Norton NRS 588
 Steve Hislop on Norton NRS 588 (1992) |
|
| NRS 588 | |
| Manufacturer | Norton |
| Production period | 1991 to 1992 |
| class | motorcycle |
| design type | Racing motorcycle |
| Motor data | |
| Two-disc rotary engine | |
| Displacement (cm³) | 588 cc |
| Power (kW / PS ) | 135 hp at 10,000 min -1 |
| Top speed ( km / h) | 290 |
| transmission | 6-speed |
| drive | Chain |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1400 |
| Empty weight (kg) | 135 |
The Norton NRS 588 was a Norton racing motorcycle with a twin-disc rotary engine that was used in the 1992 Isle of Man TT . Steve Hislop won the Senior TT, the first and so far only victory for a racing motorcycle with a rotary engine on the Snaefell Mountain Course .
History and technology
The development of the Norton NRS 588 goes back to the air-cooled twin-disc rotary engine of the Norton Interpol 2 (P 41) developed in 1983 . The rights to the construction went to the entrepreneur Philipp Le Roux in 1987, who also had a water-cooled version developed in 1988. In 1988 the bare and air-cooled Norton Rotary (P 43) with 79 hp appeared. In 1990 the Norton Commander (P 52) with full fairing and water cooling, as well as the sports version Norton F1 (P 55) with 95 hp were available. At the same time, a prototype of a racing motorcycle was developed based on this engine.
The twin-disc rotary engine was supplied with fuel via two Keihin carburettors. With a compression of 9.2: 1 and a loss of lubrication of 1:40, the racing engine achieved more power than the engine of the F1 due to its higher speed. The aluminum motorcycle frame of the prototype was developed by Spondon Engineering . In 1991 it was exchanged for a Harris frame due to suspension problems. The telescopic fork was supplied by White Power , the braking system with two disc brakes on the front wheel and one on the rear wheel came from EBC Brakes . The racing motorcycle rolled on size 12 / 60–17 (front) and 18 / 67–17 (rear) tires.
Races and achievements
A Norton F1 was first used in 1988 national championships at Donington Park . In 1990 Robert Dunlop won the North West 200 Superbike race on a John Player sponsored Norton RCW 588 . In 1991 a works team was created under the name Norton Racing Services with Ron Haslam as driver and a further development of the F1. In 1992 the revised version was successfully used as Norton NRS 588 with driver Steve Hislop for the senior class race to the Isle of Man TT , the first and so far only success with a rotary engine.
literature
- John Carroll: The Complete British Motorcycle. Salamander Books 2004, ISBN 0-86288-686-4 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ bonhams.com Number '001', Norton 588cc Classic (accessed July 26, 2015)
- ↑ Motorcycle Catalog 1988, p. 102.
- ↑ Motorrad Test 1991, p. 80.
- ↑ Motorcycle catalog 1991, p. 81.
- ↑ bonhams.com 1989 Norton F1 Rotary (accessed July 26, 2015)
- ^ John Carroll: The Complete British Motorcycle. P. 98.
- ^ John Carroll: The Complete British Motorcycle. P. 98.
- ^ John Carroll: The Complete British Motorcycle. P. 99.