Norton

NORTON

Norton have been producing Motorcycles since 1902

• 1898 Company founded by James Lansdowne Norton - a toolmaker with deeply religious beliefs and very high standards. He began with the supply of fittings to the two-wheeled trade.

• 1902 Built his first motorcycle, powered by an imported Clement engine which hung from the bicycle frame downtube. Advanced for these times, the machine was called the Energette, with either direct belt or chain transmission and two-speed gearbox.

• 1903 More machines were developed using mainly Peugeot engines.

• 1907/1908 Norton began to design and produce his own engine. The success of this simple, well-built machine lasted for over four decades. His concentration on engineering and neglect of finances brought trouble. This resulted in in a buy out by R. T. Shelley, who joined Norton as managing director - thus giving the firm a firmer footing.

• 1915 Although there was little involvement in the Great War, production of a three-speed gearbox and all-chain drive commenced.

• 1920 Norton moved to Bracebridge Street and remained there until 1963.

• 1925 James Norton died at the age of 56, after two years of ill health.

• 1927 A new ohc engine designed by Walter Moore first appeared. This had the magneto behind the engine (rather than in front), and a camshaft driven by shaft and bevels, all mounted on a new cradle frame.

• 1929 Walter Moore left the company and was replaced by Joe Craig who became famous as the firm's race director. He co-designed an engine with Arthur Carroll that was one of the greatest designs of all time and that remained almost unchanged for over thirty years.

• 1931 Norton became predominant in the racing world and remained there for much of the decade - until the outbreak of war.

• World War II - Large numbers of motorcycles were produced for the services.

• 1956 After many years of service and notable contribution to Norton, Joe Craig retired.

• 1959 Brought radical changes and a new machine based on a Francis-Barnett design.

• 1963 The Electra 383cc went into production - this had an electric start. Perhaps of more importance to enthusiasts, Bracebridge Street closed and production moved to the AMC factory at Plumstead - resulting in the first hybrid, the Atlas scrambler.

• 1977 Production ceased. This was due to the general crisis in the British motorcycle industry. It was not, however, the end of Norton.

• 1983 During the 1970s Norton had inherited a Wankel project via Triumph and [[BSA]. In the early 1980s the police tested this rotary engine, with the second version appearing in 1983.

• 1993 The UK recession and some dubious financial deals brought financial disaster, so production stopped again.

• 1997 The name or Norton lived on with the production of a machine using a BMW engine (actually a Rotax from Austria).

• 1998 A link was formed with March and their range carried the Norton badge.

• 1999 The appearance of a machine built to the design of Kenny Dreer of Vintage Rebuilds in Oregon, which retained the classic Norton lines by restoring and upgrading Commandos to produce whole machines. He modernised the design and went into series production.

• 2006 In April of that year Kenny Dreer suspended operations

In the UK Norman White, a former team racer and mechanic, is still restoring and rebuilding race and road machines as well as remanufacturing original and improved parts.

Sources of Information

The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press and Wikipedia