New Nortons For the 1990s
New Nortons for the 1990s
ROUNDUP
FAMOUS single-cylinder IN THE 1950s Manx FOR and ITS renowned in the 1960s and early '70s for its powerhouse Twins, Norton—out of the motorcycle business since 1 975—is set to take on the 1990's with a line of rotary-powered bikes.
As we previously reported (“Rotary Reality,” Of, March, 1988), Norton first began work with a Wankel engine 15 years ago and in 1983 laid the groundwork for a return to motorcycling with its Rotary police bike, and more recently with a promising rotary-engined roadracer. In fact, when that aircooled engine was bolted into civilian running gear last year and offered for sale to the public at $ 10,000 each, the entire 100-bike production run was snapped up by eager buyers.
Now comes word that Norton is about to fully jump back into the business of manufacturing motorcycles. The Commander sport-tourer is ready for sale, and, at a recent British bike show, the company pulled the wraps off of a bike that todk everyone by surprise, the P55, otype sportbike. Both bikes use an updated, liquid-cooled version of Norton’s Rotary.
The Commander, which uses Yamaha wheels and brakes, is basically a civilianized police bike and reportedly puts out about 85 horsepower. It has a projected price of about $13,000.
The P55 is based on the Norton roadracer and uses a similar Spondon aluminum frame, but is cloaked in very modern-looking, allenclosing bodywork. Reports in the British press put the bike’s power output at over 100 bhp, with a top speed pushing 1 50 mph. Plans call for the P55 to be in production near the end of 1989 with a run of just 250 machines, each costing in the neighborhood of $20,000. A moreexpensive, race-only version is also said to be on the drawing boards.
Just when, or even if, the bikes will be available in the U.S. isn't clear, but Norton boss Philippe Le Roux has been quoted as saying that he considers the North American market crucial to his company’s future. So, a decade-and-a-half after the demise of the snortin' Nortons, we may be set for the second coming of the British superbike.
