Old Britts calling it quits

I found AN to be cheaper than anyone in the USA or Canada even with shipping on OEM-like parts. Parts also arrived faster. That was two months ago. I'm not sure what is going on now.

I live about an hour and change from Old Brits. I never went down there to buy anything, and I can't remember if I ever ordered from them last time I had the engine apart in the late 1980's when I lived about 35 minutes from Raber's Parts Mart, and Phil Radford. I did call Old Brits a couple of months ago looking for I can't remember what, and was directed elsewhere for parts. I think they were done then. Great reading resource.
 
Best wishes to Fred and Ella on a well deserved retirement. It’s a common theme, but when I started down the restoration road with my Commando they were the most helpful of all the people I encountered along the way. It wasn’t just the parts side of it either, they were very generous with expertise and good common sense advice. I had the opportunity to meet them a number of years ago at the INOA gathering in Catskill, NY. I’m glad I did as they are just terrific folks.
 
wco56 said:
I had the opportunity to meet them a number of years ago at the INOA gathering in Catskill, NY. I’m glad I did as they are just terrific folks.
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I was there too, and I regret not having met them. Ella has shipped me stuff overnight in the past. I will miss her.
 
Fred bailed me out a couple times with fuel supply lines for single & dual Mik ,always perfect fit .... glad to see Fred and Ella moving on to retirement , even though they will be missed by our community .... all the best to “Old Brits” from us in Nova Scotia !
 
They were pretty much my go to for my Commando's needs. I met them at a NH rally in 2002 and entertained them with a demonstration of de-construction of a lobster. West Coast residents don't get to see that often.
So friendly and helpful, wish them the best in retirement. What I'll miss about their business is probably the best website for looking up their parts catalog. It had to be the best of all the vendors.
 
Best wishes to Fred and Ella for their well-deserved retirement.

But where am I going to buy all my small parts from now? Loved their convenient online ordering, plus customer service that was second to none.
 
Old Britts was an absolute class act re Norton parts/info. They were incredibly helpful to me when I was "restoring" my disaster of a Commando that I bought from a noted seller of vintage of Brittbikes that they claimed was "ready to ride across the country." Across the country? Heck, it was unable/unsafe to ride around the block when I received it and Old Britts was the major asset in turning it into a virtually bulletproof ride. I'm sorry to see them leave but understand their desire to do so.

It would be nice if someone purchased the "company" and continued at their same level but the reality is that most of the time when that happens, the customer service goes in the crapper as the new "owner(s)" try to figure out how to make the most money with the least effort! ;)

IMO, only CNW is in the same class as OB but, of course, CNW's emphasis is on a different aspect of Norton ownership. Someone suggest that Matt take over for OB. That would be nice for us but if I was Matt, I wouldn't even consider it. But then again, if I was Matt, I wouldn't be in the Norton Commando parts business at all! So good thing for all of us that I'm not Matt! :)
 
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Dang! I've been biding my time to place an order with OB for a prpoer euro spec handle bar that other suppliers in NA don't seem to get correct. OB would not ship direct to Canada so I previously (ie in the before time) used my mail box service in Point Roberts WA just across the border. Can't access that now without 2weeks in isolation coming home.
 
Is British Bike Connection (Jim Noll) still in it? I sent him an inquiry a few months ago and heard nothing back, which is unusual. British Cycle Supply shut down their NJ operation and Frank at Clubman has retired. I guess it is inevitable. Parts supply has never been better though, even when the bikes were new.
I usually go direct to Andover Norton and even with shipping it is cheaper than most US dealers. I am getting some parts now from forum member Greg Marsh in VA and very happy to find him. Very good prices too.
What percentage of Norton riders are age 50 or less? My wife says less than 10%. Just look around at any Norton rally. Buncha grayheads.
 
Tornado said:
Dang! I've been biding my time to place an order with OB for a prpoer euro spec handle bar that other suppliers in NA don't seem to get correct. OB would not ship direct to Canada so I previously (ie in the before time) used my mail box service in Point Roberts WA just across the border. Can't access that now without 2weeks in isolation coming home.
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Wouldn't it be easier to get it from Walridge?
 
batrider said:
Is British Bike Connection (Jim Noll) still in it? I sent him an inquiry a few months ago and heard nothing back, which is unusual. British Cycle Supply shut down their NJ operation and Frank at Clubman has retired. I guess it is inevitable. Parts supply has never been better though, even when the bikes were new.
I usually go direct to Andover Norton and even with shipping it is cheaper than most US dealers. I am getting some parts now from forum member Greg Marsh in VA and very happy to find him. Very good prices too.
What percentage of Norton riders are age 50 or less? My wife says less than 10%. Just look around at any Norton rally. Buncha grayheads.
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Frank has more than retired. :(

I think your wife is correct, I was trying to be optimistic.
 
batrider said:
What percentage of Norton riders are age 50 or less? My wife says less than 10%. Just look around at any Norton rally. Buncha grayheads.
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I was sitting here thinking that my stepson rides a 74 Interstate and he's young - then I realized that he's 54! At least he's not a grayhead - he's a baldhead.
 
Is it a good business strategy to cater for people who have mechanical skills, when the rest of the world is moving on ? The future is throw-away and inbuilt redundancy. I live near the main train line between Melbourne and Sydney. The freight trains roll past every day carrying goods to other parts of Australia. Our local council tips are full of goods which have failed in service.
 
batrider said:
What percentage of Norton riders are age 50 or less? My wife says less than 10%. Just look around at any Norton rally. Buncha grayheads My wife says less than 10%. Just look around at any Norton rally. Buncha grayheads.
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Does she mean REALLY 50-or-under or just trying to act like they are 50 or under? :rolleyes: From what I've seen at Norton get-togethers I'd say that in 2021 the percentage of 50 and under owners would be somewhere between "none" and "OH, I think I've heard about a guy who was under 50!" ;)
 
I'm fairly sure our local club of around 75 folks, we have 3 that are well under 50.

I did buy a few things from Old Brits. A new tranny case.....for one
It is likely that there are multiple sources for the same stuff. ANIL, RGM and Norvil all come in the USA to private sales AND to dealers.
I have multiple sources for wholesale (ANIL) parts like Coventry Spares/John Healey, who does NOT sell to retail but only legit shops and "resellers". However I am not in the norton parts business except I only sell my own products.
British Cycle Supply gets a portion of my sales and if I'm correct he is an ANIL distributor too.
Walridge sells some stuff to New England Norton club guys too.
It is quite a rat race out there.
I suppose I will also get out of norton involvement and go back into my Lotus car hobby which started in 1982. My 67 Elan S3 coupe should fetch $45k or so when done, with maybe $15 K for the 69 Plus 2.
Will I ever get to sell my 20+ norton bikes & basket cases? I'm probably done studying and analyzing them to death by now.:)
 

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