1964 Norton Electra, CL, ct, $3800

[chuck peterson]

Great looking bike!

https://nwct.craigslist.org/mcy/d/southington-1964-norton-electra/6860328353.html

[oldbike54]

 Those were odd little devices , Norton's attempt at a slightly more modern commuter motorbike to compete with Honda in the American market . Unfortunately the electric start was a bodge , heck , the owners manual said to start the motor from cold with the kick starter , so what good is having an E start that you can't actually use ? A friend from years ago owned a Navigator and an Electra , both were stripped down , and neither one really ever left a 20 mile radius from his locale .

 Dusty

[larrys]

Definitely an odd duck. Never seen one, not even when I lived in the UK. Not a surprise that a Lucas starter doesn't work...
Larry

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I bumped into a guy on his Electra in Berkeley Springs, WV last Summer. Original owner, he put all of the 80k + miles on it. Only recently had a top-end rebuild. Started on the button when he went to leave. 

[oldbike54]

I bumped into a guy on his Electra in Berkeley Springs, WV last Summer. Original owner, he put all of the 80k + miles on it. Only recently had a top-end rebuild. Started on the button when he went to leave.

 Seem to remember there is a modern upgrade for the starter . One thing about the smaller twin cylinder Nortons is that they were not designed to be hot rods , and the smaller engines were smoother .

 Dusty

[Dharma Bum]

My second motorcycle was a Norton Electra.  The E starter didn't work on mine.  Smooth and uninspiring, didn't keep it for very long.

[yogidozer]

Those were odd little devices , Norton's attempt at a slightly more modern commuter motorbike to compete with Honda in the American market . Unfortunately the electric start was a bodge , heck , the owners manual said to start the motor from cold with the kick starter , so what good is having an E start that you can't actually use ? A friend from years ago owned a Navigator and an Electra , both were stripped down , and neither one really ever left a 20 mile radius from his locale .

 Dusty

so what good is having an E start that you can't actually use ?
So what's the use of having a leg, if you can't use it?

[JACoH]

And twenty years later, Norton put an electric starter on the Commando, even called it a "kick assist" !

[SteveRivet]

IIRC, there was a good article on an Electra restoration last year in Motorcycle Classics.  This one looks very nice.

Steve

[Don G]

I remember a time when you couldn't even give one of them away!  DonG

[Aaron D.]

A friend had one-along with many odd bikes- and I never heard it run.

I thought it was cool at the time but only because I liked Commandos.

[blackcat]

Seem to remember there is a modern upgrade for the starter . One thing about the smaller twin cylinder Nortons is that they were not designed to be hot rods , and the smaller engines were smoother .

 Dusty

The electric start upgrade for a Commando is about $2,500 bucks plus installation. I have no idea if someone would have taken the time to put an upgrade together for the Electra given the worth of the bike.

[Rough Edge racing]

The electric start upgrade for a Commando is about $2,500 bucks plus installation. I have no idea if someone would have taken the time to put an upgrade together for the Electra given the worth of the bike.

  On the Mk3 electric start Commando,an older fix was to use a Harley starter...Petrus Rocks has this set up on his Mk3....Lannis should be able to give more details..

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

[steven c]

 Had Doug Ropers Electra as my cover shot.