norman_wisdom Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) Hi all, My Norman trials was first registered (in mid 1962) to this dealership in Leeds, who kept hold of it for the first year of its life. Does anyone know anything about the shop itself or its owners? Norman competition bikes were only built to special order by this time, and its a little unusual that it was sold to a dealership so far away from Norman's backyard in Kent, although there is a possibility the bike was assembled by Raleigh/TI in Nottingham after their takeover. Bike was subseqently sold to a Mr. Kirkland in Otley. Norman's probably weren't the most competitive of bikes by the middle of '62, which might explain why the shop had it for a year, or of course, perhaps someone there was trialing it? Edited January 20, 2016 by norman_wisdom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman_wisdom Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Hi Deryk, Many thanks for taking an interest and the time to reply, as always, your input is very much appreciated. As always these things are a bit of a long shot, but you never know who is reading with a nugget of information, hence the question. While the factory's team efforts in the 50's with the rigids meant a few of those were sold, the Norman B4 as a trials bike was only made in tiny numbers, so I was hoping there is a chance that it might jog some memories too, perhaps in the Otley area. Thanks once again, Norman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Hi Guy's. I have spent best part of yesterday researching the "Norman". Breed, And you are right they, the trials bikes seem to have only been made in small numbers. There was a resurgence after the works bikes , six I think ran in the 1956 SSDT, and this is the time I am interested in. Why? Well it was a guy named Glynn Thomas that had a Norman B2 trials bike that made me want to get into the trials game. Story on my site. Being owned by TI from 1952? onwards did not help in the end, when the brothers retired in 1962 TI (Tube Investments) seems to have lost all interest in the breed, and were happy to see the name slip away. I must say I liked the simplicity of the design of the machine, although the last B4C frame was the only welded construction with what looked like twin seat tubes, the cast lug frames on the previous generations were very pleasing to the eye. And you know the old saying if something looks right it most usually works right. Now a replica Norman might be the New James or Bantam? Regards Charlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telecat Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 There is a "Leeds Back in the Day" facebook group so I have thrown the problem at them to see if anybody has any Info. I went to City of Leeds School in that Area, (before it went downhill), And the area was filled with Offices for the Leeds Permanent Building Society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman_wisdom Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) Hi Guy's. I have spent best part of yesterday researching the "Norman". Breed Hi Charlie, glad to have rekindled your interest with a little research into the inspiration for your own passion for trials. I had been looking for a rigid for a long time when the B4C came up and plumped for that. On the B4, the front part of the frame is lugged/bronze, while the rear (as you say) is made up of two welded-up triangles that 'push on' to a t-piece lug at the seat end of the top tube, with a rear mudguard stay bolting to the shortened seat tubes on either side. Interesting the idea (from another thread) re crank over wheel spindle height for 'Trad Trials' Eligibility. The B4 would probably fail this test and have to be classed as a 'special' (!!) as the motor is placed very high up in the frame on the deep engine plates, only problem these plates then project quite some distance below the engine (doubling up as protection for the low-slung exhaust front pipe) and leaving only around 9" of ground clearance under them. Now a replica Norman might be the New James or Bantam? . I hope that Norman's aren't used to get into that little 'arms race'... I would love to build a rigid Norman, but originals are very very scarce. A replica frame would be nice, but as soon as that happens the temptation is to lift things up here, shorten them there, and suddenly you've got a 2016 frame rather than a '54. Some of the later roadster frames (including the very pretty B4) could be adapted (as 'Traf' here on TC has done), to make something a little different. Deryk's excellent thread and photos here http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/topic/48802-a-norman-trials-machine/shows some different approaches from the factory. As you say, there was definitely something right about the way they looked. Interesting that in the photos in the Deryk's thread the 'works' Ken Edwards bike is sporting a set of 'conventional' tele forks rather than Armstrong leading link, anyone recognise what the forks are, heavyweight Cub?? The frame itself on this bike doesn't appear to be a standard product either, with curved loops immediately in front of the rear shock top mounts. There is a "Leeds Back in the Day" facebook group so I have thrown the problem at them to see if anybody has any Info. I went to City of Leeds School in that Area, (before it went downhill), And the area was filled with Offices for the Leeds Permanent Building Society. Many thanks for that and great idea! All the best, Norman Edited January 21, 2016 by norman_wisdom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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