Norton Archives Page 4 of 12

Classic Techniques: Superblend bearings, part two

16th March 2018 RowenaH Features

Last time, Andy Heathwood introduced us to Norton’s solution to main-bearing problems in their big twins, back in the 1970s. Now he reveals whether ‘Superblend’ bearings were actually anything special. What’s in a name? Were Superblends something different? For their time and for this application the answer is probably ‘yes’. I am indebted to Anthony Curzon who has loaned me…

Racing Nortons Galore

1st March 2018 RowenaH Features

The South of England Classic Show at Ardingly on 25th March 2018 incorporates a mammoth Norton Extravaganza, to celebrate more than 100 years of the marque. Brooklands Museum will be displaying several of their unusual Norton motorcycles, including the ones you see here… First up is this 1927 racing Norton outfit, ‘LPD1’; a genuine Pat Driscoll Norton Brooklands race bike…

Classic Techniques: Superblend bearings, part one

15th February 2018 RowenaH Features

When the main bearings in Commando engines started disintegrating, Norton came up with a super solution – the ‘Superblend’ bearing which proved to be one of the success stories of the 1970s. Andy Heathwood explains how it was little more than smart marketing, and leads us through the potential pitfalls of specifying replacement bearings for big Norton twins today… The…

February issue out now

5th February 2018 RowenaH Latest Issue

RealClassic is a magazine about motorcycles so – unsurprisingly – this month’s magazine is full of motorcycles. There’s hardly a hovercraft in sight, and you’re flat out of luck if you were hoping for an ekranoplan. There are however plenty of old Britbikes, an awesome Italian classic, and one bound-to-be-controversial Hinckley Triumph. Here’s how you can read all about them……

AJS and Matchless lightweights

9th January 2018 RowenaH Features

Not all old British bikes have to cost a fortune. In fact, the AJS and Matchless 250 and 350 lightweight singles are still enticingly affordable. ‘But aren’t they also actually awful?’ you may ask, and Rowena Hoseason has some answers… There is one segment of classic society which remains stalwartly sensible when it comes to cost. That’s because the Associated…

January issue out now

1st January 2018 RowenaH Latest Issue

We start the New Year with a space rocket (doesn’t everyone?) and a truly unusual example of Italian ingenuity. The January magazine – available on old-fashioned paper or in pretty digital pixels – also features a brilliant bunch of British bikes, from the epitome of a golden age icon to a stalwart single-cylinder slogger, and even one of those new-fangled…