By the late 1980s this legendary British marque was a pale shadow of the glorious giant that dominated world racing in the 1940s and 1950s. After the industrial collapse in the 1970s and a series of buyouts, all that remained was a small factory and a number of projects centered on novel rotary wanked engines.In the late 80s, the Norton brand makes an arrival to the front of the stage. To return, the British brand picks an alternate way from whatever remains of the motorcycle production.
It was the howl that stayed in the memory; a smooth, high-pitched that tore from twin suppressors as the Norton F1 rotational engine hit 6000rpm and surged toward the redline with reestablished thrust. The F1 particular exhaust note stressed this bike was diverse from past Nortons as well as from each other sportster ever constructed. The launch of the F1 in 1990 was noteworthy in itself. Norton's rebound had started a couple of years prior with the release, following 15 years of rotary development, of the Classic roadster.
The F1 was the infant of Philippe Le Roux, who, however himself not a motorcyclists, saw the marketing potential a John Player Racer replica had, and who, from direct experience as the one-time MD of Norton Motors Ltd, knew the Commander had a little fan club. His sentence "I must move a few bicycles", relating to the Commander, in a telephone call in 1989 still rings in the creators ears today:The line is basic, immaculate and extremely British. It is the work of Seymour-Powell who was likewise in charge of the design of the a much less effective Commander.
The new range is outfitted with rotating Wankel motor sort. While the first models were ugly with Interpol 2 (for the English police strengths), Classic (a fundamental roadster) and Commander (GT), sport F1 does a great deal more sensation at its yield in 1990.
The touring Commander took after, and open enthusiasm for Norton snowballed when eager specialists fabricated an allo-formed rotary racer that won two national titles in 1989. A road going version was the undeniable next step. The F1 was powered by a Commander engine, swung back-to-front, fitted with Mikuni carburetors and uprated with the five-speed gearbox from Yamaha's FZR1000. Amplified ports and reexamined timing lifted output from 85 to 95bhp at 9500rpm. The frame, manufactured by neighborhood pros "Spondon Engineering", was like the race bike's however more grounded and had marginally more preservationist steering geometry. Dutch firm White Power gave the multi-adjustable upside-down forks and stun. Brembo brakes and Michelin radials finished an up business sector package.
On the track, however, all was not lost. The pinnacle achievements of these time as the domination of the British Superbike Championship in 1989-1991 in JPS sponsored, black liveries machines, together with a glorious victory in the 1991 Senior TT in the hands of Steve Hislop. On the road, the most glorious product was the limited edition Norton F1 superbike, powered by a road version of the controversial 588cc wanked and dressed in racer replicating black and gold bodywork.
Styling fused smooth bodywork that concealed a significant part of the innovation yet left space for the cigarette-packet logos of race-team supports JPS. Riding position was sporty, with wide clip-ons and a solitary seat. The F1 power and weight figures were like a run of the mill Japanese 600, as was its 145mph to the street, the rotary felt very surprising, however, smoothness, liberal midrange punch and high-rev howl.
The fundamental issue was the heat generated by a rotational engine, which couldn't get out under the completely encasing fairing. Consequently, the radiator heated up the plenum chamber (air box to the uninitiated), the hot air heated up the carbs, the engine was heating everything up from underneath, and the petrol in the petrol tank was additionally heating up, which did not help the cooling of the carburetors in any capacity.On the surface it had it all: a superb bespoke aluminium twin spar frame, top notch WP suspension at the front and rear, equally impressive Brembo brakes, slinky styling by British designers Seymour Powell, and the dimensions and performance to threaten all comers. In reality it was under-developed and unreliable, its performance, though able, was unstartling and it all cost a then massive £13000.
As you would expect with an all-new engine design, Norton had various problems with the F1's rotary engine, and the British company never really had the money to sort those problems out completely. If only Norton had Honda's financial muscle, the world of very fast motorcycles might have been a different place today. Fabulous ornament, though.Picture Credits:
www.nortonmotors.co.uk
www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/norton/norton_f1.htm
www.roadandraceclassics.co.uk
By: Rakshit Shastry