Would a Chinese Norton be that bad ?

Don't get me wrong on this China buying... I've seen and bought some excellent items they make, but you have to be aware and keep both eyes open when doing so. I don't approve of them in many ways, but face it they've near blanketed the markets.... Though in a nutshell a 'Norton' comes from 'England'. Mine stated England. Not Great Britain.. Not the frigging EU, not India, most assuredly not China. Not even the USA.
I tried saving the sticker when painting the rusty rear mudguard, so now got to order one to show proof I guess.
 
I say made in Canada. We have $1,000,000 and an experienced shop of 100 people super high end manufacturing of power gen and aerospace. Let me know. Lol. Probably a little short on cash right?
 
richard-7 said:
I say made in Canada. We have $1,000,000 and an experienced shop of 100 people super high end manufacturing of power gen and aerospace. Let me know. Lol. Probably a little short on cash right?
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Richard,

If you could get the owner of the Norton name into a card game, and win the rights to the marque......
I'd buy Canadian.:p
 
richard-7 said:
I say made in Canada. We have $1,000,000 and an experienced shop of 100 people super high end manufacturing of power gen and aerospace. Let me know. Lol. Probably a little short on cash right?
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If you are making the serviceable parts then I'm buying Canadian (thumbs up).... failing that, if my clutch basket blows up and the Chinese just happen to be making them, then I guess that's where I will have to shop.
 
Great idea. We don't need any blasphemy from the Chinese... Besides their chicken scratch doesn't translate well into English for shop manuals.
 
Clive said:
Except it wouldn't be a Chinese Norton - it would be a Chinese bike with the word 'Norton' stuck on it.
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Would a Chinese Norton be that bad ?


Just saying.
At least there has been one honorable person evolved in the name Norton since the NVT self inflicted destruction.
 
I never buy China made products when I have a choice.
TVs, cell phones are China made products.
Everything else I try to buy USA, UK, German,
 
BLIGHTYBRIT/SF said:
View attachment 14390 Rumours of Chinese built bikes ! Are they that bad , I’m at the the London Excel bike show atm & looking at the AJS stand , check out these prices , the interceptor is £6200 , Caldwell clubman is £2,700 , tempest scrambler is £2,250 , & the unnamed black new model is approx £4,000 & must say they looked ok ? View attachment 14387View attachment 14388View attachment 14389
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IMO, no, not if it meant there would be a reliable supply of quality parts/service items!
 
Let’s see.
A Chinese investor that also has a fireworks business based in China?
And he wants to take over Norton’s current operations?
Déjà vu?

or Déjà Woo Hang.

I’ll pass.
 
MxMartin said:
If you are making the serviceable parts then I'm buying Canadian (thumbs up).... failing that, if my clutch basket blows up and the Chinese just happen to be making them, then I guess that's where I will have to shop.
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We’re British and living in Canada if that helps. Lol. Im not even going to start making anything until we hear what happens with this current situation. But we considering making one07 after market replacement parts.
 
richard-7 said:
We’re British and living in Canada if that helps. Lol. Im not even going to start making anything until we hear what happens with this current situation. But we considering making one07 after market replacement parts.
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If mine breaks and you are making it then i'm buying :) As said elsewhere, nothing stopping you putting your carbon parts back into the supply chain, you could always change one teeny-weeny aspect of each then nobody could accuse you of 'copying', just a thought.
 
There's still a lot of junk coming out of China but it's good to keep an open mind.
When you buy something based only on country of Origin assumptions, get ready for big disappointment.
We all know the UK is very capable of producing junk, but who would have thought Germany would produce cars that are low in quality while still being high in price?
At least the Chinese junk is cheap!
I've had poor products from many different countries as well as excellent products from those same countries.
One of the worst woodworking machines I've ever encountered was an auto feed thickness planer manufactured in the US.
One of the best woodworking machines I've used is a huge old seven ton triple head throughfeed Oscillating drum sander manufactured in the US by Yates.
So for me, country of Origin means very little.
Right now my $17 Chinese sprag is working beautifully to start my Norton whereas the $180 UK sourced sprag failed almost immediately.
But I understand the reluctance to accept Chinese stuff, it's everywhere and much of it is very low in quality.

Glen
 
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Clive said:
Except it wouldn't be a Chinese Norton - it would be a Chinese bike with the word 'Norton' stuck on it.

Why not buy a nice sensible and reliable H*nda instead and put a Norton sticker on it?
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If a Chinese factory copied the 650 twin, or V4 faithfully, or the 961 for that matter, it would be a Chinese Norton, a Chinorton.
However, I prefer Suzuki coping the 961, and producing a Norzuki, cause it name just rolls off the tongue.:cool:
 
The irony here in some ways, when talking about building Norton’s in China and the poor quality we often see coming from China, is that Donington definitely demonstrated the ability to build to a high quality standard.

When I bought my 961 I fully expected, and intended, to have to change the coils and relays etc. But to the best of my ability, comparing what was fitted to the bike, to the pictures and explanations I could find, they were all genuine Bosch.

I also intended to go through the wiring and apply dielectric grease to all the connectors and re-route any poorly routed wires etc. But all the connectors were greased from the factory, and I couldn’t fault any of the wiring routing.

I never found a loose fastener on the bike either. Or an oil leak.

Furthermore, my bike never had any of the running or idling or oil in the airbox issues suffered by many.

So, they could do it...
 
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