Norton Singles OHV & SV: 1931 – 1966

The most famous of all British racing motorcycles, with an ancestry dating back to the very dawn of the internal combustion engine, the 'cammy' Norton is inseparable from the era of British domination in motorcycle racing. It is linked with the legendary heroes of the sport, Jimmie Guthrie, Harold Daniell, Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and the age when Britain had the world's finest motorcycle industry. This revised edition of the definitive history contains additional material and traces the design, development, the leading riders and tuners. It presents a superb collection of photographs, many previously unpublished. The Manx Norton covers not only the Manx itself, but also features boardroom battles, Norton's early history, record breaking, sidecars, Formula 3 cars, scrambling (motocross); the Domiracer; racing at Daytona and today's classic scene.

Norton – a name to conjure with from their earliest days, a firm that dominated the racing world for many years, became famous for their singles and then renowned for twins. They were there at the dawn of motorcycles, when founder Pa Norton ran his firm to his high and honest ideals. A man of vision who foretold much that came later, his machines reflected his outlook on life, each with its upright single cylinder. The Big 4, 16H, Brooklands Special formed the base, later came the overhead valve Model 18 and then the camshaft models, the International leading on to the Manx that was the backbone of racing for decades. Postwar, the singles were joined by twins; the Dominator, the Featherbed, and later the Atlas which led to the Commando with its unique Isolastic frame system. Finally came the rotary engines and the Commanders. Here, their story is presented in words and pictures, many in full colour, to tell the tale of a marque that was always famous and that remains one of the most popular on today’s classic bike scene.