I firmly believe that everybody wants to own a Royal Enfield, the only problem is that there are just not enough out there to supply the demand so next on the list seems to be Nortons (so my friend Ken says). Unlike a lot of manufacturers who were still struggling from the depression years, Norton appeared to be quite strong so for 1938 boldly offered up a staggering 14 models, ranging from the sidevalve 16H and 633 Big Four, to the OHV models ES2, 19, 20 50 and 55, right through to their OHC machines, the CS1, the 350cc Model 40 International, up to the International Norton Model to racing spec. If you liked to ride tracks and trails there was the Trials model, and of course they also offered a range of sidecars.
Below is an advertisement that was placed in the 1938 July 31st edition of The Motor Cycle inviting motorcyclists to write in for Nortons latest catalogue.
So what would we have received in the return Royal Mail post had Knobster filled out the coupon with his crayon? A very nice 36 page catalogue titled The Road Holder with articles on Nortons past successes as well as the models for 1938. Click on the advertisement to view the catalogue. You will not be disappointed.
It is a 13.4M pdf so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.