Norman Motobyk Autocycle age?

Hi, I have a Norman Motobyk with the brake handles pointing to the front with the cables inside the Handlebars. Does this help in telling what year this machine was built?

The inverted levers would suggest that its one of the early ones, possibly pre-war. Other indicators are whether it has a half size tank and a Villiers Junior (as opposed to the Junior De Luxe) engine. The latter has a detachable alloy head whereas with the former the barrel and head are a single casting. However it is quite possible that the engine would have been changed at some stage as I think the mounts are similar. I have a 1940 Excelsior Autobyk with this type of handlebars. It has a JDL engine and a full length tank.

This model has a half length tank and it has a Junior Villiers Deluxe engine as it is stamped on the Barrel. I really need to get a valuation for insurance purposes. Any idea?

Jakemvb wrote:This model has a half length tank and it has a Junior Villiers Deluxe engine as it is stamped on the Barrel. I really need to get a valuation for insurance purposes. Any idea?

There is a similar model on e-bay finishing to-day that might give you some idea of its value. It has the Junior engine and is currently at £244. It is item number 330901435354.

My guess for value is a top line of about £1,000 for a roadworthy bike, complete and original with all documents in order, good paintwork and an overhauled engine. At the other end maybe £150 for a basket case with some parts missing. A reasonably complete, restorable bike that requires a dating certificate and registration applied for might be worth around £450 or a bit more if it was reasonably rust-free.

I suggest you join the MACC forum. This is free and the guys on it are very knowledgeable about bikes of this kind. One of them (Andrew) may well be able to tell you the date of manufacture from the frame no. and whether or not the engine is original. There has been a lot of correspondence recently about a similar bike owned by a guy in South London. The links are: http://macc.maxforum.org/ and http://macc.maxforum.org/2013/01/01/norman-motobyk/

Good luck

John

Hi, have read your post on the Norman Motobyk , I have been asking the nacc/Eacc the question "How many left?" regarding half tank Normans with junior engines. So far, I have had no definitive answer from the Norman club, but it seems that although there are a fair few half tank models with jdl engines, there are less than half a dozen known to have the junior engines! If you have a junior half tank, you are truly a member of a very exclusive club! I am hoping to meet at ashford with a hopefully working example which you can check out on the mACC forum and as John said, Andrew pattle is a guru on all things autocycle. Regarding literature I seem to have more than the club, so you are welcome to email me: adamknopp@hotmail.co.uk. If you on facebook, I have even posted on the Norman page a short video of Guy Gibson of Dambusters fame on a Motobyk- the Norman brothers having supplied them at Scampton. I wish you much joy with the bike- tuning is fun, otherwise it is all fairly simple stuff- Mopedland should be able to supply you with most parts as well as villiers-
Adam