Norton Owners Club

[ramwing7]

I have a question about the Norton Owner's Club. 
I'm starting to do some restoration work on a Norton Electra and it seems that the Norton Owners' Club out of England is the "go to" source for many parts.
I was about to join and discovered that there is a group called the Norton Owner's Club of North America.
Are these two affiliated?
More importantly can I buy parts from the NOC if I'm a member of the NOCNA?  Since I live in the United States the latter seems closer to home.
I considered contacting one or both clubs, but there doesn't seem to be any expedient way to do it.

I appreciate any insight.
Thanks.

[R]

Can't say I've even heard of that american connection.
There are a couple of other USA clubs that have some affiliation,
such as the Californian lot and the International INOA club.
Quite what the connection is though ?

The NOC is on facebook these days, enquire there. ?
https://www.facebook.com/pg/NortonOwnersClub/posts/

I found being a member if not in the UK was a less than satisfactory arrangement,
apart from getting access to spares. Supply of which was a little haphazard ... ?
The magazine had lots of interesting stuff, if you had years and years of magazines collected,
and were a died-in-the-wool Nortoneer.

[iansoady]

I'm a member and have been for a long time. It's not the most "modern" club in the world but the forum is serviceable and there is a vast amount of knowledge there for the asking. The spares scheme is good but as it's run by volunteers can be a bit slow. There's a thriving lightweight section (and BTW if you tire of the Electra I may be interested although I'm in the UK).

Join via the website: https://www.nortonownersclub.org/join Only £15 /year for international membership.

I have no knowledge of the US version I'm afraid.

[TGR90B]

Club volunteers are essential and do a wonderful job. They can, however, get very prickly when pressed and who can blame them.

[R]

Join via the website: https://www.nortonownersclub.org/join Only £15 /year for international membership.

Be aware that that website chews a huge amount of data, for no obvious reason that I can see.
If you have an unlimited interweb account this is of no concern, but I noticed on a tablet the data
required for just a few minutes viewing way exceeded the rest of a part days (light) viewing.
Checked this several times, quite a ways apart, same result each time.
It could just be the rolling parade of pictures, (so could be blocked ?)  but the data use was not optimal ....

[iansoady]

Yes, it can also be slow (probably for the same reason). However, a few days ago it speeded up quite significantly - apparently some server tweaks.

[Rex]

Seems strange (to me) that the NOC has a spares scheme as they're usually for bikes which have no recognised (or a very limited) commercial operations supplying spares, and i wouldn't have thought Norton fitted that bill.
Scott and Panther (both of which I've had recent experience) spares schemes are rapid; Panther clutch plates ordered Saturday and arrived on the following Tuesday. 

[iansoady]

They do have lots of stuff for things like singles which are not well served (unless you think that Les Emery fits that bill) and lightweights. In fact I've just bought some fork seals for my Francis Barnett from them as the Jubilee uses the same forks.

[R]

Seems strange (to me) that the NOC has a spares scheme as they're usually for bikes which have no recognised (or a very limited) commercial operations supplying spares, and i wouldn't have thought Norton fitted that bill.

For many years, mudguards for the early Model 7 Norton Dommie twins were unobtanium - they were big and heavy and wide and pointy in the middle,
and owners apparently junked them in the pursuit of more speed. (?)

None of the regular UK suppliers did them, or would consider them.
Several requests to the NOC for a batch to be commissioned was met with a blanket refusal.
No reason given.
This culminated a few years ago with someone in the US bidding $1500 for a pair on UK fleabay, he really wanted them !!

These days, the only option is to consider Indian made ones, and although the Indians can turn out some excellent products,
the Model 7 pointy guards are a bit rough and ready and not exactly like the originals. They work for the 10 yard rule though...
The early version with the swaged edges like this brochure pic are particularly unobtanium

https://www.oldbikemart.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2019/05/OBM-June-2019-PR-p44.jpg

[R]

Yes, it can also be slow (probably for the same reason). However, a few days ago it speeded up quite significantly - apparently some server tweaks.

I just viewed the NOC website -  the forum section.
My data use just skyrocketed - it pulled 50 mb just to view the initial page.

I don't know how they do it, but technically that is abysmal.
Half a mb would be considered normal to large ...

btw, isn't the Vincent Owners Club considered the best as far as club spare go ?
At some point, someone built up a complete Vincent from the spares on offer,
that is quite some achievement.

You could probably do the same these days with Norton spares from Andover Norton,
but only in recent days ...

[Rex]

I know we all get enjoyment from old bikes in different ways but I could never go for the "just as it left the factory" ideal that some do. After all, who's ever going to know that those front mudguard washers were fitted for one year only and you had to go to Guatemala to get them?
And when it comes to riding the bike, who cares?
But each to their own, and all that.

[iansoady]

btw, isn't the Vincent Owners Club considered the best as far as club spare go ?
At some point, someone built up a complete Vincent from the spares on offer,
that is quite some achievement.

Yes, but not much use to a Norton owner......

[R]

True !
But shows what can be done.

Aren't the NOC reputed to be the wealthiest club in motorcycle land.
Members have been  bemoaning this and the lack of action for quite some wee while now. ?
At least they didn't fall for that ruse of buying back the spares business they funded to
set up in the first place ...

[john.k]

I was in the NOC for some years.....I actually did them a favour ,because they were spending more on magazine post than my yearly......anyhoo ,be that as it may,I found the spares scheme a disappointment ,and buying any used stuff from the scheme is folly,as it wont be worth  post cost........I believe they have an actual commercial agreement with the big boys in Norton spares to not compete......Which basically means if you have a Commando ,spares are plentiful from commercial suppliers,but anything uncommon,you wont get spares from the NOC or any commercial supplier.........My other observation is there is virtually no information on the forum ,except for a very few ,and all the "experts" who would normally post on other make forums ,are in fact doing Norton work professionally,and keep things to themselves.........(I dont need info ,just an observation)......And yes ,they are well heeled ......half a million quid in kitty when I was a member.

[Rex]

An amazing amount of money. How and why would an owners club need to amass that sort of spare cash? Clearly the subs have been set far too high for years.