1910 Model 3 1/2 Norton

Sent by Andrew in Australia

This Norton is an original machine. It belonged to Eric Langton (brother of Oliver). It came out of South Australia about 40 years ago. It had corroded crankcases and Eric made a pattern and cast new ones but I have the original cases in my shed. I took these and lots more photos in the ally way behind the house where it is stored. I then took it home and fixed the magneto and rode it a few times. It went really well. I spent a far amount of time talking with Eric about pattern making and lots about riding for the Scott factory in the TT and then lots about world champianship speed way racing, all very interesting. I have just about finished a pattern for the cylinders for this machine if someone needs one.

Andrew's 1910 Big Four Norton

Sent by Andrew in Australia

This is my 1910 Big 4 Norton with a ROC 2 speed rear hub. I haven’t found any others of this model anywhere. The hub is the genuine Nortoroc, not just a generic Roc hub. It is missing the parts that work the hub but I am slowly making the bits. It is quite a bit different to hubs that were used by humber and Rex. I would dearly like a frame for a 1910 single speeder or even bits of a frame but I guess that is a long hope.

I have some crankcases that I cast if anyone needs some inclusive the timing chest cover and the chain case for the mag chain.

c1910 Model 3 1/2 Norton

Joan from Barcelona sent these pics. I'm not sure about the year or model, perhaps one of the readers knows more about this motorcycle?

Howard: "As soon as I spotted this Norton I knew what it was, or to be precise what it is not. And it's not a Norton! Take a good look at the frame lugs.....its a lash-up. This bike is a replica built up by the late Bill Fruin. Bill has been dead for many years and this bike was sold at auction along with all of Bill's other bikes (many Nortons as well), and it sold for reasonable money so someone was taken in at the time. I cannot find my copy of Bill Fruin's auction catalogue but I am sure it is the same bike. I know it did the rounds for a while."

John from the UK: "I think this was a ‘fake’ stuck together by Bill Fruin and sold in the Auction of his machines in the 1980’s. I seem to remember Titch Allen covering it’s somewhat dubious history in the VMCC magazines at the time."

Simon: "Not sure if this is the Fruin fake or not - his fake was a 350cc machine not a 3 1/2 hp (ie 500cc) bike."

V-twin Norton

Another one sent by Howard: "A photo of a V-twin Norton in Hobart, back in the early days. The Norton is the motorcycle on the extreme left"


Is it the same Norton as in this picture, taken at a dealer's showroom in Hobart?

Stephen's 1910 Model 3 1/2 HP Norton

Stephen (from the Bracebridge Street Norton Register) sent a photo of his 1910 Model 3 1/2 HP Norton:

"This was a trip down to Brighton with a load of other veteran bikes on the Pioneer Run. It was not an easy ride as she is very high geared for speed and not for going through congested towns. A hundred year old Norton and still going strong, here is to the next hundred."

V-twin Norton

This photo was sent by Howard from Australia: "I have attached a very early photo of a dealers showroom here in Hobart, Tasmania. Smack bang in the middle is a V-twin Norton.....rare bird indeed. Alas it does not still exist as far as I know. Interesting photo.....I wonder how many V-twin Nortons do still exist?"

The picture must have been taken a 100 years ago and the V-twin Norton should be similar to the one used by Rem Fowler to win the 1907 TT races (below).