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Norton 650SS

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gben

Finally riding a big boys bike
Suspended
A 1962 Norton 650ss. Upgrades include a two-leading-shoe backing plate in the front to help braking, a larger rear tail light to help safety, and a conversion to 12V electric system also for safety to make the lights brighter at night. All the numbers on this bike match the factory records, it has it's original Lucas magneto with a 1962 date-code, also the carbs are original with their 1962 date code stamped in. A later 60s oil pump was installed that greatly increases oil flow and pressure for reliability. Also for reliability a later set of connecting rods was put in that might have lower mileage on them, also polished the connecting rod bolts and ground them on the top and bottom to give more clearance between them and the crankcase. Crank was balanced on knife-edges and the bike runs very smoothly. Gearbox had a new layshaft bearing put in also for reliability and safety.

The Norton 650ss was the best handling and fastest of the British 650 twins this year, and was successful in production racing over in England. At the end of 1962 the original Norton factory was shut down and most of the workers were laid off, the company had been bought out by a large conglomerate, Associated Motorcycles C, AMC for short, and production was moved to their large factory in another city. The bikes were cheapened up and this was right when the British motorcycle industry began going in the toilet.

1962 was the high-point for Norton 650cc motorcycle production, with about 1400 made. The previous year about 550 were made, and after 1962 production was very low. Norton was always a low-production company in the 1950s and early 1960s. So production of Norton's regular, everyday 650cc bike was the same or less than Triumph or BSA's "special" low production competition models. The "SS" stood for Sports Special, and the only difference between it and the standard 650cc bike was the addition of twin carburetors and the Lucas Competition magneto ignition instead of a battery/points ignition. Actually the standard 650cc bikes are far, far more rare than the sports model, with only a few dozen made. In fact I have never seen one for sale or on display anywhere, and I have been looking at these bikes for decades.

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This bike was someone's old hot-rod, notice the drilled for lightness rear-brake pedal, also they had beat on the bike so hard they had blown the engine, but luckily I was able to repair the original engine and keep the original crankcase with the factory serial numbers stamped in it to keep the bike all original. This is the most original 1962 650ss bike I know of in the USA, most of these bikes have been turned into "cafe racers" by people who's egos need to participate in shallow fashion trends is more important than the history of the bikes, or people with little knowledge do poor "restorations" that include lots of parts from the wrong years, but since there were so few of these bikes to begin with, there are hardly any people who really know the details of their history, especially differences between years of production.
 
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A 1962 Norton 650ss. Upgrades include a two-leading-shoe backing plate in the front to help braking, a larger rear tail light to help safety, and a conversion to 12V electric system also for safety to make the lights brighter at night. All the numbers on this bike match the factory records, it has it's original Lucas magneto with a 1962 date-code, also the carbs are original with their 1962 date code stamped in. A later 60s oil pump was installed that greatly increases oil flow and pressure for reliability. Also for reliability a later set of connecting rods was put in that might have lower mileage on them, also polished the connecting rod bolts and ground them on the top and bottom to give more clearance between them and the crankcase. Crank was balanced on knife-edges and the bike runs very smoothly. Gearbox had a new layshaft bearing put in also for reliability and safety.

The Norton 650ss was the best handling and fastest of the British 650 twins this year, and was successful in production racing over in England. At the end of 1962 the original Norton factory was shut down and most of the workers were laid off, the company had been bought out by a large conglomerate, Associated Motorcycles C, AMC for short, and production was moved to their large factory in another city. The bikes were cheapened up and this was right when the British motorcycle industry began going in the toilet.

1962 was the high-point for Norton 650cc motorcycle production, with about 1400 made. The previous year about 550 were made, and after 1962 production was very low. Norton was always a low-production company in the 1950s and early 1960s. So production of Norton's regular, everyday 650cc bike was the same or less than Triumph or BSA's "special" low production competition models. The "SS" stood for Sports Special, and the only difference between it and the standard 650cc bike was the addition of twin carburetors and the Lucas Competition magneto ignition instead of a battery/points ignition. Actually the standard 650cc bikes are far, far more rare than the sports model, with only a few dozen made. In fact I have never seen one for sale or on display anywhere, and I have been looking at these bikes for decades.

View attachment 1386123

View attachment 1386124

This bike was someone's old hot-rod, notice the drilled for lightness rear-brake pedal, also they had beat on the bike so hard they had blown the engine, but luckily I was able to repair the original engine and keep the original crankcase with the factory serial numbers stamped in it to keep the bike all original. This is the most original 1962 650ss bike I know of in the USA, most of these bikes have been turned into "cafe racers" by people who's egos need to participate in shallow fashion trends is more important than the history of the bikes, or people with little knowledge do poor "restorations" that include lots of parts from the wrong years, but since there were so few of these bikes to begin with, there are hardly any people who really know the details of their history, especially differences between years of production.
Substantially altered from stock, but a sweet bike none the less. Any drips anywhere? Enjoy and good luck!
 
Hey, this dude doesn't recall this post. Getting old sucks, I can relate. Lets just all be friends. Who needs the drama. Thanks for the thumbs up Shawn, means plenty. Bob
 
Upgrades = modified

Sure, but swapping a few parts for safety that are not visible except to experts, has Zero to do with customizing a bikes appearance to suit a fashion trend or ego. So no gold star on your forehead, try again.
 
Sure, but swapping a few parts for safety that are not visible except to experts, has Zero to do with customizing a bikes appearance to suit a fashion trend or ego. So no gold star on your forehead, try again.
Take it to an AMCA event to be judged and we'll see who gets the gold star. Whether customized, modified or altered to suit a fashion trend, ego or using the excuse of 'safety' due to a lack of skills its still modified. Trying to come off as a purist and foo foo another persons bike when yours is modified is just bad form.
 
Not antique, but, getting there. 1989 FJ1200. Purists be damned, 17” wheels, F1 blue dot brakes, piped, jetted, Italian horns (loud horns save lives) Corbin seat, braided stainless hoses on all the hydraulics, fork brace, solid state voltage regulator, integrated brake and directional signals, relays wired in a few critical electrical circuits.
Custom paint. Rides like a Caddy, the gold standard for top gear roll on power, might be the best ever two up sport bike. Old ad with the late, great, Jay Gleason just for fun.
Judge away.

Ted

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Take it to an AMCA event to be judged and we'll see who gets the gold star. Whether customized, modified or altered to suit a fashion trend, ego or using the excuse of 'safety' due to a lack of skills its still modified. Trying to come off as a purist and foo foo another persons bike when yours is modified is just bad form.

I belonged to old bike clubs decades ago, and they draw "judges" from their membership pool, it is not what you know but who you blow. I saw bikes with sticky-tape pinstripes, clear-coating and completely bead-blasted win top prize. Also if a mod is period, as in the case of the drilled brake lever on this bike, then it is a bonus, not a minus, just as the original patina and marks of usage on old furniture makes it worth much, much more than if it were refinished.

As far as the upgraded tail light goes, after a buddy of mine was rear-ended on his bike at a stop-light and hospitalized, and after riding the bike to work early in the AM and having a co-worker following in a car that I was nearly invisible from the rear, So saying putting a better tail-light on a bike is an excuse is as laughable as everything else you have to say. And if you learn how to read someday, you will see I said it was "the most original I know of", not completely original. Better luck next time..........
 
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