Peter

That is a great video. Do you happen to know where in MA they live? NOt meaning to stalk them, but always interested in any local Norton riders who I might see on local roads. Tx

/Wow, that's a cool idea letting the customers do their own thing or getting some help. Pretty nice for people that live close by.