Depends on what you want out of the experience. Compensation for time and knowledge? Satisfaction for returning a classic to life? Opportunity to learn, develop skills, and expand your horizons?
There is a severe shortage of knowledge and skill to work on vintage bikes. The key is proper compensation and managing the wide range of issues related, From psychology-counseling & education of the owner, To dealing with vendors, suppliers and related tradesman you have to outsource tasks too. (Plating, paint, machine work & welding that you might not have the resources to do yourself). The demand is there, but few people perform all these tasks well.
I for example LOVE this sort of work, but I am a terrible business person, I have the skills and knowledge but learned I need someone else to manage certain aspects such as accounting, estimating, inventory and budgets.
The psychology side of things should NEVER be minimized. I have a lengthy list of stories when I ran my own shop, ran other shops or was employed by others. There is a NEED for a book for small business owners on how to deal with staff-employees, vendors and anyone else you come in contact with. I often sought advice from others and had one customer who ran several restaurants and clubs. His behavior became a problem. (It did not end well and he tried to sue me-lost). A trusted friend told me to look at the other persons perspective and in this case this person came from a culture of:
A) All employees are stealing or gifting their friends and family YOUR products
B) Customers tend to be dishonest
C) All vendors are cheating-shorting you if the opportunity presents itself
D) Cash based business so either you have to work 90 hr work weeks or have a trusted relative/spouse-close friend watching things when you are not on site.
So, I learned a lot from that experience but today, I no longer have the patience or tolerance to deal with that stuff. I Dabble a little in this trade these days to fund my own interests but I do NOT operate a store front for the public.
But I knew Kenny Dreer very well,, (He used to live down the street from me) and he is well known in the Motorcycle world long before he revived the Norton name. But he ran off a LOT of customers because they were too difficult to deal with. But best advice he ever gave me was
"YOU have to manage all aspects of the job, NEVER let the customer call the shots". Seems extreme but its true in many ways.
As to the Norton itself,,, SURE! Will be fun! Very similar to late 50s-early 60s preunit BSAs, parts sources are generally plentiful and excellent, prices are not bad and very simple designs.
They have their faults and issues just like BSA-Triumph but depending on model and year its all very manageable. Wealth of knowledge out there. I gave a tech talk at last years INOA Norton rally in California, and I will be attending the 2018 INOA rally in Washington state. I can send you tons of tech material and info on Nortons of any year/model and if you need help, I am happy to do so, or point you to others as well.
I am a founding member of O.N.E (Oregon Norton Enthusiasts) and you can check out the website here:
http://oregonnorton.org/and download newsletters there as well.
And yes, I own a LOT of Nortons, from Norton America Prototypes (952/961) to several Commando's, Atlas, A wideline custom with a Buell engine, several 500 singles-1947 & 1962, and multiple Hybrids- IE: P11, N15, G15, and a Matchless G80CS. I have a local Dommie project I might purchase soon,,its in sad shape but its calling my name.
Also, I was a founding member and contributor to the world fastest Norton 500cc team, Currently holds 2 land speed records. That whole thing is a story in itself. 500 twin using wide range of years and parts, many were Commando, sitting in a slimline featherbed frame.
Here is a picture of my good friend and Norton Guru Sir Eddy. Eddy had the very first Manxman twin in the western US. He also was featured on the cover of several magazines back in the day as a well respected tuner. At one Point Berliner motors (Norton Importer) had his race team beat, and beat badly at a national race by Eddies bikes raced by Sonny Burres and TL Hoagland so being a real class act,. Berline said "I dont care who wins as long as its Norton at the finish line"
