1974 Norton 850

THIS EXQUISITE MOTORCYCLE IS A CUSTOM BUILD BY KEN ARMANN. KEN IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE FINEST IF NOT THE FINEST BRITISH MOTORCYCLE RESTORERS IN THE COUNTRY. HE BUILT THIS NORTON FOR A FRIEND WHO IS AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER. COST WAS NOT AN ISSUE IN THIS BUILD. HIS FRIEND WANTED A MUSEUM PIECE HE COULD RIDE. THE BIKE HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY IN MY OFFICE FOR 3 YEARS NOW. I HAVE HAD MANY BRITISH MOTORCYCLES THROUGH THE YEARS AND I KNOW THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS LET THEM SIT. I TRY TO PUT A FEW MILES ON IT EACH MONTH. THE FRAME AND OTHER BLACK PARTS ARE POWDER COATED AS IS THE REAR HUB WHICH IS DONE IN SILVER. WHEN I PURCHASED THE BIKE. IT HAD A SCRATCH IN THE GAS TANK. I HAD A LOCAL CUSTOM CAR PAINTER MATCH THE COLOR AND THEN APPLY SEVERAL COATS OF CLEAR. I PAID HIM $1600 DOLLARS AND IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY. IT IS JUST GORGEOUS. ALL OF THE FIBERGLASS ON THE MOTORCYCLE IS GENUINE DUNSTALL PRODUCTION RACER AS IS THE GAUGE MOUNT ALONG WITH OTHER BITS AND PIECES. THE TAIL SECTION HAS THE NUMBER PLATES PAINTED AS THEY WERE ON THE PRODUCTION RACERS IN THE 60'S AND EARLY 70'S. WHEELS ARE POLISHED SPANISH AKRONTS WITH STAINLESS SPOKES AND NIPPLES. MOST OF THE ALUMINUM WAS POLISHED AND THEN POWDWER COATED IN CLEAR WHICH PREVENTS THE NEED TO POLISH EVER AGAIN. THE REAR BRAKES HAVE SHOES THAT HAVE BEEN ARCED SO THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINING TOUCHES THE HUB GIVING AS MUCH BRAKING AS POSSIBLE WITH NORTON HUB STYLE BRAKES. UP FRONT KEN HAS A TRICK THAT GREATLY INCREASES STOPPING POWER. FIRST. HE USES STAINLESS LINES WHICH IS NOTHING NEW. HE HAS A FORMULA THAT HE HAS DEVELOPED TO CHANGE THE BORE SIZE IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THIS BIKE STOPS 50% FASTER THAN STOCK. HE ALSO GRINDS THE CHROME OFF OF THE DISC. HE TOLD ME IT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO CHROME SOMETHING YOU ARE TRYING TO STOP. THE STAINLESS REAR SETS WERE MADE BY A MACHINIST IN ENGLAND. HE ONLY BUILT A FEW SETS AND KEN WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET TWO SETS OF THEM. THE PRIMARY AND TRANSMISSION ARE FRESHLY REBUILT. THE ENGINE IS PRETTY SPECIAL. WHEN WE TALKED. I COULDN'T WRITE FAST ENOUGH TO GET EVERYTHING ON PAPER THAT HE DID TO THE ENGINE. WHAT I DO RECALL IS THAT HE BUILT IT FROM THE BOTTOM UP. THE CRANK IS NEW AND BALANCED AS ARE THE RODS. THE TOP END HAS NEW PISTONS. RINGS. ETC. IT HAS A WEBB CAMSHAFT AND STAINLESS STEEL VALVES. SEALS. BEARINGS ETC. WERE UPGRADED IF POSSIBLE. I BOUGHT THE BIKE WITH TWIN AHMAL CARBS. SINCE I AM ONLY A GARAGE MECHANIC. I DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP TWIN CARBS SYNCED SO I HAD THE MIKUNI SINGLE CARB CONVERSION DONE. I'VE OWNED A COUPLE HUNDRED MOTORCYCLES IN MY 60 YEARS. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. AS THE RPM'S BUILD IT SOUNDS WONDERFUL AND IT IS VERY QUICK. THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL MOTORCYCLE. I HAD TWO QUESTIONS FROM THE SAME VIEWER AFTER THE AD WAS UP FOR 5 MINUTES. 1-YOU ARE CORRECT IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A MOTORCYCLE WITH 5. 66 MILES ON IT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE READING ON THE ODOMETER WAS BEFORE THE RESTORATION. I HAVE RIDEN IT LESS THAN 150 MILES IN 3 YEARS. 2-YES THEY ARE NEWER AVONS WHICH I HAD INSTALLED RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT IT. THE LITTLE RUBBER NUBS ARE STILL ON THE TIRES.