Author Topic: Normans from the 50s  (Read 3304 times)

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Offline EML

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Normans from the 50s
« 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?

Offline Tossa

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2012, 08:06:17 pm »
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Offline firko

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #2 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. :'(
'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline EML

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2012, 08:18:25 am »
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?

Offline firko

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2012, 11:38:02 am »
Is this what you're looking for Vaughn?
                   
'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline EML

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #5 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.

Offline Slakewell

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2012, 02:09:12 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
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Offline bazza

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2012, 02:48:52 pm »
Not as cool a suspension as the Can am with forks on the rear.
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albrid-3

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2012, 06:12:36 pm »
My first bike was a Norman Villiers 145cc.

Offline EML

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #9 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?

Offline Mike52

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #10 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 ?
85/400WR,86/240WR,72/DKW125,Pe250c,TC90,TS100,XT250,86/SRX250,XR400r
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Offline EML

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #11 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.

albrid-3

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Re: Normans from the 50s
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2012, 07:35:40 pm »
My Norman had no rear shocks