Java Yezdi and Norton Motorcycles

28/06/2022

Cash on delivery available

27/06/2022

Most affordable and quality Bikee gears

25/06/2022

25/06/2022

Mental health should be discussed more openly and honestly. Knowing how to lead a happier life by improving your mental health is important. There are many different types of Meditation, and each can help you achieve a different goal.

25/06/2022

24/06/2022

No matter what you’re going through, it’s important to keep yourself calm.

17/01/2022

Norton is Back!

The reboot of Norton is proceeding well under new owner Indian brand TVS, one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world, who purchased the brand for £16M in April 2020. Few Western riders know TVS as their 2.9 Million motorcycles built per year (2019) are chiefly for their domestic Indian market, which sees total sales of around 1M bikes per month.

Put in context, TVS is larger than the combined outputs of all American and European motorcycle manufacturers combined. If that blows your mind, remember TVS is only the 4th largest moto manufacturer in India: reigning king Hero Motors build 9M bikes/year! [read our article ‘There Goes My Hero’: https://thevintagent.com/2017/11/22/there-goes-my-hero/].

So, much like Jaguar and Land Rover under Tata ownership, we can expect a serious increase in quality control and vastly improved engineering for Norton under TVS. These legacy British brands hold a deep and dear spot for Indian vehicle enthusiasts, regardless the legacy of colonialism: British brands represent aspirational quality…something which previous Norton owner Stuart Garner sullied with his financial chicanery and poor quality control.

TVS calls out the Garner-built Commando as ‘unsafe’, and the Financial Times notes “Norton’s rebirth comes as Stuart Garner, its former owner, is being prosecuted by the Pensions Regulator for allegedly illegally investing money in the business from three pension schemes for which he was the sole trustee.” You’ll look good in stripes, Stuart.

TVS expects to start rolling out an improved version of the current Commando in the second half of 2022, and is continuing development of the Norton V4 engine. And, of course, they have invested heavily in eBike research, so expect an electric Norton announced in Q2 of ‘22.

[📸 Financial Times]

17/01/2022

On this date, October 20, 1936, 108 Norton WD16H 490cc side valve, single-cylinder motorcycles were prepared to be shipped to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) Chilwell Depot, Nottinghamshire, England. Beginning in January of 1936, Norton engineers began working with the War Office on a wide range of modifications to the 16H model.

Military orders were placed for the 16H ( then designated WD16H for War Department use) from 1936 and continued throughout the course of the war, setting a ten-year record for the longest time the War Office procured a single make of motorcycle. The entire staff of the Norton factory on Bracebridge Street, Birmingham were needed to meet demand - even the racing team found themselves on the WD16H production line.

A popular dispatch bike, the WD16H was also used for training, reconnaissance, convoy control and es**rt duties. Military Nortons used paint schemes in Army Service Green, Khaki green, Khaki brown or Olive green. A number of bikes were painted 'desert camouflage' by local workshops in the Middle East and used in Palestine and the North Africa Campaign.

Norton was one of the main suppliers of motorcycles to the British Army in World War II with a total of nearly 100,000 produced. British Army Nortons were also supplied to the Commonwealth forces such as Australian, New Zealand, India and Canada. The 16H would be one of the first civilian models built by Norton after the end of the war.

In 1947 it received its final upgrade, the girder front end was canned in favor off telescopic forks to improve handling and give the bike a more 'modern' look. The basic engine configuration proved popular so Norton continued production until the mid-1950's when the fashion for twin cylinder bikes were what all the cool kids wanted.