NORTON INTERNATIONAL

John Newson, of Oxney Motorcycles, is currently restoring this 1956 featherbed Norton International. It has been owned by Derek Kearn since 1958 and he used it regularly to take Mrs Kearn to Wales and Scotland for a spot of mountain climbing (the latter on foot, I presume, not on the Norton!). When, as a military man, Derek was deployed to the Middle

East in 1965, the Inter was put away in the garden shed. Then the shed collapsed and the Norton stood outside for many years. Son Sean and daughter Hillary were finally asked to dig the bike out and have it ‘done up’! It took 84 hours for John to completely strip everything down and clean up to see what he is up against. You could put your hand through the side of the fuel tank, so a Dominator tank will be converted to fit. John reports that the Inter is about 90% restorable, and that it’s on its original bore and has the old buff log book, registration number and bill of sale. I look forward to following the restoration.