Norton Rotary in Classic Racer Magazine May/June 2012

[David Brown]

Hi all,There is a good article in May/June Classic Racer magazine of Dave Evans and how the Racing Norton Rotary Team got started. I remember talking to Dave Evans at the Norton factory a couple of years ago and discussing rotor bearing and circlip failure. He was a wealth of knowledge experience and only to pleased to talk Nortons, so it was good to read that he is still doing rebuilds. Well worth a read. I think this is part 1 of 2 so I look forward to the 2nd part.I wouldn't normally buy this magazine but just caught Norton Rotary Restorations on the front cover and I had to get it. The article even covers tuning and history that I hadn't read before, so go get it. Where can I get hold of a racing Norton Rotary like this? I will get one. David

[Wayne]

Hi Davidsorry to dissapoint you, finalised the purchase of the number 8 bike in the article just as the article came out , , however it needs a fair bit still doing to it go get it to full 89 spec, but i have allready allot of the parts required and a lot of the bits that will come off will go on my rc588 or my other 2 progects SWMBO dont know about yet.i think i am 99% correct in saying there are 6 works noton spondon framed bikes rebuilt in varous race models from 87 to 90 that are outside the natonal museum. There are also 4 privatly commisiond spondon race framed bikes, two of these were actualy raced, . The problem is most people who undertake these restarations put a lot of time as well as money into them. Sofar on my projects i have easy spent in excess of £2500 on fule and phone calls aloan, its not about the money, why we do it its the love of the bikes. At the festival of 1000 bikes its hoped all but one of the ex team bikes and two of the others mentond above will be there plus 4 from the museum. Come and have a chat to us wh are happy to talk about the bikes, bewair though i can talk all day about nortonsRegards Wayne

[norton588]

David all good points, and a good artical, as for buying a racing RCW i think it would cost about £30,000 for the one i have, and Wayne is correct, to build one would cost at least £20,000 IF you can find the parts, just not about any more, it 20 odd years since the JPS Norton days, it long gon, shame but hay ho. But if you feel the need and have £30,000 feel free to email me.mark. ps good luck to Norton at the TT!

[Wayne]

Hi MarkJust noticed, two of my swinging arms have the lugs for the suspencion linkage in a slightly differant place, this means a differant suspension linkage for each, and each frame is differant at the anker point. The 1990 bikes are totaly diferant again. To build one from total parts will take hours if not years of research, develope the ability to spot which frame is which in photograph and make sure you buy the correct parts if you can find them. The frames by the way, seam to have been made in pairs with each pair differant from the last,the exeptions beeng the first rc588 and the last RC588 they are each uniqe. All the works 1989 frames (all had the repacerble steering head bearing cups, and machined frame swinging arm pillars) are in the museum. So if you want one Marks would not bee a bad betRegards wayne

[Wayne]

Hi MarkForgot you can vouch for the amount of phone calls and travling i do, Norton at the TT, if you take a Nrv588 cut the spondon frame (not done by spondon) reck its buitfull faring and bugger about wilth the rest, junk the Norton developed engine and stick a Aprilia v4 in, is it then a spondon special like some guy build in a shed, maby a Norprill, However on visor down our mr gaurner says the spondon tripple beam is virtualy the same as Hissis NRS588, the nrs frame handeld so good they had to put a second shock (yes the nrs has two shocks) if this is correct the man has no engineering knolledge whatsoever, worse still a stake in spondon. It would be a brave man who compaird the Harris fabricated beams to spondons extruded tripple beam and say there basicly the same in front of Stuart Tyller of spondon, I would pay money to see it, light the blue tuch paper as they say and put on the ear muffsRegards Wayne

[Interpol2471]

I like Apriton sounds just like a washing machine

[rustynuts]

Or how about an Apron. Then it could attract sponsorship from lots of domestic products such as Domestos or perhaps Cillit Bang - half a mile out of Douglas and bang it's gone!