OzVMX Forum

Marque Remarks => British (BSA, Greeves, Triumph etc) => Topic started by: EML on May 07, 2012, 07:57:10 pm

Title: Normans from the 50s
Post by: EML on May 07, 2012, 07:57:10 pm

I was reading some old pommy mags today and came across a shot of a Norman made in the UK in the 50s.  Does anyone remember them?
I have found F all on the web about them and what most impressed me was a model they had for trials and scrambles that had "long twin rear shocks that were mounted from near the rear spindle  to in front of the large seat" very much in the means of much later cantilever style shocks.
So how did they go and where are they now??
They ran Villiers two pot motors of various sizes-who didn't?

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: Tossa on May 07, 2012, 08:06:17 pm

http://www.normanmotorcycles.org.uk/

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: firko on May 07, 2012, 10:37:33 pm

Back in the early 70's I worked with a bloke who had a Norman trials bike. He traded it on a TL125, I think the dealer gave him $50 trade in. :'(

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: EML on May 08, 2012, 08:18:25 am

Quote from: firko on May 07, 2012, 10:37:33 pm

Back in the early 70's I worked with a bloke who had a Norman trials bike. He traded it on a TL125, I think the dealer gave him $50 trade in. :'(

So which skip did that go into??
Still no pics of the long travel rear one I mentioned-was there ever any talk about them?

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: firko on May 08, 2012, 11:38:02 am

Is this what you're looking for Vaughn?
                    (http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m392/cherie_jones/norman.jpg)

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: EML on May 08, 2012, 01:39:40 pm

That looks like it. So, ok I see some long struts from the rear hub to behind the tank but no shocks that they spoke of.
Not a bad looking bit though.

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: Slakewell on May 08, 2012, 02:09:12 pm

Quote from: EML on May 08, 2012, 01:39:40 pm

That looks like it. So, ok I see some long struts from the rear hub to behind the tank but no shocks that they spoke of.
Not a bad looking bit though.

Put your classes on I think you find those struts are the shocks, Nothing is new is it, very forward thinking back in the 50's

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: bazza on May 08, 2012, 02:48:52 pm

Not as cool a suspension as the Can am with forks on the rear.

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: albrid-3 on May 08, 2012, 06:12:36 pm

My first bike was a Norman Villiers 145cc.

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: EML on May 08, 2012, 07:15:29 pm

.....ok so glasses now on and yes I can see the long shocks on the back and they almost look like forks-just like the Can-Am mentioned, so what were they like-does anyone know? I see from the Norman website that there dont appear to be any in the club.
And where is your 145 now mr DBA?

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: Mike52 on May 08, 2012, 07:23:51 pm

Why is my Trend Micro online protection refusing to let me look at that Norman web page.
Why is it saying malicious software ?

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: EML on May 08, 2012, 07:31:51 pm

Funny this end too, yesterday there was no-way I could get into the site, yet today at work I had no probs at all.
Pretty funky bike but.

Title: Re: Normans from the 50s
Post by: albrid-3 on May 08, 2012, 07:35:40 pm

My Norman had no rear shocks