The isolastic frame, designated by Norton as GlideRide, [2] used a system of engine-to-frame mountings incorporating rubber bushes to isolate the vibration of the vertical twin engine from the frame and rider. The isolastic frame was developed for use with the Commando inclined engine, whilst the Featherbed frame continued in production for the Mercury with a softer-specification 650 cc vertical-engine until 1970. [3] [4] [5]
Following the collapse of the old Norton parent-company AMC in 1966, a new business was structured to produce motorcycles using the name Norton Matchless Division, under a new parent company name of Norton Villiers Ltd. [2]
Part of the changes involved creating a new design frame produced as previously by Reynolds Tubes in Tyseley, Birmingham, England, where the traditional Featherbed frame had been produced since the 1950s, shipped for assembly at the Matchless works in Woolwich, London. [6]
In an attempt to reduce the worsening problem of engine vibration being transmitted through the frame, as the capacity of the engine increased to 750cc with the Norton Atlas, Norton Villiers decided to replace the Featherbed frame for their top model, and the Norton Commando was the result, although Norton-Matchless machines like the P11 continued to use conventional Matchless frames.
The innovative new design isolastic frame made it smoother through the use of rubber bushes to isolate the engine and swingarm from the frame, forks, and rider. As the rubber bushes deteriorated, however, the bike became prone to fishtailing[ clarification needed ] in high-speed turns. [7] Earlier models therefore required careful maintenance and adjustment of the clearance between frame and mounts using shims.
Several improvements were made in 1969. The frame benefitted from additional stiffening and strengthening, [8] which, together with an improved centre-stand, helped to improve ground-clearance which had been criticised. Slightly softer rubber mountings were introduced to reduce a vibration period at 1,500 to 1,900 rpm. A new model named Commando S was introduced with alternative styling having a different tank, mudguards and high-level exhausts. [9] [4]
The six-storey former Matchless factory at Woolwich closed on 25 July 1969, and production was transferred to a new, small, modern facility at Andover, Hampshire, [6] when the range was expanded to five Commando variants—Fastback, Roadster SS, Production racer and Hi-Rider, all having "Isolastic Construction—Norton's revolutionary answer to vibration".
By 1971, the company name had changed again to Norton Villiers Europe Ltd. [10] By 1973, a variant on the Roadster was introduced named Interstate, with larger 53⁄4-gallon (27 litre) fuel tank replacing the original US-specification 21⁄2 gallon (18 litre) capacity. [1] By 1974 the company name had changed yet again, to Norton Triumph Europe Limited. [11]
As part of an attempt to produce new models from existing parts, NVT produced a few prototype models using the Isolastic engine mounting system. None of the prototypes made it into production.
The P92 model comprised a BSA B50 engine in a BSA Fury/Triumph Bandit frame using Isolastic mountings from the Norton Commando. The US DOT had mandated that all motorcycles sold in the US should have a left hand gear change. The B50 had the gear lever on the right, so to comply with this requirement, the engine was tilted forward in the frame and a gear linkage run under the gearbox to provide a left hand gear change. [12]
A prototype '900 Commando' was also produced. [12] [ dead link ] It used a Triumph T180 triple engine (a T160 Trident engine increased in capacity to 870 cc) in Commando cycle parts. [13]
The Norton Motorcycle Company is a brand of motorcycles, originally based in Birmingham, England. For some years around 1990, the rights to use the name on motorcycles was owned by North American financiers. From 2008 to 2020, a line of motorcycles was produced under owner and chief executive Stuart Garner. Due to financial failure with large debts, in April 2020 administrators BDO agreed to sell certain aspects of Garner's business to Project 303 Bidco Limited, a new business established for the purpose with links to Indian motorcycle producer TVS Motor Company.
A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd was a British automobile and motorcycle manufacturer in operation from 1909 to 1931. The company was founded by Joe Stevens in Wolverhampton, England. After the firm was sold, the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on four-stroke motorcycles till 1969, and since the name's resale in 1974, on lightweight, two-stroke scramblers and today on small-capacity roadsters and cruisers. The company held 117 motorcycle world records.
Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke twins. Matchless had a long history of racing success; a Matchless ridden by Charlie Collier won the first single-cylinder race in the first Isle of Man TT in 1907.
The Triumph Bonneville is a standard motorcycle featuring a parallel-twin four-stroke engine and manufactured in three generations over three separate production runs.
Geoff Monty was an English professional motorcycle racer, constructor, rider-sponsor and retail dealer, initially based in Kingston on Thames and later – under the name Monty and Ward – Twickenham areas, near London, with a move to Edenbridge, Kent by 1968.
Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by the Collier brothers as a parent company for the Matchless and AJS motorcycle companies. It later absorbed Francis-Barnett, James, and Norton before incorporation into Norton-Villiers. Henry Herbert Collier founded Matchless as a cycle company in 1878. His sons Henry (Harry) and Charles (Charlie) joined him and the name was changed to H. Collier & Sons.
Norton-Villiers was a British motorcycle manufacturer formed in the 1960s following the collapse of AMC. With the general decline of the British motorcycle industry, under a British Government initiative it was later combined with the remnants of BSA Triumph to form Norton-Villiers-Triumph.
Norton Villiers Triumph (NVT) was a British motorcycle manufacturer, formed by the British government to continue the UK motorcycling industry, but the company eventually failed.
The Norton Commando is a British Norton-Villiers motorcycle with an OHV pre-unit parallel-twin engine, produced by the Norton Motorcycle company from 1967 until 1977. Initially having a nominal 750 cc displacement, actually 745 cc (45.5 cu in), in 1973 it became an 850 cc, actually 828 cc (50.5 cu in). It had a hemi-type head, similar to all OHV Norton engines since the early 1920s.
Peter Williams was a British former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle road racing from 1966 to 1973. He also competed at many levels on home short-circuit races. He raced many times on the Isle of Man TT course from 1966 to 1973. His father was Jack Williams who ran the Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) race department. Williams trained in mechanical engineering and introduced via racing alloy wheels, an innovation which is commonplace on today's road bikes, and was also an early pioneer of solo-motorcycle disc brakes.
The Model 50 was a touring motorcycle built by Norton between 1933 and 1963. A further Model 50 was briefly produced by Norton parent-company AMC during 1965 and 1966 using a re-badged Matchless.
The Norton ES2 is a Norton motorcycle produced from 1927 until 1964. From 1965, a different machine was produced for a short time by parent manufacturer AMC, based on a Matchless but badged as Norton ES2 Mk2.
The Dominator is a twin cylinder motorcycle developed by Norton to compete against the Triumph Speed Twin. The original Dominator was designed in 1947 and 1948 by Bert Hopwood, who had been on the Speed Twin design team at Triumph. Available for sale from mid 1949, this design set the pattern for Norton twins for the next 30 years.
The Matchless G12 is a British motorcycle made by Associated Motorcycles at the former Matchless works in Plumstead, London. Developed in 1958 specifically to capture the potentially lucrative US market, the last G12 was produced in 1966.
The Norton Atlas was a Norton motorcycle made between 1962 and 1968, until it was replaced by the Norton Commando.
The featherbed frame was a motorcycle frame developed by the British Norton motorcycle company to improve the performance of their racing motorcycles around the twisting and demanding Isle of Man TT course in 1950. It was considered revolutionary at the time, and the best handling frame that a racer could have. Later adopted for Norton production motorcycles, it was also widely used by builders of custom hybrids such as the Triton, becoming legendary and remaining influential to this day.
The Dunstall Norton was a Norton motorcycle made by Paul Dunstall, a specialist tuner of the 1960s and early 1970s twins originally using some parts from Norton's Domiracer project when the Birmingham factory was closed in 1963. In 1966 Dunstall Motorcycles became a motorcycle manufacturer in its own right so that Dunstalls could compete in production races, and set a number of world records before sales of the Dunstall Nortons declined in the 1970s consistent with the demise of the British motor cycle industry and a corresponding rise in Japanese imports.
The Norton P11 was a 745 cc (45.5 cu in) air-cooled OHV parallel twin motorcycle made by Norton-Villiers from 1967 to 1969. Designed as an extremely light high power-to-weight ratio desert racer, P11 was revised in 1968 to the P11A and marketed as the Norton Ranger, a road legal version of the P11 with a more comfortable seat to make it suitable for normal road use. The Norton P11 gained a reputation as a 'desert racer' in the late 1960s but by 1969 lighter two stroke desert racers began to dominate the sport and the Norton had begun Commando production and it was selling well. Norton ended production of the P11 series to concentrate on the Commando, which used a number of ideas developed on the P11 series.
Colin Jordan Seeley was a British motorcycle retailer who later became a motorcycle sidecar racer, motorcycle designer, constructor and retailer of accessories. In 1992 he was involved in running the Norton Rotary race team.
BSA motorcycles were made by the Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA), which was a major British industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand, power, and machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process.