Norton International - Norwegian style

My lovely Norwegian friend Wenche (pronounced Ven-ka) trying the '37 Norton Inter for size.

Geoff Tanner Norton 350 Inter video

I decided to have some fun with this weekend with my video camera.. A bit shaky to start with but watch this space!

Geoff Tanner 1954 Norton 350 International

A bright afternoon in late October provided one last photo shoot opportunity before the Clubmans Inter is wrapped up for winter. Restored by Bernie Allen, the bike featured in Classic Racer several years ago. Click here to read the full story.

1954 Norton International 350 Clubmans

A recent photo taken of the 350 Clubmans TT bike featured in Classic Racer last year. For more on the reunion with original rider Geoff Tanner and this highly original machine visit the full article on Mr Motor Tweeter.

H&H Auction Results- Brough Superior sells for £286,000

The Haynes International Motor Musuem in Sparkford, Somerset was the venue for the recent H&H auction consisting of 70 modern and classic motorcycles, many from the Willi Marewski collection and approximately 40 cars, including two classic motor cars owned by current F1 World Champion, Jenson Button.

The big news from the sale held on Friday 22nd October, was Lot 66, a well sorted 1929 Brough Superior SS100, which sold for an eye watering £286,000 including buyers premium, a magnificent figure for a motorcycle which may be a new record for a motorcycle sold in the UK. In July 2008, Monterey California, Mid America Auctions sold a 1915 Cyclone Board Tracker motorcycle for $520,000- still the current world record.

Other highlights of the sale included a stunning 1954 BMW RS54 production racer which sold for £143,000, a bike raced by Alois Huber, Ernst Hiller and Lothar John. Powered by a later, 1960s short stroke 500cc flat twin, this particular RS54 is said to be one of the fastest and most powerful RS models in existance.

For fans of two stroke race bikes, the sale included two early 1980s Suzuki RG500s both selling for around £18,000 apiece and a 1981 Yamaha TZ500 a machine that was originally supplied to former World Champion Walter Villa, selling for £37,400.

Sold for the price of £3,630, a 1970 Honda CR350 Replica featured, built with a factory 'race kit' package, the bike also came fitted with a tasty, racing Yamaha front brake. Good value for a high quality, period racer.

Many motorcycles did not sell however, including a very rare 1939 DKW SS 350 complete with supercharger and water cooling. According to legend, when raced at the Isle of Man, the ear splitting shriek given off by the DKWs could be heard on the English mainland. Maybe the ever increasing noise limits of many British tracks put a dampener on the sale of this particular lot..

Please enjoy the gallery below showing many more of the bikes included in the sale. For more information on the cars sold, please check my other blog Mr Motor Tweeter for more information.


1958 Mondial 250 Special- Not sold

1985 Laverda F500 - Not sold.

1949 Triumph Grand Prix Replica- Not sold

Cadwell Park Classic Track Day

 

Cadwell park is often called the 'Mini Nurburgring' by it's fans, a fitting accolade for a track with almost every type of corner, gradient change and trackside scenery. Hosted by track day specialists MSV and advertised and sponsored by Mortons Media the Classic Track day at Cadwell in early October was an event I wasn't going to miss. The event was open to three classes, pre '65, pre '75, pre '85 and race bikes, I decided to enter the pre '65 class on Dad's road registered 1957 500 Norton International.

Assembled by Mike Pemberton of Pushrod Performance from a genuine '57 Inter frame and fitted with an Andy Savage built '58 Inter engine (one of the last Norton made), the bike is currently in clubmans specification with Manx seat, flat bars, BSA Goldie silencer, aluminium tank and a Commando TLS front brake plate.

Noise testing at 8am insured any on-site campers were wide awake and following a friendly briefing in the bar, the first group of riders were on track by 9.30, albeit going steady in the Lincolnshire morning mist. Conditions were damp on track most of the morning and it took until lunchtime for the track to become bone dry.

Prepped for track use the Inter wore freshly scrubbed-in Avon Road Riders, with the kick start removed and centre stand wired up. Concerned we might fail the noise test with the BSA Gold Star-style pipe fitted, we had prepared a baffle in the shape of an old stainless VW Beetle taper tip that fitted perfectly up the end of the pipe secured with a bolt drilled through. A road test the previous week proved this system was a far better setup than running a road-spec Norton Inter pipe, the latter totally choking the rev-hungry OHC single. Nevertheless we sailed through the noise test unbaffled, I think some of the cheerful scrutineers might have been a little deaf anyway..

My first on-track experience of Cadwell consisted of completing a lap on my longboard a few years ago, some of the hills providing the prefect surface to carve on. Sat astride a Norton Inter is more fun though- and probably safer, as riding a very fast skateboard topless in short trousers is almost guaranteed to end in tears.

Following my fourth session I was beginning to improve my lines, overtaking some of the less spirited riders and keeping up with a confidently ridden mid-sixties Triumph Bonneville. I was impressed with the predictability of the Avon tyres and even managed to touch a knee slider down on one occasion. Entering the 90 degree Park right hander from Park Straight, I found blipping the throttle on down shifts helped keep the bike settled under braking, the front brake providing impressive levels of feel and power.

In total I completed five sessions and approximately 20 laps of the circuit with Coppice and Mansfield becoming my two favourite corners although swinging right-left into Hall Bends after The Mountain made me grin quite a lot too!

The Inter behaved perfectly all day with only my heavy footing to blame for an accidental stall upon entering the track on one occasion. Both my mechanic and I enjoyed the day thoroughly and hope there will be many more classic-only track days next year. A big thanks goes to MSV and Mortons Media for organising the event.

1954 Clubman's TT Norton 350 International

These images show Isle of Man road racer Geoff Tanner re-united with his 1954 Clubman's TT Norton 350 for the feature in issue 138 of Classic Racer magazine in the Summer of 2009. Geoff finished 5th at a race speed of 81.54 mph for four laps of the 37 mile TT Mountain course with a fastest lap of 83mph. The first Norton home, Geoffs lap was the fastest set by a 350cc Norton in the entire Clubman's races.

He was delighted to see the bike in all its former glory, having not seen it in over 50 years! Accurately restored by Bernie Allen, the bike now runs beautifully and sounds fantastic through it's open pipe. Once sat on the bike, Geoff looked totally at home. Sporting a fixed grin whilst blipping the throttle and sounding like a true racer, he commented that he remembered it to be "Bloody slow!".

Essentially road bikes the Clubman's specification allowed only very minor race upgrades. Lights, silencer and centre stand were deleted whilst the addition of a fly screen, a set of Manx mudguards and seat were added. Rear-set foot rests completed the transformation from road bike to racer.

The following year in 1955 Geoff went on to win the Manx Grand Prix in both 350 and 500 classes cementing his talent as a racer. He also competed as part of the Continental Circus in Europe.

A Tale of Two Norton Inters

The Norton International was the pre-war flagship bike for Norton from its inception in 1932. Used for racing both by the Norton factory Works racers, clubman racers and for fast roadwork, the International was produced in 350 and 500 versions (with a few 600cc bikes for sidecar racers). The first bikes were produced with girder forks at the front and rigid rear ends , with plunger rear suspension appearing at first on the Works bikes and later on the customers models. The very last pre-war racing Inters were very quick specialist machines and were christened "Manx" by virtue of the marques immense racing record in the Isle of Man TT and Manx GP races.

Post war, the Inter acquired telescopic front forks as well as plunger rear suspension from 1947 until 1952, when the Inters had a final makeover with the adoption of a version of the acclaimed Featherbed frame, which took it up to its final demise in 1958

Keen to ride both the post war plunger and featherbed bikes on modern day public roads in Somerset, I spent a fabulous day in the brisk March sunshine comparing road manners whilst scaring a few horse riders in the process!

1949 Norton International 350 Clubmans

First up the 1949 350cc 'Plunger' Inter. Having spent many years in a leaking shed in Northumberland and once raced by Bill Camier in the 1949 Isle of Man TT, this Clubmans spec machine has been fully restored by Mike Pemberton and George Cohen.

Now demonstrating a distinctly road bias set-up, this machine has a comfortable but sporty riding position demonstrated by the turned up bars and lack of 'bum-perch' seat. The elegant but rorty Brooklands exhaust can, rear set footrests and lack of lights turn the balance back towards road racer. Considering the engine, recently rebuilt by George Cohen, has covered less than 50 miles since the rebuild, this road test was an exploration of handling rather than outright speed. We'll save that for another day at Wroughton Airfield.

Starting easily on the first kick, the 350 makes a fabulous noise. No doubt thanks to the Brooklands can, I scare a pair of juvenile ponies and their riders, trotting up the neaby bridleway. Cutting the engine immediately I make my apologies. Horse-hair-raiser over I restart the 350, again first kick.

Once underway, the free revving, all alloy single ohc motor begins to warm up and I am rewarded with a charmingly smooth power delivery. Positive gear changes are very straight forward and within a mile I am begginning to swing the Inter into corners with confidence. Approaching a bumpy kink in the road, I am keen to discover the cornering abilities of the plunger frame. Entering the bend at 55mph I learn a shift in body position to the rear of the bike helps the dampers smother road imperfections also emphasising the need for a bum seat.

On reaching a long straight I find even in run-in state this 350 Inter can still reach illegal speeds with ease as I instinctly overtake a Sunday-driver-driven Nissan Micra. Back in the fifities, the driver of an unsuspecting Ford Anglia would have received quite a fright. A practical, sporty machine with a wealth of charm and character, the '49 Inter is a real gem.

1954 Norton International 500 Clubmans

Next up, the 1954 Featherbed 500 Inter Clubmans, another machine with a fascinating history. Raced by G W Shekell in the 1954 Clubmans TT, finishing 12th at an average speed of 80.25 mph (the second Norton to finish) and restored by Bernie Allen in 2009, I rode this bike at last years Norton Owners Golden Jubilee event at Donington Park.

Restored to Clubmans specification, including an all alloy engine, no lights, rear set footrests, Manx front numberplate and seat, this Inter has a very purposeful appearance. Second kick brings the 500cc motor to life, producing a deeper but no less fantastic sound. The riding position of a racing featherbed is much heavier on the wrists than the earlier Inters, even with flat bars fitted, resembling that of a more modern sports bike.

Fitted with race cams, the featherbed Inter is happiest on an open throttle which makes for swift, rewarding progress especially blatting along country A-roads. The long Manx seat permits plenty of movement in the saddle, the drum brakes are soft by modern standards but provide ample stopping power.

With more grip than outright power, the 500 Inter is a very confidence inspiring machine and a bike that cries out to be ridden. The combination of low weight and a rev hungry engine make for a smile inducing road experience, the bike responding to delicate inputs and with none of the plunger's evident pre-war feel. With only 50 bikes built to Clubmans specification, this is a very rare machine as many were turned into Triton cafe racers. Following on his Honda VFR 750 my Dad commented, "You looked like you were having fun!", and indeed I was.