Norton Racing

comnoz · Aug 19, 2010

http://www.motorcycle.com/news/norton-r ... 89875.html

Hortons Norton · Aug 19, 2010

Good to hear, Thanks Jim.

Gino Rondelli · Aug 20, 2010

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Is this an April 1st Joke? :lol: :lol:

kommando · Aug 20, 2010

As MotoMatters.com’s David Emmett points out, the Norton marquee has a long tradition in racing, going back to Geoff Duke’s 1951 World Championships in the 500cc and 350cc classes. Norton also holds five manufacturer’s titles, though they all came in the early ’50s.

Bit earlier than the 50's me thinks, does the IOM TT no longer count :shock:

Ron L · Aug 20, 2010

Are they nuts????? :shock:

This has to be a PR gimmick (Public Relations not Production Racer :lol: ).

Even with the 6 engine rule (I understand it will be raised for 2012) the cost of MotoGP racing is outrageous and takes major sponsorship. An air cooled 961 will certainly not be competitive with the Japanese inline 4's or the Ducati V4. The rotary? Doubtful. A new engine? I don't see them capable of that unless it is a purchased item.

This is insane.

grandpaul · Aug 20, 2010

Rotaries are the only possible / viable engine for Norton racing in the near future.

swooshdave · Aug 20, 2010

Ron L said:
Are they nuts????? :shock:

This has to be a PR gimmick (Public Relations not Production Racer :lol: ).

Even with the 6 engine rule (I understand it will be raised for 2012) the cost of MotoGP racing is outrageous and takes major sponsorship. An air cooled 961 will certainly not be competitive with the Japanese inline 4's or the Ducati V4. The rotary? Doubtful. A new engine? I don't see them capable of that unless it is a purchased item.

This is insane.

You have to have sponsorship, and having a British team in MotoGP would be a big carrot for English sponsor(s). Sounds like a 700cc rotary against 1000cc pistons? I'd take those odds in a second.

Nice move, Mr. Garner.

Fullauto · Aug 20, 2010

170 bhp or anything close just ain't going to cut it.

Ever heard of the Roton?

swooshdave · Aug 20, 2010

Fullauto said:
170 bhp or anything close just ain't going to cut it.

Ever heard of the Roton?

170hp is what they list for the 588, the new bike (I assume) will be a 700. So you can be assured it will be well north of 170hp.

jseng1 · Aug 20, 2010

see it here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph-n7-naQxo

and here

http://www.fasterandfaster.net/2006/11/ ... again.html

willh · Aug 20, 2010

From August Bike

Vulin · Aug 20, 2010

The new bike can easily attain 200+mph. Im guessing with 700cc PP rotary, they should be making something in the low to mid 200's. Mazdas 13b motor (1300cc) when peripheral ported can make 300+ hp. I think the norton can do well, just need a good rider.

Ron L · Aug 20, 2010

Taking the passion/emotion out of the equation, I just don't see Norton have the resources to compete at the MotoGP level. Finding a major sponsor in this economy is tough for Yamaha and Ducati even with a winning history. Kenny Roberts fielded a bike with a major sponsor, but was only moderately successful and eventualy had to get motors from Honda. Cost of participation has ramped up since then. The last attempt was the Ilmor in 2007. It lasted only one race when they pulled out due to funding problems. Today's MotoGP efforts take BIG budgets.

I hope I'm wrong, cuz I'd really like to see Garner and Norton be another Britten-type giant killer.

Chris · Aug 21, 2010

Hi

If you have witnessed the test rider on the rotary at Mallory sideways & nailing it everywhere. You would believe it is possible.
Unfortunately there was nothing to compare it to!
Aurally at Donnington on the pipe with Mr Walker on board it sounded the b*****ks. They say, new engine, new design.
30 plus horse power up on the old engine. I would like to see it get a run out. Lots of maybe involved & we have "seen it all before" but it would be nice!
David & Goliath & British to boot.
all the best Chris

comnoz · Aug 27, 2010

Well the word is the new race-bike will be a four cylinder.

GRM 450 · Aug 28, 2010

4 cylinder piston or 4 rotor ?

If they can do it good luck to them. The more in MotoGP the better.

graeme

Vulin · Aug 28, 2010

4 rotor would be too large for the bike, even if the engine were modified to be smaller

ZFD · Aug 28, 2010

swooshdave said:
You have to have sponsorship, and having a British team in MotoGP would be a big carrot for English sponsor(s). Sounds like a 700cc rotary against 1000cc pistons? I'd take those odds in a second.

Nice move, Mr. Garner.

The limit of gullibility needs to be newly defined for the Norton world. What became of all the previous grand schemes? Thunderbike series in 2008- tNorton didn't even show up; TT result in 2009- not a single lap completed in training; 700cc rotary- ever seen one in the flesh? Full 961 production in autumn 2009 .......
As for sponsors being keen to throw money at race teams, why do you think Ducati have just burried their World Superbike Team? Not enough technicians? Nice official excuse.......

swooshdave · Aug 28, 2010

ZFD said:
swooshdave said:

You have to have sponsorship, and having a British team in MotoGP would be a big carrot for English sponsor(s). Sounds like a 700cc rotary against 1000cc pistons? I'd take those odds in a second.

Nice move, Mr. Garner.

Click to expand...

The limit of gullibility needs to be newly defined for the Norton world. What became of all the previous grand schemes? Thunderbike series in 2008- tNorton didn't even show up; TT result in 2009- not a single lap completed in training; 700cc rotary- ever seen one in the flesh? Full 961 production in autumn 2009 .......
As for sponsors being keen to throw money at race teams, why do you think Ducati have just burried their World Superbike Team? Not enough technicians? Nice official excuse.......

Meh, it's a small company and timelines can switch and priorities shift and they can't react. Unless you, like some people, think it's all malicious.

Considering that they eventually did deliver bikes (and only a year later) isn't really all that bad. If you don't think so lets see how long it takes you to develop a road legal bike with all of the regulations (and changing ones at that!) from around the world. I bet your last dollar that you'll have a lot less control over what you say than you think.

lcrken · Aug 28, 2010

ZFD said:
The limit of gullibility needs to be newly defined for the Norton world. What became of all the previous grand schemes? Thunderbike series in 2008- tNorton didn't even show up; TT result in 2009- not a single lap completed in training; 700cc rotary- ever seen one in the flesh? Full 961 production in autumn 2009 .......
As for sponsors being keen to throw money at race teams, why do you think Ducati have just burried their World Superbike Team? Not enough technicians? Nice official excuse.......

I don't know. This one looks pretty real to me, although it's not the 700. Stu Garner riding his own company's bike at Bonneville in 2009. He ran 170+ mph on it with no problems. He was pitted right accross from us on the salt, and we managed to talk about Nortons (what else?) for a bit. He said they verified the bike was good for 200 mph on pavement at sea level before bringing it over. That sounds about right for the speeds he ran on the salt. You always loose some power at Bonneville because of the elevation, and at those speeds, tire slip on the salt is a serious problem. You always run significantly slower at Bonneville than on paved tracks at sea level. Now that they have some experience on the salt, I'm sure they could run significantly faster it they came back again.

Ken

Norton Racing

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