Nemesis, Al Melling and Norton
- Thread starter Cheshire bloke
- Start date
I dont know at this stage what happened to the engine,, they did do a complete bike as mock up,,not sure about the motor,, i'll try and find out next time i'm in touch with AL. alot has been sold off,, I know he sold the 600 desmo single and the tooling for the bike that he designed for Norton, to be called the International. Much was disposed of when the went to the Algarve and when he closed that factory down later.
nemesisv8 said:
Never actually heard that he designed anything for a model called an International ?
The Canadian-based company was called Norton Motors International though.
There was a dispute with Norton Motors Deutschland who HAD designed an International,
based on an ohc Rotax single. They sold quite a number of them - but for legal reasons couldn't
sell them out of a showroom in the UK. They went on to become the saviour of the
Commando spares business, with Andover Norton...
Melling was asked ( by the USA Norton company its became) to produce the 600 desmo single in three versions,, road, road and trial and paris daker style which was all the rage at the time,, 70bhp and a 100 bhp race bike for a one make race series, I have a copy of the contract between Melling and Norton USA setting out the details.
Melling told me he had soldd the rights and tooling
The German International bike was indeed around the time when Norton was owned by a Canadian company but the rights to Norton were not in the hands of one company at the time.
V8: The bike everyone hates, more stories about this bike than King Tut.
The V8 started life as a 2 litre V8 for a single seater race car for March Engineering, morphed into the 1500 V8 110bhp cruiser first (which was also to be sold as a Norton as long as March got a royality on each sold) and later the bike we all either hate or love. the cruiser was also called the Nemesis at first, zxr750 top ends, really? wonder where that came from, why is it ALWAYS a kawa everyone is supposed to copy, firstly the Triumphs when they first came out and the V8, why never a Suzuki or Honda.
There were other bikes involved,, 750four Manx; prototype completed, 900/4 sports tourer; designed work done but no bike, 600 desmo; 3 prototypes completed, . 1500 v twin; full size mock up, 2500 v twin,; sold to another company, a V4 but i have no idea how far that one got and a 600/4, again no details on that one yet
Melling has also designed for himself a 2500 V twin and a huge 4.5 litre v twin with the motor machined from solid billets, both bikes cruisers for the USA market
Melling told me he had soldd the rights and tooling
The German International bike was indeed around the time when Norton was owned by a Canadian company but the rights to Norton were not in the hands of one company at the time.
V8: The bike everyone hates, more stories about this bike than King Tut.
The V8 started life as a 2 litre V8 for a single seater race car for March Engineering, morphed into the 1500 V8 110bhp cruiser first (which was also to be sold as a Norton as long as March got a royality on each sold) and later the bike we all either hate or love. the cruiser was also called the Nemesis at first, zxr750 top ends, really? wonder where that came from, why is it ALWAYS a kawa everyone is supposed to copy, firstly the Triumphs when they first came out and the V8, why never a Suzuki or Honda.
There were other bikes involved,, 750four Manx; prototype completed, 900/4 sports tourer; designed work done but no bike, 600 desmo; 3 prototypes completed, . 1500 v twin; full size mock up, 2500 v twin,; sold to another company, a V4 but i have no idea how far that one got and a 600/4, again no details on that one yet
Melling has also designed for himself a 2500 V twin and a huge 4.5 litre v twin with the motor machined from solid billets, both bikes cruisers for the USA market
Are there any pics of this 600 desmo single anywhere.
Never heard of this 'International' one in connection with Norton ?
"Originally Melling was commissioned to design four Norton motorcycles: the Manx, the Nirvana, the Buffalo and the Nemesis."
The history seems to say a Canadian finance Co owned Norton Motors International at that time,
how does an american connection come into it ?
Phillipe La Roux was different time frame ??
The V8 shown had 2 x kawasaki 750 top ends on it, if you look closely,
so it doesn't take a genius to figure where the 'rumour' of kawasaki content came from. ! ??
The bore and stroke of the V8 as quoted also, strangely enough, seemed more than similar to a Kwaka 750 engine at the time.
Also, at some point a journalist was offered a ride on the Nemesis V8, but with only a 4 cylinder engine fitted to it.
That engine was apparently a Kawasaki ZXR750, complete unaltered intact and 100% kawasaki,
so again rumours of Kawasaki content would appear to have some foundation. ?
The journalist had to sign something to say he wouldn't report that particular detail. ?
Whole lotta designing going on here, and not much building, ??
seems to be a common theme.
There have been a number of potential 4 cylinder designs in Nortons past that came to nothing,
this just adds to the mystique...
Disappointing it didn't come to more, I always fancied a ride on that V8.
With big cruisers becoming ever more popular since, its potential market is even bigger now than then, even in detuned form ?
Never heard of this 'International' one in connection with Norton ?
"Originally Melling was commissioned to design four Norton motorcycles: the Manx, the Nirvana, the Buffalo and the Nemesis."
The history seems to say a Canadian finance Co owned Norton Motors International at that time,
how does an american connection come into it ?
Phillipe La Roux was different time frame ??
The V8 shown had 2 x kawasaki 750 top ends on it, if you look closely,
so it doesn't take a genius to figure where the 'rumour' of kawasaki content came from. ! ??
The bore and stroke of the V8 as quoted also, strangely enough, seemed more than similar to a Kwaka 750 engine at the time.
Also, at some point a journalist was offered a ride on the Nemesis V8, but with only a 4 cylinder engine fitted to it.
That engine was apparently a Kawasaki ZXR750, complete unaltered intact and 100% kawasaki,
so again rumours of Kawasaki content would appear to have some foundation. ?
The journalist had to sign something to say he wouldn't report that particular detail. ?
Whole lotta designing going on here, and not much building, ??
seems to be a common theme.
There have been a number of potential 4 cylinder designs in Nortons past that came to nothing,
this just adds to the mystique...
Disappointing it didn't come to more, I always fancied a ride on that V8.
With big cruisers becoming ever more popular since, its potential market is even bigger now than then, even in detuned form ?
I havent heard about the story of the zx motor in the V8, which V8 the March one or the Norton version? I will email Al Melling and see what i can find out
No I dont have a photo of the 600 desmo, i would like to see them myself,
Norton motorcycles international (NMI) was the name at the time, see link http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/NRTN:US-norton-motorcycles-inc
Andover Norton also designed another bike for NMI but NMI went bust before it come to life (was going to be assemblied by CCM), it was a great looking bike too.
Tastad and Kirkpatrick were both taken to court for financial reasons after forming Norton investments Inc and allegedly transfering investers money into that company, then trying to take control of the tooling for the bikes,
I have a letter from Mr Melling about what happened in his own words, might throw it up when i can find it
According to a contract i have for the 750/4, Norton commisioned Melling to design the 750 for a set price,, produce a prototype for a set price with workshop manual and when all installments were completed the tooling would be owned by Norton, Norton didnt pay.
No I dont have a photo of the 600 desmo, i would like to see them myself,
Norton motorcycles international (NMI) was the name at the time, see link http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/NRTN:US-norton-motorcycles-inc
Andover Norton also designed another bike for NMI but NMI went bust before it come to life (was going to be assemblied by CCM), it was a great looking bike too.
Tastad and Kirkpatrick were both taken to court for financial reasons after forming Norton investments Inc and allegedly transfering investers money into that company, then trying to take control of the tooling for the bikes,
I have a letter from Mr Melling about what happened in his own words, might throw it up when i can find it
According to a contract i have for the 750/4, Norton commisioned Melling to design the 750 for a set price,, produce a prototype for a set price with workshop manual and when all installments were completed the tooling would be owned by Norton, Norton didnt pay.
Video of Nemesis V8
note 750/4 with MCD motif and 3 plug head, don't remember any Kawasaki's with a 3 plug head
[video][Video of Nemesis V8
note 750/4 with MCD motif and 3 plug head, don't remember any Kawasaki's with a 3 plug head
[video(https://youtu.be/zfyrrIaLXYA][/video]/video]
note 750/4 with MCD motif and 3 plug head, don't remember any Kawasaki's with a 3 plug head
[video][Video of Nemesis V8
note 750/4 with MCD motif and 3 plug head, don't remember any Kawasaki's with a 3 plug head
[video(https://youtu.be/zfyrrIaLXYA][/video]/video]
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May 2024: now Alan Millyard is rebuilding and modifying the V8 engine , with a series of Youube videos, on behalf of the National Motorcycle Museum (UK).
