A Fistful of Gnarly Nortons

Norton: A Historical Perspective

Don't worry, there won't be a final exam. We'll just hit the high points on the long and curvy road Norton has traversed since James Lansdowne Norton founded the Norton Mfg. Co. in Birmingham, England circa 1898. He made parts for other people's motorcycles but wanted one with his own stamp on it so to speak. By 1902, he was plugging French engines onto bicycles, the first official Norton appearing in 1902. "Pa" Norton as he was called was a man of intense honesty, religious conviction and high standards. Other members of the fledgling industry would gather at his small facility and brainstorm, and later he would be called Father of the industry. Possessed of intuitive engineering talent and trained in intricate jewelry toolworking, J.L. produced quality single cylinder machines including their famous sidevalve engines. Many years down the racing road, Norton's most famous singles would be their 350cc and 500cc Manx, the bike that brought so much racing success and glory to the Norton marque.

The bike mags raved about the Commando's handling, speed, and comfort, and in fact England's Motor Cycle News awarded it Best Bike five years running.

The Japanese invasion and British financial problems eventually stemmed the flow of Nortons although during the 1980s- early 1990s considerable effort went into the development of a Wankel rotary powered machine variously called the Commander, F 1, Nemesis and T.T. The Wankels seemed promising but eventually floundered. There were also efforts to utilize the advanced Cosworth engine for racing but that fell victim to the likes of the TZ750 and RG500.

However, the Norton marque may yet surface again, several parties making efforts in that direction. In any case quite a few Norton Commandos were sold and through a strong enthusiast foundation these bikes continue to "dominate" the classic scene while the venerable Manx single also continued to garner victories many years after it went out of production, a testimony to the standards set worth by "Pa" Norton nearly a century ago.

Rising from the Ashes: The Fastback that Came Back

Once upon a time, this writer/rider spent most of his time in the garage resurrecting unwanted, unloved motorcycles tottering on the lip of the pit of oblivion. Try saying that five times fast. In any case, there are chick magnets and then are basket case magnets.

In any case, sometimes people would just drop off basket case bikes on my front lawn, because they knew I had a soft spot in my head for lost causes. Such was my rep for taking home the most distraught motorcycles that on one occasion when buying a bike, the owner made me take home a blown-up hulk of a Zundapp KS 601. Naturally I threw myself between the hammer and the bike and asked what he was doing. He replied that he was getting ready to squash the bike so it would fit into the dumpster. The chances of making anything out of it besides an artificial reef were nil, but since I already had an Allstate at least I could say I had experienced bikes from A-Z. You can see the depth of my illness, and so it would come as no surprise that one day I ambled into a small bike shop that I frequented and lo and behold the owner was standing over what looked like a pile of green slimed motorcycle parts. He was also holding a large sledge hammer. Naturally I threw myself between the hammer and the bike and asked what he was doing. He replied that he was getting ready to squash the bike so it would fit into the dumpster.

I took one look at the rusty, corroded, crusty thing... and knew it still retained the spark of life. Beneath the sedimentary layers of grime and slime, I recognized a Norton Commando. Apparently some owner had spray painted it algae green or an alien life form had engulfed it. I made an offer the bike shop couldn't refuse, and dragged the lifeless clump home. My wife at the time coincidentally left town for ten days. It gave her the opportunity to be free of me and for me to have the opportunity to immerse myself in one of my marathon bike projects, in this case 16 hours a day for ten straight days. I was in heaven.

I had the garage door open, the music playing, and set to work cleaning. My forte is cleaning. In fact I'm not really much of a mechanic. But I do have what some call intuitive knowledge. I know intuitively, when I look at a bike, no matter how bad its apparent

I took one look at the rusty, corroded, crusty thing... and knew it still retained the spark of life.

I dismantled the bike as much as feasible and tossed the body work because I had in my possession all the beautiful components for a Fastback, the svelte gas tank and low profile seat that blend into it as well as the correct side panels, rear fenders, large license plate frame and various assorted parts. Now back when the Fastback first appeared, people went ugh! and tossed the bodywork in favor of the standard Commando pieces. Now they're as rare as dragon's teeth. I had squirreled them together waiting for the right moment... like the foundling now in my garage, years of abuse falling away as I rubbed and Dremeled into the early morning hours.

I cleared the clutch a couple times, turned on the ignition and gave the kickstarter a hardy kick. Nothing. A second kick...

After "clarifying" the wiring, cleaning out the carbs, replacing all fluids, fitting fresh spark plugs, strapping in a new battery and adding gasoline to the tank, the moment of truth arrived. I cleared the clutch a couple times, turned on the ignition and gave the kickstarter a hardy kick. Nothing. A second kick. A hiccup followed by a burble followed by a bark! It lived!!!! It ran. It even idled. And I had not touched the engine. Now that is faith rewarded. The music coming out of those gleaming Dunstalls set me to dancing around the bike. A few blips of the throttle to warn the neighborhood I was about to launch... a careful release of the clutch... and off I went.

I stood there a while inhaling the sweet smell of success, actually the scent of polish and wax percolating up in the air as the bike warmed up. If I was intoxicated, so be it. Now to ride the beast. Jacket, helmet, gloves and a leg over. Off the center stand. A few blips of the throttle to warn the neighborhood I was about to launch... a careful release of the clutch... and off I went. It snickered through the gears as smooth as silk, the throttle responded seamlessly and it felt quicker than any stock Commando I had ridden, the engine obviously breathed upon... but then there was the stop sign. Would it stop? I downshifted and squeezed the brake lever, pressing the footpedal gingerly. The Norton began to decelerate, not with any sense of urgency, but it did slow and eventually stop. So braking wasn't its strongest point, but it was safe enough for judicious riding.

All in all, it was ten days well spent with many more to follow on a Fastback that came back.

Blast from the Past: George Kerker's Snortin' Norton Racer Rediscovered

Along with the machines went the men that rode Nortons to numerous victories, including luminaries such as Englishman Mike "The Bike" Hailwood. A less known racer, the American George Kerker also campaigned a Norton in the U.S., albeit very briefly. The Kerker name is forever associated with after market exhaust systems... the mellow bellow of a Kerker "pipe" fitted to all kinds of motorcycles over the years.

Some years ago I chanced up Brian Abure, the owner of this restored Kerker Norton. Now Brian had an appreciation for what he had since he had an early introduction to racing as his father was an avid competitor in South America, and later in the U.S. took part in the Laverda SFC racing effort with Lance Weil. But Brian's his first sight of a Norton took place when, in 1976, childhood friend Leland Powells received a brand new John Player Norton for his 16th birthday. "I just had to have a Norton," said Brian. "My first one was a chopped up, opened-header mishmash I bought from some hippie in Venice (Calif.) He used to ride the thing out to Mexico with a Colt .45 strapped to the forks. I told myself, a bit optimistically... I can bring it back. A couple thousand dollars later and a major crash ended that effort, but it was a lot of fun while it lasted. Then I bought a '75 Commando Electric Start which I rode every day, rain or shine, for 80,000 miles until it blew up."

Several years ago the Kerker Norton came into the picture when Brian first heard of the bike from a fellow from whom he bought several boxes of rare NOS Norton racing parts including the shortened Roadholder forks for Manx racers, about everything you needed to campaign a Norton. "He made a mistake of showing me a picture of this bike that had been for sale with the parts. I put two and two together. The Norton had been mislabeled in an ad as a 500cc twin. I tracked it to down to Pasadena and the guy who had originally bought it from an estate auction."

Bit by bit, over the intervening years, Brian learned that the late George Kerker had indeed raced it, and that there was a twin to the bike out there somewhere. "This is one fun, super-light bike that absolutely dominates the canyons. It has all the necessary attributes to kick butt."Kerker put both bikes together, and he raced both for the '72-73 season and, as the story goes, came to hate Nortons as a result of that experience. At some point, it somehow got registered for street legal use as seen here.

Upon acquiring the Kerker Norton and seeing it afflicted with inadequate vintage Hurst-Airheart brakes, Brian added Performance Machine brakes retaining the original rotors; according to him, it stops on a dime. "Besides adding the 'Black Cat' tail light, all I did after that was have Tony Marcus give it one of his masterful paint jobs, then I rode it. It's been very reliable."

The bike features a 1963 "slimline featherbed" frame which is nickel plated and matched to a set of Ceriani roadrace forks. The engine is based on an early release 750cc Combat engine that Kerker massaged, fed by a pair of 33mm Amal carburetors. "The tach redlines at 7,000RPM, but it will go happily to 8,000," says Brian. "Geared with a 20-tooth sprocket, top speed is around 115 mph. It's not a high-speed bike and gets a bit twitchy over 120 mph. It's more suited to a Sears Point-style track or running in the canyons."

The Kerker Norton wears a fiberglass Manx replica gas t

The ex-Kerker racing Norton is perhaps one of the most sensual looking cafe racers unleashed upon the streets, a true epitome of raw power and refined aesthetics.

One question remains...who out there in Motorcycle.Com land has possession of its twin?

Norton Snapshots: The Nortons I have Lusted After

Paul Dunstall Norton

Soon enough, the leather boys were parking their Dunstall equipped roadracers in front of the Ace Café and the rest as they say is Norton-inspired history. Dunstall began producing fully modified Dominators, taking on the status as manufacturers in their own right. By 1965 business was booming (along with their pipes) and the press heralded the company's racing successes as well as their products including their twin leading-shoe front brake and later their double disc setups. Dunstall sold street versions of their 650cc Domiracers and one of the first buyers was Steve McQueen. By 1970 Dunstall was moving into the Japanese market, but their catalog still carried the créme of custom Norton accessories.

Gus Kuhn Café Norton

Along with the likes of Paul Dunstall, one of the best known purveyors of Norton aftermarket performance and bodywork products was Gus Kuhn. In the late 1960s, Gus Kuhn Motors of Clapham, England was racing a team Nortons and was one of the first to offer custom radical stuff for Nortons. Parts offered included distinctive seat units, large tanks, fairing, oil tanks, alloy rims, rearsets as well as hypo engine parts plus the Lyster front disc brake setup. They were well made, beautiful pieces that complemented the Norton on all levels. Ojai, California collector Mike Taggart showed up one day at a bike show with his Gus Kuhn special and I immediately began calculating how many pints of blood I would have to sell to own the British Racing Green beauty and yes, it sounded ferocious through its Dunstall pipes.

Drouin Supercharged Norton

Postscript: I'm still a Norton nut. Even though paying rent, eating and paying my ex has temporarily left me Norton-less, the precious body parts for a Commando Fastback are still nestled in my closet waiting for the frame and powertrain to complete. (Donations accepted... if the motor, tranny and frame are a-okay. Ugly is okay. I can fix that.)

Related Reading and Norton Info: Joining one of the local, national or international organizations will get you all the information you need, to start Snortin' for yourself. Beware; once you start, you can't stop. That's a good thing, so log-on to the following links:
For Northern California readers go to: http://www.nortonclub.com/.

For a cool photo of a red Fastback and a hot lady go to Australia's Norton Club at: http://www.nocnsw.org.au/contact.html.

For Windy City area readers, checkout Chicago's Norton club at: http://www.cnoc.org/.

The French have a great site (in English) with lots of bike photos at: http://www.norton-club-fr.org/pages/anglais/welcome.html.

To get a panoramic Norton view log on to the International Norton Owners Group at: http://www.inoanorton.com/.

For a link to a long list of Norton clubs go to: http://www.oldbritts.com/club_n1.html.