Norton-Villiers

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Norton-Villiers
legal form
founding 1966
resolution 1972
Reason for dissolution fusion
Seat Plumstead + Andover , United Kingdom
Branch Motorcycle manufacturer

Norton-Villiers was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Plumstead and Andover from 1966 to 1972 . It grew out of parts of the collapsed Associated Motor Cycles (AMC). In the course of the decline of the British motorcycle industry, the company was merged with the remains of BSA Triumph to Norton Villiers Triumph .

history

In 1966, Associated Motor Cycles, which had built Matchless, AJS, Sunbeam, Francis-Barnett and James motorcycles , went bankrupt and was taken over by Maganese-Bronze Holding, which then founded Norton-Villiers. At the time, Norton was the company's only brand that could be manufactured profitably. The construction of the four-stroke - single cylinder models of AJS and Matchless has been set. Motorcycle models with the AJS or Matchless emblem were still built until 1969, but they had Norton engines. From 1968 all models got new carburettors and ignition systems. The 1968 and 1969 G15CS, N15CS, and M33CS models had upgraded parts.

The P11 series was completely redeveloped in 1967 and further improved in 168/1969. The P11 was available as a Norton and a Matchless.

Norton Commando

Norton-Villiers the development of a completely new engine was too expensive, but the vibrations of the 750 cc vertical Twins were the featherbed frame of Norton Atlas transmitted so strongly to the driver that the old framework in favor of an earlier, experimental design (based on that of the concept motorcycle P10 - later the improved Z26 ), which separated the engine from the frame with rubber pads and thus ensured a more comfortable ride.

The Isolastic frame was developed in time for the 1967 Earls Court Motor Show. Production began in April 1968, but stiffness problems led to the introduction of an upgraded version in January 1969.

The Norton Commando immediately appeared in sporting competitions, with the London dealer Vincent Davey being one of the first to set up a racing team under the name of Gus Kuhn , in which the drivers Dave Croxford and Mick Andrew were employed.

In 1969, the Norton Commando S was introduced with an exhaust pipe raised to the left and an 11 liter tank - mainly for the US market. The original model has since been called Norton Commando Fastback .

production

In late 1968, the Burrage Grove plant in Plumstead , where engines from the Wolverhampton plant and frames from the Manchester plant were assembled into complete motorcycles, was expropriated by the Greater London Council . The plant had to be closed in July 1969.

State aid enabled final assembly to move to a factory on North Way in Andover . The testing department was housed in an aircraft hangar at the nearby Thruxton airfield . Most of the manufacturing was concentrated in Wolverhampton, where 80 machines were completed per week. The Wolverhampton plant also shipped components to the Andover assembly lines, such as: B. pre-assembled engines and gearboxes.

Models

  • Neale Shilton designed a Norton Commando with police specification, the Norton Commando Interpol . It had footboards, a top case, panels and connections for additional electrical equipment.
  • March 1970: Norton Roadster
  • June 1970: Norton Commando S discontinued
  • September 1970: Norton Commando Fastback Mk. 2 , soon replaced by the Norton Commando Fastback Mk. 3
  • May 1971: Norton Street Scrambler and Norton Hi Rider
  • July 1971: Norton Commando Fastback for long distances
  • January 1972: Norton Commando Fastback Mk. 4 , Norton Roadster Mk. 2 , Norton 750 Interstate with Combat engine.
Combat engine

The Combat high-performance engine developed 65 bhp (48 kW) at 6500 rpm and had a compression ratio of 10: 1. That was too much for the engine, which was an extended version of the old 500 cc design from 1949. This led to the premature failure of the main bearings and the breakage of pistons, which was reported in press reports along with difficulties in quality control.

The solution to the problems with the main bearings was the legendary super blend bearings , which were actually just roller bearings with a higher load capacity. To solve the problems with the pistons, the groove for draining the oil under the oil control ring has been omitted and a series of bores have been made instead. The piston crown no longer separated from the piston skirt at higher speeds .

Forced merger

The situation in the motorcycle market led to further losses at Norton-Villiers. In mid-1972 the BSA Group with its brands BSA and Triumph was in serious financial difficulties. The UK offered a financial bailout on the condition that the two groups merged. This is how Norton Villier's triumph came about .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Bob Currie: Classic Bikers Club . Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  2. ^ Gus Kuhn Racing . Retrieved March 1, 2013.