Rocker arms - sorry guys something to worry about

Yes, but consider this.

If they want to sell bikes, and they have a bike that has had a reputation for build quality issues and component consistency, then selling rocker assemblies for 2k (or overpricing spare parts in general) will deter buyers.

There are significant supply issues at the moment for a lot of things, so, I'm sure as Stuart says - it's probably partly down to "we'd prefer not to sell them". This could realistically be due to them wanting the parts for themselves and their builds/warranty.

Fast Eddie said:

…..Push too hard on this and you’re likely to persuade them to revert to a blanket ‘no sale’ policy IMHO…

Click to expand...

Agreed. If they are going to over-inflate prices to deter spares purchase, for whatever reason, that is more than a little disappointing. It would become apparent though, if these inflated prices were applied to legacy 961 owners only and not to new bike owners - price comparisons would eventually come out. They wouldn’t inflate prices too far you would think, for the maintenance of their own machines - for obvious reasons.

Maybe the price of the rockers is inflated for supply (or other) reasons as suggested. Time will tell as spares sales volumes increase. As FE says, if there is too much push-back on price that may lead to unintended consequence.

£400 for a rocker seems like usuary, especially since these bikes appear to eat them.
Thank god it's not an 8 valver!

Just for interests sake I checked the price and availability for rockers on the 1947 Vincent- they are available and cost is £60 should one ever be required.
An 750/850 Commando rocker is a bit more expensive at £98.

Clive said:

Hi - no I definitely do not want to know how much they are bought in for - my blood pressure might not take it! Had a bit of a panic - while impressed with Geoff Fitchett's enthusiasm in sorting the parts out for me I suddenly received the snotty disclaimer message from Norton sent by Lewis and signed by Geoff which I interpreted as they are not willing to sell me parts after all. All enraged I was just describing the orifice and nature of insertion of TVS/Norton in a return email when he calls me up all chipper with details of the parts he can get for me. he is very sorry about the wording of the email - it was written by the legal goblins and has to be sent out to all enquiries such as mine. The real engineers cringe when sending it out and dislike it as much as the customers do. So yes they can sort me out. And the price for rocker/shafts/bolts/washers is £2142.

Each rocker costs around £400.

Now before it goes on ebay if anybody is interested I have a kidney in a really nice condition - one careful owner. Can be seen working.......
Would also complement a robust Malbec.


Like I said please don't let yours fall apart like mine for the sake of an inspection.

Click to expand...

Clive said:

I would get good refurbs from Ollie Thiel .

Click to expand...

Stephen_Spencer said:

Agreed. If they are going to over-inflate prices to deter spares purchase, for whatever reason, that is more than a little disappointing. It would become apparent though, if these inflated prices were applied to legacy 961 owners only and not to new bike owners - price comparisons would eventually come out. They wouldn’t inflate prices too far you would think, for the maintenance of their own machines - for obvious reasons.

Maybe the price of the rockers is inflated for supply (or other) reasons as suggested. Time will tell as spares sales volumes increase. As FE says, if there is too much push-back on price that may lead to unintended consequence.

Click to expand...

It's the super-premium price for the super premium motorcycles. Like anything else...supply and demand. Not a lot of demand, so there will be very little supply if you think about it from a business standpoint.

From my business stand point, not this year as I've got a hell of a lot going on, but next year it may be viable to just buy a new Norton and break it for parts, cataloguing all changes found etc as I go through it. I intend to support the Donington built Nortons for as long as possible, with or without help from TVS, to the extend that I'm currently in the process of remortgaging my house to invest in the future of what I'm currently doing part time, in taking it full time. So from a business perspective this makes sense to me, as an investment into the future of my business and its growth, the R&D work is now done on the 961 and is available to buy, strip and copy. I've spent nearly 3yrs building a reputation, which TVS Norton has actually helped build for me, so now it's time to build the business. I'm sure Ollie will also be on board with this idea.
I'll also be extending this to the V4 owners, in that I was previously reluctant to get involved with those again, but now I'm prepared to at least offer servicing and general maintenance for those bikes. I know them well enough, and still have most of my notes etc from R&D and production pertaining to those models.

Actually got an automated payment email come through so that's paid - just waiting for details of when I can collect from the factory.

Ollie said he can supply a replacement for the damaged rocker. He lists the refurb as 1100 euros on his site. This would be plus the replacement rocker plus 20% tax so by the end of that there really isn't a lot of difference.

The parts are warrantied in themselves so any problems its a few miles to knock on Norton's door.

The 961 is a very unique bike and if anyone still thinks that ownership is going to be cheap and straightforward then they can't have spent much time on this forum.

I am keen to see if these redesigned parts do fit so we can start to build up some knowledge about fitting new parts to our pre-TVS bikes. It's not particularly of interest to me but if we want to retain value of these bikes then maintaining them with new upgraded Norton parts will definitely help.

Everyone I have dealt with at Norton has been very pleasant and speaks highly of the new regime although there have already been some staff moving on which triggers memories of the Garner years. Geoff in Parts has been very helpful and great to deal with and tells me that Lewis is also very good. I will emphasise that the disclaimer note has come directly from the legal goblins and it has been made very clear to the parts staff that they must not under any circumstances confirm fitment with our older bikes. if you look on this forum at the mixture of billet/non billet clutches, cast/non cast hubs, sensors of all makes and quality and the changes from the 2012 machines to the Euro4 machines you can hardly blame them when they could still be liable for accidents on machines which have had their parts fitted. They are not going to make much from us (even with outrageous spares prices) so it would be so easy to just block all parts sales, which is what they originally did.

I would like to think that a by dealing with some of us PreTVS owners we can come to an understanding - There are a lot of bikers and people with years in the industry amongst them just like us who understand the trials and tribulations of bike ownership.

Stu Bodycote said:

From my business stand point, not this year as I've got a hell of a lot going on, but next year it may be viable to just buy a new Norton and break it for parts,

Click to expand...

I suggested this as a 'crowdfund' option; we could sell the parts on - I think we can identify the frame mods so just an engine purchase. I did ask Norton but they hadn't thought people might want to but a complete engine so didn't have a price. In the Garner era I was quoted £6000.

Goes a bit deeper than that, I want the new calibration file too, for example. I could buy it, strip it and record everything found, reassemble and sell off cheap to recoup a good chunk of my purchase price...or break for parts, and sell the rolling frame to someone like 72 Motorcycles, who have a history of building custom 961's.

Stu Bodycote said:

Goes a bit deeper than that, I want the new calibration file too, for example. I could buy it, strip it and record everything found, reassemble and sell off cheap to recoup a good chunk of my purchase price...or break for parts, and sell the rolling frame to someone like 72 Motorcycles, who have a history of building custom 961's.

Click to expand...

Some idiot would surely buy the rolling frame to build a 1200cc 21st century Trition.

Call me when you’re ready to sell…!

That is nice !!

Yeah but…

That’s not the 1200cc motor.

And neither is it fitted with a TTS supercharger kit.

If a jobs with doing… it’s worth over doing…

The frame has to be modified to fit the triumph unit in doesn't it? Or is that just for the 1200 and the 900 drops in?

Clive said:

The frame has to be modified to fit the triumph unit in doesn't it? Or is that just for the 1200 and the 900 drops in?

Click to expand...

No idea Clive, but I cannot imagine why it SHOULD fit really. Gone are the days where anything will fit in a Feathered provided you got some 1/4” alloy plate and a hacksaw !

But as it’s all nice and simple, steel tubes etc, I can’t see it being prohibitively complex.

And come on… a 1200cc supercharged 21st century Triton … what’s not to like ??

Might be more cost effective to build two at once you know… cancel those rockers and you’re already £2.5k there mate…

Jus’ sayin’

Clive said:

……. I would like to think that a by dealing with some of us PreTVS owners we can come to an understanding - There are a lot of bikers and people with years in the industry amongst them just like us who understand the trials and tribulations of bike ownership.

Click to expand...

Agreed Clive - it will take some time, but I think we can see the relationship between Birminhgham Norton and legacy owners normalising over time. When the legal eagles get less nervous and move further into the background, business as usual will take over. Both understanding the others requirements.

With the help of Stu, Ollie and others we will know the model differences over time. Will we have to pay through the nose to keep our bikes on the road? Time will tell.

Fast Eddie said:

cancel those rockers and you’re already £2.5k there mate…

Click to expand...

It had not escaped me that it was around half the cost of a supercharger.

But hey - Yin/Yang - my solicitor just called ref my last cycle accident and they are settling out of court so that's half the cost.

"a 1200cc supercharged 21st century Triton … what’s not to like ??" - The sound of scraping metal on tarmac, the hospital food, the driving ban.

Clive said:

It had not escaped me that it was around half the cost of a supercharger.

But hey - Yin/Yang - my solicitor just called ref my last cycle accident and they are settling out of court so that's half the cost.

"a 1200cc supercharged 21st century Triton … what’s not to like ??" - The sound of scraping metal on tarmac, the hospital food, the driving ban.

Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah, yeah… but APART from that minutiae …

@Clive what will you do about the worn areas on the rocker shaft posts?

cliffa said:

@Clive what will you do about the worn areas on the rocker shaft posts?

Click to expand...

Well I have ordered a new set of spacer washers (£10 each) although the old ones are unworn so could use the old ones as spacers. I am not sure how much I have polished down - maybe .5mm - but obviously can measure float once they arrive. One side is straight - not offset - so I might get some shim steel with two holes in for the rocker shafts to go through. Wish I could remake the posts they are big heavy old lumps of alu. sitting at the top of the engine.