NYC Norton Workshop
Behind the NYC Norton custom shop is Kenny Cummings, a friendly and skilled craftsman. And besides twisting nuts and reassembling old pieces of iron, Kenny knows his way around the track quite well, and in general has seen a lot in life. But the way this S appeared in his workshop surprised even him.
We are often contacted by owners of old Nortons who don’t know what to do with them. Most often, these are garage junk, bought long ago and forgotten under a pile of rubbish in the farthest corner, and sometimes also inherited.
I always get asked the same two questions. The first is how much will it cost to put it on the move? And the second one - how much will you buy it for?
Norton Commando type S
A few years ago, Kenny received an email signed “from Tina.” She had a Norton that she was ready to part with.
I asked her to send photos of the motorcycle and received them from a woman with a different name, and they were also taken as if with an old Nokia. Quite suspicious...
The motorcycle, judging by the pictures, was intact, but very well done. Apparently it started life as a 1970 S-Type. And then there was a call from Tina-Lina.
This was an unusual call. She spoke in a quiet whisper and said that the motorcycle belonged to her beloved late husband. For many years it rusted in her backyard in New Jersey, but there were even documents for it, and quite real ones.
Kenny made an appointment, and when he knocked, the door was opened by a petite lady with long hair, wearing a long shiny dress and lace-up sandals. She led Kenny into the backyard, where the motorcycle lay on its side and was overgrown with weeds.
Norton Commando type S
As I walked towards this heartbreaking sight, a neighbor hobbled towards us with a businesslike look. Tina understood that he wanted to get some money for helping me load the motorcycle into my van.
This same neighbor tried to help transport a motorcycle several years ago by tying it to a pickup truck with a rope and dragging it around the property, resulting in a broken handlebar and body kit.
I was somehow afraid that the motorcycle was more dead than alive. It was impossible to even roll it, the drum brake shoes had soured. When we set it up, rust was leaking out of the box and it was covered in oil, dirt and bugs.
Kenny gave the Neighbor some money and they loaded the bike into a NYC Norton van.
And I immediately treated it with insect repellent spray so that they would die on the road.
Kenny paid Tina for the motorcycle and she looked pleased. And when he was about to leave, she asked why Kenny didn’t ask her for an autograph? To his bewilderment, she explained that she was the most famous double of Tina Turner.
How could I not recognize her? But now I have her autograph on the sales contract and a selfie with her as a keepsake.
Already in the workshop, the NYC Norton team treated the motorcycle with even more vigorous chemicals so that the remaining insects knew that they were not welcome here. Then the motorcycle took up a corner where it waited in the wings.
And the time came - last year, when a client named Ben Schmitt called from Kansas City. Ben had raced in AHRMA (American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association) a few years earlier and wanted a clean slate to get back on the track. He likes NYC Norton's approach to creating customs and supporting them at races... in general, a plan has matured.
Norton Commando type S
Ben initially wanted to race in the Recent Production Motorcycle class - the ideal option for a return to racing. But the rules of this class are very strict and do not allow some of the upgrades that Ben dreamed of. So he had to plan to compete in the BEARS (British-European-American Racing Series) class - not a beginner, with experienced competitors who would give Ben some space as he gained more experience in the saddle and confidence on the bike.
Norton motorcycles have a long and checkered history. After changing hands several times, it seemed like it was all over for them by the 90s, but like a phoenix, they rose from the ashes in 2008 and into 2021.
The main reason the company continues to fail is also the main reason they generate so much interest in themselves is because of racing. Over the years, they have consistently thought with their hearts rather than their heads when making decisions, and we only hope that this time they will somehow find the balance.
Norton 1907
History since 1898
Norton was founded in 1898 by James Lansdowne Norton. The Birmingham-based company initially supplied bicycle parts before moving into producing fully assembled bicycles. However, 1902 was a turning point in the company's history when it began producing motorcycles. The first product was called Energette, powered by a 143cc single-cylinder Clement engine. cm, produced in Belgium. In fact, Norton built a number of motorcycles with engines sourced from overseas. Switzerland's Moto Reve supplied V-twin engines, and France's Peugeot (yes, Peugeot) also produced engines for Norton.
James Norton unveils Model 16 490cc
Norton Motorcycles was relaunched in October 2008 by CEO Stuart Garner and some backers following the purchase of Norton LLC, an American company that owned the Norton brand along with the Commando 961 prototypes designed by Kenny Dreer. Dreer spent years consolidating the scattered rights to the Norton trademark and attempted to relaunch the brand with his updated version of the 1970s Commando.
Racing Excellence
The first official TT race on the Isle of Mann was held in 1907. Norton won it (in the two-cylinder category). The rider was Rem Fowler. Between the first and second world wars, Norton won the Isle of Mann TT race ten times. In fact, between 1931 and 1939 Norton took seven of the nine Isle of Mann Senior TT trophies.
Norton continued to achieve racing success after the war, winning at least one category every year from 1947 to 1954. In 1952 he also won the 350cc classes.
Norton RCW588
The company bounced back again in the late 1980s and made history again by winning the Isle of Mann Senior TT in 1992 on a rotary engined motorcycle (Norton RCW588).
In fact, when it comes to total Isle of Mann TT race wins, Norton shares its position with Suzuki as the third most winning manufacturer in the world with 94 wins each. Honda (227) and Yamaha (210) occupy the top two positions, while BMW (38), Kawasaki (34), MV Agusta (34), Triumph (21) and Ducati (9) complete the lower rungs of the ladder.
In addition to his victories at the Isle of Mann, Norton also won 78 of the 92 Grand Prix races between 1930 and 1937.
Military motorcycles
When World War II broke out, Norton Motorcycles' product line consisted of single-cylinder machines, in sidevalve, OHV and SOHC variants, and despite being known for high-performance motorcycles, the War Department commissioned production of the primitive Norton 16H.
Norton 16H 1930
Norton began producing military motorcycles again in 1936, following a tender in 1935 in which a modified Norton 16H beat out rivals. From 900 in 1936 to 2000 in 1937, Norton was ahead of the competition as war loomed and the military had good reason in terms of parts and maintenance to stick with the same model. Between 1937 and 1945, almost a quarter of all British military motorcycles were Norton, mainly the WD 16H (solo) and the WD Big Four with a driven sidecar wheel.
World War II demanded a lot from industry, and Norton certainly contributed to the Allied cause, supplying approximately 100,000 motorcycles during the war.
Featherbed frame
In 1949, Norton introduced the Model 7, also known as the Norton Dominator. It was powered by a 500cc pushrod engine and featured an attractive design that ushered in a new era of Norton motorcycles. Some of its features included telescopic forks and rear suspension.
But Norton's biggest breakthrough was the Featherbed frame, developed in 1950 by the McCandless brothers. The frame has become a benchmark for others thanks to its lightweight, all-welded tubular construction. She changed the way the Nortons worked and became the basis of many famous Nortons, including the powerful Manx.
Norton Manx
The original cafe racer
Some other manufacturers may well lay claim to the café racer's comeback, but the original cars were Norton.
With so many victories under their belt by then they had earned a reputation for being the fastest motorcycles around, making them the ideal starting point for any motorcycle project.
Norton Commando
The late '60s saw the release of the critically acclaimed Commando, which was to be their last truly revolutionary car.
1968 Norton 750 Commando Fastback
The Norton Commando of the 60s was the most powerful and best-handling British motorcycle of its time. It had an isolation frame that used rubber bushings to isolate the engine and swing arm from the frame and therefore the driver. This helped suppress unwanted vibrations, a problem the 750 Norton Atlas had. But as good as the Nortons were, they were not without mechanical problems and faced many rust and reliability issues.
After over 500,000 Commandos were sold in the late 70s, the aging bike was discontinued, the rise of Japanese motorcycles saw their market share plummet, and their inability to keep up with the times led to another crisis.
Testing the SG5 race bike in 2021
First problems and rise from the ashes
By the 1980s, Norton was facing a variety of difficulties and began selling the rights to the name to several different companies. Something that continues to haunt the brand today, with much confusion regarding the legal ownership of various parts of the business and its assets.
After nearly drowning, they were given a lifeline in the form of a strangely shaped Wankel engine, which turned out to be a popular police motorcycle, and Interpol kept them afloat until the 90s. Civilian Wankels proved less popular and for a time played a role in closing their doors.
After the naming rights lay dormant with an American financial institution for 15 years, Stuart Garner, a British businessman, bought the naming rights from speculators and reopened the company in 2008.
Norton Superlight SS
Oddly enough, the new Commando had already been developed by an American company, but it ran out of funding before they could put it into production. This pre-production model seemed to be part of the deal and was launched in short order.
The Commando comeback was quite successful, helping the brand get back on its feet, but they put their heart before their head again.
Even before the company was properly stabilized, they decided to build a bike for TT racing. Everything went well, so they became even more ambitious and threw all their funding at two new engines. This turned out to be a mistake.
Norton 961
Acquisition by Indian company TVS
On April 17, 2021, it was reported that India's TVS Motor Company had acquired Norton as the company once again found itself facing liquidation, needless to say they took an unfortunate but necessary step.
In the short term they intend to continue manufacturing motorcycles at Donington Park using the same staff. Former CEO Stuart Garner will not be involved in the new business.
2021 Norton Atlas Nomad
Owning a classic brand is all the rage in today's world of motorcycle business and the possibilities with a brand like Norton are endless - Triumph and Royal Enfield are living examples of this. The good news is that TVS seems fully committed to giving Norton independence. TVS said in a release that it wants to achieve the success and excellence of the brand and grow together globally in the coming years. It also says that Norton can leverage TVS's capabilities and supply chain to expand into new markets, which all sounds very positive.
The positive is that Norton now has the financial backing they always needed, but only if they can make some real business decisions.
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