Norton: a history full of triumphs

The motorcycle brand Norton is, together with Triumph and BSA, one of the three most legendary English brands in the world of motorcycling. This British manufacturer was one of the pioneers in its country and it didn’t take long for it to become a myth. Its story began in 1898 and ended in 1992, only to be revived in 2008. But let’s go step by step and start from the beginning.

At just 19 years old, James Lansdowne Norton founded Norton Manufacturing in 1898. At the time, the company produced bicycle chains. It wasn’t until 1902 that Norton built the Energette, its first motorcycle, by adding a small engine to the lower part of a bicycle frame. In 1908, the brand developed a 633cc single-cylinder engine, featured in five Norton motorcycle models.

As expected from a British brand, Norton successfully competed in the Isle of Man TT, which helped it build a strong reputation as a manufacturer of motorcycles for Road Races. In 1924, rider Alec Bennet won the famous Senior Tourist Trophy race riding a Norton.

During World War II (1939–1946), around 100,000 motorcycles were produced for military use. Later, in 1951, rider Geoff Duke became world champion in road racing on Norton motorcycles in two categories: 350cc and 500cc. After the war, between 1947 and 1954, the company won every edition of the Isle of Man TT.

The famous Norton Commando first appeared in 1967, but production stopped just nine years later due to the recession in the British market caused by the arrival in Europe of the Japanese brands. Even so, the Norton Commando was one of the great motorcycles of its time, being voted “Machine of the Year” by readers of Motor Cycle News for five consecutive years. During that period, the Norton Street Scrambler was also released in 1971.

By the late 1970s, the rights to the company were divided among several firms in different countries. Ultimately, despite its sporting triumphs, Norton couldn’t compete with the Japanese manufacturers, and its fragile financial situation led to its closure in 1992.

However, in October 2008, businessman Stuart Garner purchased the brand’s rights and set up a new factory and offices in Donington, England. The first Commando 961 SE was delivered in 2010. It was a street motorcycle in pure Café Racer style. The success of this model allowed Norton Motorcycles to return definitively to production.

Back to production — and back to racing. In 2012, Norton returned to the Tourist Trophy, almost 20 years after 1992, when Steve Hislop achieved a victory that many consider one of the greatest races of all time.