1947 Norton 490cc International Special
Registration no. ORE 331
Frame no. B4 11899
Engine no. B11 9908

'MotorCycling' concluded its July 1947 roadtest of the latest Norton International: "It looks right and every hard rider, whatever his ultimate choice, will inevitably harbour a covetous regard for that impressively deep tank with its silver, red and black motif. It is a motorcycle which offers vivid performance with a standard of safe handling difficult to express in words." The Norton International is one of those few machines better known by its abbreviated model name. In its various incarnations the "Inter" was always highly regarded by enthusiasts. It was also one of the best looking and most distinctive motorcycles on the road.

This post war 'garden gate' Norton features a 1947 International engine built into an ES2 frame of the same year. It is a real eye catcher featuring a Manx type bolt through petrol tank, a wrap round competition style oil tank, alloy wheel rims, and a Brooklands can, which in period was reckoned to allow the cammy engine to put its power on the road, rather than be stifled by the standard silencer. Originally registered on September 24th 1947, this Inter was acquired by the vendor's late husband in July 2011. Believed to have been restored in the late 1990s, documentation includes a current V5C, a receipt dated 21.2.99 from cammy Norton specialist Arthur Skinner of Buntingford stating "Engine completely rebuilt and restored", two expired MoTs (the most recent issued 30.5.12), and a factory Maintenance Manual. Unused for a few years, the usual careful re-commissioning is advised before further use.