Letter From Europe

LETTER FROM EUROPE

ROUNDUP

The Norton notes

For the last ten years, about the only way to get a new Norton was to be on a police force in Great Britain. Now, Norton has launched the limited edition Rotary Classic, its first civilian model in more than a decade. It’s also the first Wankel-engined Norton ever offered for sale to the public. Surprisingly, 86 of the run of 100 bikes powered by the air-cooled version of the 588cc twin-rotor engine had already been sold by the end of October. The bad news is that even if the factory wanted to do so. it couldn’t make any more because it lacks the production capacity. That makes the unfaired Classic exactly what it calls itself—a collector’s item—before it ever leaves the factory.

In the meantime, Norton boss Phil lippe Le Roux has taken a leaf from the Harlev-Davidson book and launched a gift catalogue offering a variety of goods, each bearing the famous Norton logo. “Collectables” features a selection of quality gifts from penknives to whiskey tumblers, and includes various Nortonapproved clothing for wear on and off the bike. Le Roux hasn't gone all the way down the Harley route, however, for there's no sign of Norton beer. Not yet, anyway.

Meanwhile, there's proof that the older generation of Norton motorcycles hasn’t been forgotten—at least not since the release of an eight-valve cylinder head to give the air-cooled Commando parallel-Twin a step up in power. Norton spares specialist Les Emery, of Lair Spares in Birmingham, has developed the head in conjunction with rider/engineer Pete Lovell, one of the most successful Commando racers over the past 1 5 years. The design is based on factory raceshop experiments made for the John Player team in the early Seventies but never incorporated on the racebikes. The eight-valve head offers an increase in horsepower as well as higher revs, which the sturdy Commando bottom-end is able to handle. According to Emery, the head can be fitted to anv

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late-type Norton engine, and will be on sale early in 1 988.

Linally, a sad piece of Norton-related news came in mid-October with the death of the legendary Ray Petty. Petty was one of the leading tuners of Manx Nortons since he began working under Lrancis Beart in the late Lorties. Then an excellent roadracer in his own right. Petty went on to carve a name for himself preparing engines for a long list of top riders, the most successful of which was Derek Minter, who dominated British racing in the Sixties.

Lately, Petty had almost single-handedly catered to the many Manx Nortons still competing around the world in the flourishing classic-racing scene. Tragically, he passed away only two days before a major commemorative event was to have been staged in his honor at Brands Hatch circuit uniting literally dozens of Manx Nortons and several riders who rode for Petty during his 35 years as a top roadrace engineer.

Alan Cathcart