Norton SG1 hits 180mph at TT

"with the Spondon-framed, Aprilia-engined machine" ... stickers by Norton

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 11:45

dont see what your problem is, this is commonplace in motorsport, lotus use renault engines currently and used hondas in the past, gileras (recently)and I think Derbi were aprilias, caterham use renault engines. Lancia have used Ferrari engines.
Wayne Rainey used a ROC chassis in his factory yamaha in the early 90's is another example but the list could go on.

Just get behind them and enjoy the show, at least they are racing, what have you taken to the island to race???

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 13:42

I think the problem is that a bike manufacturer with the history around the TT that Norton have means they are going to take some stick for this. Sad, but it's the way it is.

What are you racing round the island this week Chris?

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 15:33

Did I miss something...it's an Aprillia engine in a Spondon frame and bugger all to do with anything Norton, or have Aprillia bought the Norton name? Why not call it the Santander, it would be relevant and just as likely to need bailing out very soon.

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 17:30

Have they now delivered all the bikes that people have paid for or are they still jerking their customers about? They should be fulfilling their orders not making fools of themselves at the TT
Garners seems like a vain creature, naming the bike SG1.

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 18:55

yes u did miss something

norton OWN spondon !!!!!!!!!

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 18:56

norton OWN spondon !!!!!!!!!

Oh shit...and Spondon had such a good reputation.

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 19:01

Breaking news: my zx10r completely stock has just hit 186 mph at the tt

Posted: 30/05/2012 at 19:43

I know for a fact that the chassis was actually built by Roger Allmond. They gave him the Aprillia frame and an old Spondon frame and he cut them up and matched them both together and worked an 80 hour week to do it. He also made the tank and modified the Spondon swing arm to fit. Shame they don’t give him a bit of credit really, lot of work and very clever!

Posted: 31/05/2012 at 08:14

Disgrace to the Norton brand and history!

Posted: 31/05/2012 at 08:18

Nothing to race... but then neither has Norton (if you dont count the tank stickers).

Put the money into finishing the bikes that customers have ordered

Posted: 31/05/2012 at 12:54

I love the Norton brand and history, but this is just a cheap publicity shot at the TT.

Posted: 31/05/2012 at 20:17

Where the hell is the Rotary!

Posted: 01/06/2012 at 08:18

they tried the rotary last time and were not quick enough to qualify. It is a bit old hat after all.

Posted: 01/06/2012 at 22:40

oh boy does it matter what engine they use how many brit race bikes in the past used JAP engines no body said a word . and whould you all sing a diffrent tune if they when out and won the tt oh yes i bet you whould they got of there bums and give it a go and good luck to them. just look around your tri it will have loads of japanies parts all over it so what they work . so shut up and just engjoy the racing

Posted: 04/06/2012 at 09:59

why are they doing this? They should just make nostalgia models like triumph.
spondon and their girder like lumps of alloy cant match bikes with years of evolution in this day and age.
Just make a big 80bhp twin for max £9000 instead of all this faffing about.

Posted: 05/06/2012 at 16:04

I only hope that this is a way of getting some money in so as to build the bikes they have already sold, rather than to sell more that will not get delivered before they go bust with all our money.

Posted: 06/06/2012 at 13:54

your some bunch of uneducated numpties, is it norton is it not..

Stuart Garner, owner of BST, owner of Spondon, owner of Norton... are these not all british established engineering companies.. He has a vision of norton winning on the island & fair play to him... Its his british pounds that have paid to rescue the Norton brand, his british pounds the purchases the RSV-4R engine... Fairplay to him for pulling sponsorship for the TT effort from Santander, least the italian see the prospect to..

That olde saying ring ture: "Empty barrels make most noise"...

Irish Andy

Posted: 06/06/2012 at 14:33

Hear hear, Andy. Well said.

Maybe another year they'll be there with their own engine etc., but for now - at least they're there!!

Posted: 06/06/2012 at 14:41

If it would make everyone happy how about Norton enter a Commando, Triumph enter a Bonneville and Kawasaki Enter a W800 and lets call it.......... oh I don't know, how about 'production bike race'..... that sounds good don't you think? Honda must have a half decent twin in their line up and Suzuki could re invent one of their old twins. I'm sure whichever bike won that company would rake in a few £££ in show room sales. Maybe I'm fantasizing.

Posted: 07/06/2012 at 07:53

Good publicity though, innit? Surely that's the point, plus I think chris trotman raises some valid points about many manufacturers using other peoples parts on loads of occasions. I know that Norton have a bad rep for actually delivering, well, anything really, but give them a break! At least they're having a go, which is far more than most of the detractors will be doing.
Mind you, to be fair, I'm not on the waiting list....

Posted: 07/06/2012 at 19:21

The Apriton or Norlia

Good luck to 'em I say. Out of small acorns, Phoenixs grow......or sumfink

Posted: 09/06/2012 at 08:17

Hi

Norton Facts

Gauner dose not own spondon he has shares in it and has no say in the day to day running of spondon

as corectly stated the chassis is spondon a NRV588 made for a rotary but not modified by spondon

The NRV588 faild to qualify due to faulty rotor bearings, this never hapend on the old engines

The NRV not fast enough, 1n 89 the rcw laped at 115mph, in 90 the rcw laped at 117mph and the nrs in 92 121mph all faster than the sg1. Bear in mind a;terations to the circuit,tyers and brake material these bikes would lap faster to day the nrv would be even faster

The sg1 did not make it past hillbury on the senior parade, dose not hold well if the race had been run.

the whole exersise was a publicity stunt, under acu rule the bike should have faild scruternering on the exhaust. My own RC588 and RCW588 must comply with the 105db limit even though there 23 and 24 years old.

Posted: 16/06/2012 at 00:01

Andy Keily
well said that man.i am pissed of with the people in this country who slap down anybody who tries to do something great,the amount of people who snigger and make snide remarks when they have problems makes me sick i bet most of the knockers have never achieved a thing in their miserable lives ,as for jim lindsay i would have thought you would know better after the stick youve had for trying to do something different,doesnt bimota have a glowing reputation even though they use other companies engines ? oh thats different they are foreign !!!!!

Posted: 03/06/2013 at 19:59