Reputable suppliers

Which company is the most reputable supplier of Commando engine parts in the UK ? - Asking for a friend.

Andover Norton ,RGM

don't forget the Norton owners club also have spares

The elephant in the room is the one to avoid
"The bearded elephant"

Both RGM and AN have always be first rate in my experience.

Maurice said:

don't forget the Norton owners club also have spares

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And where do they get them from, Norvil so off my list.

The service from RGM and Andover Norton has always been brilliant in my experience.

Whenever I can can, I try to get stuff from RGM.
Their prices are good, and their delivery times are absolutely superb.

They are also an Andover Norton reseller - I assume both Andover and RGM get paid when I buy something, so I’m happy with that.

Andover are of course the defacto in terms of original quality (or better) parts, and they have always been brilliant too.
I also really like their newsletter - makes me feel connected.
l applaud the work they do to keep the Classic Norton lights on!

I won’t start on Norvil, as they are not my favorite - not solely because of Les, but that is the main reason.

kommando said:

And where do they get them from, Norvil so off my list.

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I hadn't realised that
Also off my list then
Cheers

I thought That the NOC held their own stock and also commissioned stock to be built at prices beneficial to club members. For example they have an all stainless rear wheel spindle assembly for only £40.
Perhaps someone at the NOC could shed some light on this?

ZDF/Joe Seifert (owner of Andover Norton) on NOC forum before he left the NOC.


Submitted by joe_seifert on Wed, 29/11/2017

Previously Peter White wrote:

This defamatory statement was brought to the attention of the NOC Exec some months ago and itâs very disappointing that Andover Norton have not yet seen fit to remove it. Our understanding is that the gaskets in question were indeed purchased by the club from that well known supplier based in Staffordshire. On enquiry they advised - and are prepared to swear an affidavit to the fact - that it was part of a consignment originating from - you guessed it.. Andover Norton...

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Given that I cancelled the account of "Norvil Motorcycles" with Andover Norton half a decade ago- in fact on 1st October, 2012- I, too, would like to see the paper trail for what is clearly not sourced from us. In fact I declined to sell anything to that enterprise since that date.As a common gasket does not normally have a shelf live of over 5 years you may ask yourself how believeable the claim from Mr.Emery is this was a gasket sourced from us.

And talking of sourcing: Andover Norton has, over the last ten years, offered to supply the Club Spares Scheme again and again. Nothing ever came of it bar the purchase of a handful of rotary parts for a spares scheme administrator. Ask yourself why the Club's Spares Scheme continues to spend your money with somebody whom I, as a member since the 1970s, remember as having been "problematic" for the club again and again. The recent legally insubstantial threat- that cost your money- is but one example.

What I publish on Andover Norton's webpages is what I believe is true. If a party concerned has a problem with my opinion they know where to find me. If that party can convince me that what I published is false I remove that statement immediately. In the case above that is highly unlikely.

Perhaps before Peter White's posts are removed from the NOC website, as were the posts about the Andover Norton vs NOC legal dispute,
Peter's posts should be kept for posterity:


Submitted by Peter White on Wed, 29/11/2017

This defamatory statement…​

This defamatory statement was brought to the attention of the NOC Exec some months ago and it's very disappointing that Andover Norton have not yet seen fit to remove it. Our understanding is that the gaskets in question were indeed purchased by the club from that well known supplier based in Staffordshire. On enquiry they advised - and are prepared to swear an affidavit to the fact - that it was part of a consignment originating from - you guessed it.. Andover Norton...




Submitted by Peter White on Mon, 04/12/2017

Members should take care b…​

Members should take care before immediately taking sides against the club spares scheme without giving the matter some thought. Perhaps firstly we should ask What is a "genuine" spare part? Andover Norton spares can no longer be branded Norton spares as the name is now licensed by Stuart Garner and Norton Motorcycles Ltd. Although AN hold a number of original drawings of Norton parts, they are not alone in doing so and their list of drawings is by no means comprehensive. Frankly for a spare part to be marketed as a "genuine" spare, some 50 years after the original design is perhaps being optimistic. Iâd suggest that quality and value are much more important issues?
Now we come to the defamatory statement regarding the club's spares scheme - the NOC does market a small number of Commando spares. Frankly we have never attempted to compete with the major suppliers as the Commando parts marketplace has been pretty robust. That said, we are required by our constitution to help ensure the supply of spares to our members and maintaining the spares scheme is an important part of that. In my earlier post I didn't state that AN had sold the spares to Norvil - merely that the spares had originated there. What seems likely is that if there was a quality problem, the club may not have had the opportunity to resolve it with the member. It was wrong however for Andover Norton to infer that the Club sells poor quality and non "genuine" parts.
That the club has not chosen to purchase spares from Andover Norton has much more to do with Mr Seifert's pricing than his quality which is generally acceptable. Just as Joe maintains his membership of the club so do many NOC members purchase his spare parts. I for one am not looking to escalate this disagreement into something which could endanger either.

I don't think WE in the colonies really want to get or faces rubbed in the ins and outs of the NOC, who's existence is only geared to serve its members in Mother England.

as I see it , i can and will buy from a variety of suppliers out of the UK except from NOrvil/Les emery.

' who's existence is only geared to serve its members in Mother England. '

There are those in the UK who would dispute that too, but I voted with my feet

850commando said:

I don't think WE in the colonies really want to get or faces rubbed in the ins and outs of the NOC, who's existence is only geared to serve its members in Mother England.

as I see it , i can and will buy from a variety of suppliers out of the UK except from NOrvil/Les emery.

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I think the only point being is that the NOC is not needed as a parts supplier.

But man I'm also so tired of the purse swinging over there.

Such purse swinging is precisely why I am not in the NOC and have no intention of joining.

I use RGM and have always been very happy

Sorry, I was not intending to rub anybodies face, just pointing out that if you buy from the NOC you are likely buying parts supplied from from Norvil (Fair Spares)
which it seems the NOC will then deny

To those not in the NOC you will have missed Peter White's (Vice Chairman of NOC) statement on page 26 of April 2020 Roadholder the NOC magazine:


We are pleased to advise members that the breach of copyright dispute which was raised against the Club by Andover Norton Ltd (ANIL) has now been settled.

The dispute centered on the purchase in 1991 by the NOC of a cabinet full of dye line copies of engineering drawings originating from the AMC Plumstead
tool room.

ANIL asserted their ownership of the copyright to these drawings and claimed the club was in breach of that copyright by taking copies in order to make parts
for te Clubs spares scheme. The Club disputed ANIL's claim and were supported by their imdemnity insurancetaken out under the auspices of the Federation
of British Historic Vehicle Clubs

The agreement allows the club to continue using their drawings to make parts for their spares scheme and for technical research in support of their members

Under the agreement. in return of an undisclosed sum and certain indemnities against further legal action the club has agreed to make a copy of the drawings
available to ANIL.

A spokesmann for the club commented. "We are pleased that this legal action has been resolved and that our member's interests have been protected. We look
forward to continue working alongside ANIL and other parts suppliers in support of Norton Motorcycle owners worldwide"


Correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like the NOC spent a great deal of time, efffort, upset, ill-feeling, money to stop ANIL making Norton spares , but ended
up agreeing on the financial offer ANIL originally made to the NOC such that ANIL could make the spares we need?

Thanks for the heads-up on Norvil. I'm thinking of rebuilding my second motor and need connecting rods and pistons. I really like the thought of Jim's long Carillo rods and light 12 to 1 comp. pistons. But I think that might limit my options, once I go in that direction. Has anyone used MAP parts ? My friend has an Atlas that he raced years ago and uses MAP con-rods.

I actually buy Commando parts from all of the UK suppliers, but for standard engine parts it's always A-N or RGM only, as per previous correspondents.

Staytite said:

Sorry, I was not intending to rub anybodies face, just pointing out that if you buy from the NOC you are likely buying parts supplied from from Norvil (Fair Spares)
which it seems the NOC will then deny

To those not in the NOC you will have missed Peter White's (Vice Chairman of NOC) statement on page 26 of April 2020 Roadholder the NOC magazine:

[Bogus Edited]

Correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like the NOC spent a great deal of time, efffort, upset, ill-feeling, money to stop ANIL making Norton spares , but ended
up agreeing on the financial offer ANIL originally made to the NOC such that ANIL could make the spare we need?

Click to expand...

Absolutely the case - A bunch of amateurs with zero understanding of copyright. It's also questionable whether the drawings were legally obtained from the factory in the first instance.
As an NOC member it was my money too...