Highlights
- Wonderfully preserved
- Part of a larger collection
- High level of originality
The appeal
A 500cc vertical twin engine bike, the Model 7 Dominator was the first of Norton’s Dominator range. Designed by Bert Hopwood, it was a step away from Norton’s regular single cylinder modus operandi.
It’s post-war Britain and motorcycle manufactures are returning to producing civilian machines at the same time Britain has launched its ‘Export or Die’ campaign to aid the economy. Triumph and their Speed Twin led the way with other manufactures following suite seeing the popularity. Norton needed to get in on the market so poached Hopwood to design them a new engine as he had worked under designer Val page at Ariel and Edward Turner at Triumph.
This bike was purchased by the current owner’s uncle as part of his larger collection of weird and wonderful and varied machinery. Unfortunately, after his passing the collection was passed down through the family but now with a change in life circumstances the bike is up for sale.
The history and paperwork
- V5 document in the current owner’s name
- MOT certificate from 2011
- SORN document
- Receipt for work done prior to MOT in 2011
The bike is not thought to have had a lot of work done to it during it’s time in the collection aside from regular maintenance. Any work that did need doing would have been done by the previous owner and therefore the paperwork would not have been kept. The condition of the bike however shows that it was well cared for during its time.
The bike went for an MOT in 2011 and had some minor maintenance work completed, parts include, a number plate, screws and nuts, 2 springs, rear brake shoes and a wheel extender nut. This work was completed by M.J.S motorcycle services Ltd.
The Exterior
- Frame and panels in good condition
- Wheels in good condition
- All electrics reported to be working
- Seat fabric is in great condition also
The Norton has an eye catching black, silver and chrome colour scheme, with red piping to accentuate some of the design cues. The bike is in fantastic condition on the exterior from what we can see, even the paint on the frame has a very small amount of wear and tear certainly nowhere near the amount you’d expect from a bike that has done over 88,000 miles.
The seat fabric is in great condition with no rips, tears, discolouration or wear, it almost looks brand new. You’d be hard pressed to find any areas of excessive wear too with all paintwork seemingly in good condition and even the handlebars standing up well to the test of time. The front light pod is in good condition too and holds the speedometer and an amp meter which is all reported to be working.
Clearly afforded a high level of care, it is evident from the mileage that the 3 previous owners of this bike agreed with the popularity the bike garnered at the time and have treated it with love and care to that effect.
The Mechanics
- 600cc vertical twin, OHV, air cooled engine
- Engine exterior in great condition
- No visible leaks or damage
The Norton has a 600cc Vertical twin engine mated to a wet clutch, 4 speed chain driven transmission producing 31 bhp at 5750 RPM. The brakes are 8 inch, 200mm drum in the front and a 7 inch, 180mm drum in the rear. There are telescopic forks in the front and a swinging arm at the rear.
The bike has sat for a few years in storage underneath a cover so will need some simple, light recommissioning to get running, a battery change, a fuel flush and a spark plug change is all that the owner believes should be needed. The exterior condition of the engine is fantastic as you can see from the photos, no fluid leaks or other worrying signs to see.
The mechanisms are reports to all work as they should with the kick starter and gear lever all moving without freely. The bike rolls freely and the stands kick down without issue. The tyres are getting a bit old and as you can see have started to split due to being dry and aged, it might be wise to change these before attempting a ride.
The exhaust looks to be in great condition too with no visible cracks or splits in any of the joins and the entirety being dent and damage free from what we could see on the day. The rubber bushing for the shaft looks to be whole and not split from the small section you can see from the exterior.
Summary
This is a fantastic looking bike that has clearly had a huge amount of love and care afforded to it during its life, the mileage is a clear indicator of how good this bike is on the road as well as the low number of owners who coveted the bike during their time with it.
It would not take a lot to get this bike back on the road again and we’d love to see it eating up the miles once again.
Notice to bidders
It would not take a lot to get this bike back on the road again and we’d love to see it eating up the miles once again.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
