1929 Model Big Four Norton - SOLD

Sent by Bob

This 1929 Big Four featured in an earlier blog. Bob:"I have now finished this Norton, a lovely machine; fitted new magneto, mains, fork bushes, wheel bearings, valves, piston and rebore, spokes, original registration and V5C, tyres, tubes, clock in tank, etc etc. Simon checked the numbers with the Works Records and it's the original frame to engine. But I have a problem, I can't hold her up or kick her over without doing more damage to a recent knee operation. I was going to put a chair on but the wife has a change of mind. I think I will have to sell. I'm looking for serious offers. Anyone interested should email John who will forward the emails to me."

Norton at the 1914 Isle of Man TT

This photo was taken on Ramsey Promenade during the 1914 TT races on the Isle of Man. From left to right: Dan O'Donovan, the Braid Brothers, James Norton and his father sitting inside the sidecar combination. The motorcycles would be TT Model 9's or 3 1/2 HP models while Pa Norton brought his Big Four. This is another pic of Ossie Braid on this very machine.

...same day, same people, except for James' father.

...and looking at the rider's number (59), this must be Dan at the 1914 TT.

1916 Model Big Four Norton

"In yard of Queen's Head Coventry. Wartime Norton m/c on test 1916 or 1917" is written on the rear of this photo. In "Perfect in Every Part", a book on Francis Simpson.

The Norton in the picture would be a 1916/1917 model destined for the Russian army. Note the full enclosure of the rear chain the the additional set of footrests.

Simon: "A friend of mine has one of these WW1 Big Fours which came from Finland and is almost certainly one of those sent to Russia before the Revolution. Juris in Latvia has another which he acquired in Moscow a few years ago."

c1926 Big Four Nortons

From the OldClassicCar website; at least one, but probably two Big Four Norton sidecar combinations. The registration number and large front brakes suggest 1926 models.

1912 Big Four Norton

Sent by Martin

Whilst looking for something else in a 1912 Motorcyclist's Handbook, I found this rather fine Norton which is a Big Four with Roc 2 speed hub.  The picture looks odd because there is no belt fitted at the time the picture was taken.

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.

G H Tucker, 1922 Model Big Four Norton

This photo shows Tucker after winning the 600cc 200 miles (!) Sidecar Race at Brooklands on 17 June 1922 (From dr Bayleys The Vintage Years at Brooklands).

Luggage racks

An email from Geoff

I obtained an old and original rack for my 1925 Big Four...trouble is it doesnt fit! I think it is from a 16H but I don't know what year bike the rack came off. The arms on this rack are too close together and too short where they bolt onto the frame for my Big Four so I reckon on the Big Four rack the arms are slightly longer and angle slightly outwards at about 15 to 20 degrees so as to fit onto the studs on the outside of the rear downtubes which must be wider apart on the Big Four than the 16H. Another reason it doesnt fit could be that pre-1925 model racks have a different part number to 1925 onward models. If anyone can send me the dimensions of a 1925 to 1927 Big Four rack from the fixing bolt holes just above the spindle vertically to the topside of the platform where the luggage fixes and the length of the front arms I would be very grateful!

Geoff's 1925 Big Four Norton

An email from Geoff in the UK: "I bought this Big Four in bits. It was in a thousand pieces as the previous owner started the restoration. These pics were given to me with the bike. I have now loosely assembled it. We built the engine and gearbox and fitted it with the clutch and primary chain etc. and it runs. 

I live inside the M25 Motorway north east of London. Is there anyone who might be able to supply a valenced front mudguard or perhaps someone within say about 150 kilometers of me who has an original Big Four that I could speak to and perhaps get a chance to make cardboard patterns of the front guard valences?"

Please contact John and I'll forward your contact details.

Bob's 1929 Big Four Norton

An email from Bob in the UK:

"This is my 1929 Big Four; it's only 3 weeks old! So lots of restoring and finding a few parts. The magneto and piston are the main parts missing! Will send more photos as and when! Cheers Bob"

Bas's 1935 Big Four Norton

Bas has been riding his 1935 Big Four Norton for a decade and it never let him down. While he is in the habit of completely dismantling motorbikes and storing them in little boxes he hasn't even looked once into the primary chain case of his Big Four; some say that his lack of spanner work on this bike is exactly the reason why Bas can still join us on trips on his Norton.

The Norton is a 1935 model with a few bits and pieces, like the front mudguard, that are not correct. It does have a very nice panel tank and because it probably still is on sidecar gearing it can keep up with a Model 18 on acceleration.

Reece's c1923 Big Four Norton

Work in progress! This is Reece's 1923-1924 Big Four Norton.

1924 Big Four Norton outfit

Another great photo from Martin in the USA, where does he get them!?

Martin: "Since you have been posting sidecars I thought you might like this one. Not a very good pic of the Norton but I feel there is enough information to make an identification. The Rudge sidecar looks special. What should we call this? A "fore and aft"? I love the man's jacket and gauntlets! The back of this unused card only says, "the family" handwritten in pencil. It sure looks like a happy Norton family"

The shape of the tank identifies the machine as a Big Four model and by the look of the handlebars and the size of the front break drum I would suggest it was made in 1924.

Roger: "1924 could be quite right as the Fife registration is from late 1924. The tax disc is visible and isn't banded but this probably means that it was a quarterly one as only the annual ones were banded. The sidecar looks as though it has grown with the family and that may be why they needed to step up from a Rudge to a Big Four."

Martin S.: "The SP registration number was issued in Fife, Scotland and the last such number (SP9999) was issued in April 1925, so the Norton is probably a 1924 model. As a long standing Rudge owner as well as Norton owner, I checked and scanned (below) the relevant page from an original 1922 sales catalogue which shows a tubular chassis and body very similar to the one shown in the photo, even down to the Rudge logo on the side of the nose!! The flat steel strip chassis was introduced from approximately 1925, whereas this one would of course be earlier than 1924 as it probably is on its second motorcycle! The extra seat in the nose is definitely a modification, with extra footwell as well... Cosy!!"

...and Howard: "This Big 4 outfit has P&H lamps fitted including a pair of P&H side wings to the headlamp. I can also see the top of a Cowey horn bolted to the top tube of the frame. Both of these accessories are fairly rare and very expensive nowadays."

1923 Model Big Four Norton

An email from the USA:

"Hello, I'm hoping that one of your Norton aficionados might be able to help me with the attached photos. The gent driving the outfit is my great grandfather William Gegg, and I do know that the picture was taken in 1923 or earlier. I think it may be a Norton, but I would love to be able to confirm this, as the photo is posted on my family's Ancestry.com page and we're trying to identify all of the machinery. If it's any help, the photo was taken in North Yorkshire, near Scarborough.

Thanks in advance for any help!
Gordon
Wisconsin, USA"

The picture above was copied from a brochure front cover for 1923 and it looks very similar to me; the shape of the tank at front identifies the machine as a Big Four. Noteworthy accessories are the electric lights and does the bike have a front drum brake? The photo below may be from the same 1923 brochure.

...and Gordon's reply:

"The younger lady in the photographs was my grandmother, who passed away in 1923 after giving birth to my father; we now know that these may be the last photographs taken of her and that she could have been pregnant with my father at the time. The gentleman, William Gegg owned a popular confectionary and restaurant in Scarborough, the older passenger is his wife Margo, and the younger is my grandmother, named Eveline."


...and from Roger:

The pictures of the Big 4 are intriguing. Although they may have been taken in 1923 I am not so sure that the machine was new at that time. The North Yorkshire registration is a lot earlier that 1923 as by the middle of the year then next letters were being used. As the series started in 1904 and went up to 9999 the registration date is likely to be around 1920; this could date the outfit to around 1920 which may be right for the motorcycle and sidecar. The electric lighting set would have been available by that date but we need to check whether Norton made it an option as this may be the best dating evidence available. The outfit looks well used so this would support the date.


I think that I can see the rod for the rim brakes in the side on picture. In addition the tax disc for 1923 should show a vertical green stripe. The disc is either not there or is of the 1921/2 type with no stripe.