I owned a Velocette way back as my first road racing bike. I was very good for learning, if you made a mistake the reply was instant and generally it hurt. It was a 1958 500cc, with modified cams e.t.c and gave 50HP, same as the Manx Norton, but it didn't have the featherbed frame. It also had the same illness as this one, nothing works at under 2000 revs. Later came the Yamahas. Nothing works at under 9000 revs, and the crankshaft leaves the engine in two pieces over 12.500.
Hi - It stopped idling because I forgot to turn the fuel on. It's not really the type of bike you would go and get your groceries on, it would get rather annoying if the bike were to stop because it has no kick starter and you'd have to jump off it all the time to push start it. Another bad point about it - it's got no headlights - you'd wonder why Norton would make a bike with no kick starter and no headlight, But I suppose I'll just have to put up with it. Maybe I should get a Vespa?
ahhh that makes sense, I guess the only way to make it street legal would be to take away from its originality... well a vespa is fine if you have a bike like THIS sitting in your garage haha "why do you ride a vespa?" "Because I have a norton in my garage..."
The Manx Norton's had no kickstarter or lights because they were designed as track bikes first and formost. You were not supposed to use them on the street.
The International Nortons were essentially Manx Nortons with the Lights and the Kickstarter tacked on. The Manx was all about track speed, so anything that could be done to lighten it was done.
Great bike.I have some good and bad memories of riding Nortons back in the 60s.A friend was killed riding a manx Norton in Manchester and my Dominator 99 cafe racer was written off in a crash in Stockport in ,69,but I still love the bikes.
is it possible to get that incredible sound from later models of Norton? Well, actually my father always talked about Norton he heard in his childhood (it was too fast) :D and I think, I found it.
Hi - You are wrong with your comment that the Manx is not DOHC. The Norton Owners Club in England knows about our bike, we sent them the Chassis & Engine Number and their records proved that this very Bike is in-fact, No.1 of 23 manufactured in 1949 with DOHC, this Manx is the very 1st Production DOHC NORTON to be manuf in 1949. I've fully restored the bike & engine & had the engine completely apart, checking everything. It has a DOHC Magnesium Cam Box, the Cams are directly above the valves.
Ah ok sorry, you´r right i thougt the bar outside was from a downside camshaft the leverbar, but actually it is the axle for the DOHC, very interesting system i never saw that before.
this bike should be at scarbrough ripping round oliver's mount at the gold cup race's, beautiful machine but they sound so much better flat chat, the sound then is truly incredible.......awsome bike pal.
beautiful bike. i must say its one of my favorite brit bikes of all time. if you restored it, great job, but its not complete until you put some miles on it and get that pipe to turn blue.
btw... you really should wear shoes. seeing your foot right next to that open clutch and centerstand worried me a little
Thanks for your comment - Yes I did restore the Manx back in 1992 - since then it has had a lot of miles put on it at Historic Race Events, but the pipe will never turn blue if it's tuned right like this one is - thanks mate for your comments !
What a lovely noise!! Please see my vids--1942Triumph 350 single. Upped the compression, ported,improved crankcase breathing,close ratio box and a Megaphone. Sounds great but yours is the real McCoy! Thanks for posting.
What a glorious noise indeed!! Please see my vids--my 1942 Triumph 350 single has been ported slightly,compression raised,close ratio box fitted and has a megaphone. Sounds great but yours is the real McCoy! Thanks for posting.
The most beautiful noise Ive ever heard! Take a look at my vids. My 350 Triumph single has been ported and compression upped and a megaphone fitted.Sounds great but not like the real McCoy!Thanks for posting
amazing bike,does it still go on parades ect,was it raced in the i.o.m.,once again brilliant thanks for sharing your bike with us all,regards russell....
That is a beautiful machine. I'm fortunate enough to have 1939 Norton Manx Grand Prix which is similar to yours except that my bike has webb-type girder forks and a SOHC engine.When I think of fellows like Harold Daniels and Artie Bell lapping the Isle of Man on these old 'garden gate' Nortons at over 90mph, I realise they were braver than I'll ever be!! Good on yer, mate, and thanks for sharing your bike.
Thanks for the comment - sounds like you have a great machine also. We forgot to mention in our description, this is quite a rare Manx - in 1949 Norton manufactured only 23 of the 500cc with DOHC and this is one of them - the best part about this one is it's still all original, has never been tampered with. It is also No. 1 of the 23 manufactured as advised by the Norton Owners Club a few years ago. Regards
bike costs so much you had to sell your shoes?
stimpy451 11 months ago
The bike and the sound are great. FUNNY particular: in the end when the bike is taken in, the dog runs away scared!! ahah
WindOnMyWings 1 year ago
The bike and the sound are great. FUNNY particular: in the end when the bike is taken in, the dog runs away!! ahah
WindOnMyWings 1 year ago
This IS automotive history of the third kind!
.................and i like your riding boots
Whiter00m 1 year ago
I owned a Velocette way back as my first road racing bike. I was very good for learning, if you made a mistake the reply was instant and generally it hurt. It was a 1958 500cc, with modified cams e.t.c and gave 50HP, same as the Manx Norton, but it didn't have the featherbed frame. It also had the same illness as this one, nothing works at under 2000 revs. Later came the Yamahas. Nothing works at under 9000 revs, and the crankshaft leaves the engine in two pieces over 12.500.
Nordjyden9000 1 year ago
god that's beautiful bike. how much are these worth, like 40000 aud i'm guessing
mivec25 1 year ago
My cat is namned Norton, after the motorcycles :D
deathcube35 1 year ago
beauty
rookieasif 1 year ago
lovely one
doktorlindblood 1 year ago
I used to have a Vellocete KTT that sounded like this
Mrbenggo 1 year ago
this bike is pretty frigging sweet!
dirtyjew1974 1 year ago
No offense, but it sounds like a lawn mower...probably because it's a single cylinder. Either way, I'd love to own one. I'm so jealous right now.
GenericUth 1 year ago
I LOVE !!!!!!!!!!
forzamonte83 1 year ago
What a beauty!
ravaspanzaa 1 year ago
Mate. What a piece of gold. My dad used to race one in the 50's in the Isle of Man.
Thanks for that.
moosey62 1 year ago
Very nice!
sccadu 1 year ago
so what was keeping it from idling? seemed like when you stopped playin with the throttle it kept stalling. that would get annoying at stoplights o.0
CrockettRockett88 1 year ago
Hi - It stopped idling because I forgot to turn the fuel on. It's not really the type of bike you would go and get your groceries on, it would get rather annoying if the bike were to stop because it has no kick starter and you'd have to jump off it all the time to push start it. Another bad point about it - it's got no headlights - you'd wonder why Norton would make a bike with no kick starter and no headlight, But I suppose I'll just have to put up with it. Maybe I should get a Vespa?
maggieb62 1 year ago 3
@maggieb62
ahhh that makes sense, I guess the only way to make it street legal would be to take away from its originality... well a vespa is fine if you have a bike like THIS sitting in your garage haha "why do you ride a vespa?" "Because I have a norton in my garage..."
CrockettRockett88 1 year ago
@maggieb62
The Manx Norton's had no kickstarter or lights because they were designed as track bikes first and formost. You were not supposed to use them on the street.
The International Nortons were essentially Manx Nortons with the Lights and the Kickstarter tacked on. The Manx was all about track speed, so anything that could be done to lighten it was done.
Chumkil 1 year ago
@maggieb62 its a race bike, plain and simple
jaratt85 11 months ago
@CrockettRockett88
It's a race bike. The valvetiming and carb-settings is extreme and nothing works at under 2000 revs.
Nordjyden9000 1 year ago
Great bike.I have some good and bad memories of riding Nortons back in the 60s.A friend was killed riding a manx Norton in Manchester and my Dominator 99 cafe racer was written off in a crash in Stockport in ,69,but I still love the bikes.
forkbeard69 1 year ago
Sounds good, but please put a ride video... shame you don´t show it on the road at full speed....
Engon1967 2 years ago 2
Look's great, sounds awesome.... Manx Norton is defenitely a winner!!
Jayza88 2 years ago 2
Hey there,
is it possible to get that incredible sound from later models of Norton? Well, actually my father always talked about Norton he heard in his childhood (it was too fast) :D and I think, I found it.
compprufus 2 years ago 3
Magnifique moto !
DonElgazo 2 years ago 4
The Grandpa of superbikes.Very cool bike.
red1098 2 years ago 7
Very nice bike and awesome sound, but its not DOHC, you can see the lever bar outside... on the right side.
mtx80cr80 2 years ago
Hi - You are wrong with your comment that the Manx is not DOHC. The Norton Owners Club in England knows about our bike, we sent them the Chassis & Engine Number and their records proved that this very Bike is in-fact, No.1 of 23 manufactured in 1949 with DOHC, this Manx is the very 1st Production DOHC NORTON to be manuf in 1949. I've fully restored the bike & engine & had the engine completely apart, checking everything. It has a DOHC Magnesium Cam Box, the Cams are directly above the valves.
maggieb62 2 years ago
Ah ok sorry, you´r right i thougt the bar outside was from a downside camshaft the leverbar, but actually it is the axle for the DOHC, very interesting system i never saw that before.
Its a very valueful bike.Enjoy it.
mtx80cr80 2 years ago 2
This is my favorite. What an icon. It goes without saying it sound's wonderful.
terence20001 2 years ago 7
What an icon. Look's and sound's brilliant.
terence20001 2 years ago 6
im 17 with norton on the brain and in in the blood and thats the best bike that ive ever seen
ohhhhshag 2 years ago 22
thanks mate for the comment - we think so too!!! regards !
maggieb62 2 years ago
what a legendary bike..thank you very much for posting this angry beauty.imagine how the manx stomp in a tunnel...awesome!!
RudeBoots 2 years ago 10
bet the neighbours just love you !! ?
fackeo 2 years ago 10
it is sounds like animal groaning.
skymilky 2 years ago 13
Your bike Is a work of art buddy, you should be so proud
EricHeffner 2 years ago 15
how much should these bikes go for?
elliotsilver 2 years ago 17
WOW its huge!! and that soundtrack is amazing!! loving the dog getting scared at 3:52
gujit 2 years ago 19
Sounds like a lion chuffing right before the kill.
THB79 2 years ago 16
Absolutely gorgeous...And that sound, amazing...
01triumphbonnie 2 years ago 16
this bike should be at scarbrough ripping round oliver's mount at the gold cup race's, beautiful machine but they sound so much better flat chat, the sound then is truly incredible.......awsome bike pal.
dxr1jockey 3 years ago 15
Please enable embedding on this one, I want to share this with all my friends! That is one awesome sounding bike!
LSGTKV 3 years ago 12
Beaufitul! Sounds amazing!
ManxAce500 3 years ago 4
beautiful bike. i must say its one of my favorite brit bikes of all time. if you restored it, great job, but its not complete until you put some miles on it and get that pipe to turn blue.
btw... you really should wear shoes. seeing your foot right next to that open clutch and centerstand worried me a little
dm21415 3 years ago 5
Thanks for your comment - Yes I did restore the Manx back in 1992 - since then it has had a lot of miles put on it at Historic Race Events, but the pipe will never turn blue if it's tuned right like this one is - thanks mate for your comments !
maggieb62 3 years ago
Stunning bike,it looks fantastic but then you hear the exhaust note and it does'nt matter what it looks like!!
taffwales 3 years ago 3
wahoo nortons british again 8D
Sainty105 3 years ago
that bike should be on the b roads of lincolnshire...
tomio145 3 years ago 2
NORTONS RULE
mtw56or 3 years ago 3
I bet the neighbours love him! Open megaphone!!! But he should get it where it belongs, o a road or a track.
krustybiker 3 years ago 3
you should bring it along to the "Little River TT reunion" on Sunday June 22nd.
little river is between Melbourne and Geelong near the You Yang mountains.
umiskivinick 3 years ago
beautiful mate,
bring it to the LITTLE RIVER TT REUNION
SUNDAY 22 JUNE 2008 -- it's between Geelong and Melbourne, where about's are you in aus?
umiskivinick 3 years ago
Don't only rev it in the garden... DRIVE it :D
DL3CE 3 years ago
Eye and ear candy!!
DougEMelo 3 years ago
What a lovely noise!! Please see my vids--1942Triumph 350 single. Upped the compression, ported,improved crankcase breathing,close ratio box and a Megaphone. Sounds great but yours is the real McCoy! Thanks for posting.
devstube 4 years ago
What a glorious noise indeed!! Please see my vids--my 1942 Triumph 350 single has been ported slightly,compression raised,close ratio box fitted and has a megaphone. Sounds great but yours is the real McCoy! Thanks for posting.
devstube 4 years ago
The most beautiful noise Ive ever heard! Take a look at my vids. My 350 Triumph single has been ported and compression upped and a megaphone fitted.Sounds great but not like the real McCoy!Thanks for posting
devstube 4 years ago
That's for sure. My SR500 sounds 1% as good as the real deal.
milkovichplus 3 years ago
That kills a "PO-TA-TO PO-TA-TO" exhaust note anyday. Lovely!
stinkfart 4 years ago
amazing bike,does it still go on parades ect,was it raced in the i.o.m.,once again brilliant thanks for sharing your bike with us all,regards russell....
dianeandwilson 4 years ago
very nice!
alexanalisa 4 years ago
Music! makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
costt321 4 years ago 2
lovely!
tonywarb 4 years ago
Thanks for that Tony !!!
maggieb62 4 years ago
That is a beautiful machine. I'm fortunate enough to have 1939 Norton Manx Grand Prix which is similar to yours except that my bike has webb-type girder forks and a SOHC engine.When I think of fellows like Harold Daniels and Artie Bell lapping the Isle of Man on these old 'garden gate' Nortons at over 90mph, I realise they were braver than I'll ever be!! Good on yer, mate, and thanks for sharing your bike.
scott701 4 years ago 2
Thanks for the comment - sounds like you have a great machine also. We forgot to mention in our description, this is quite a rare Manx - in 1949 Norton manufactured only 23 of the 500cc with DOHC and this is one of them - the best part about this one is it's still all original, has never been tampered with. It is also No. 1 of the 23 manufactured as advised by the Norton Owners Club a few years ago. Regards
maggieb62 4 years ago
Nortons rule!
bob4166 4 years ago
Thanks bob4166 - they do rule too!!!!!!
maggieb62 4 years ago
Dude, awesome bike. I love the old Classics. Well done!
evo98u 4 years ago
Dude, awesome bike. I love the old Classics. Well done!
evo98u 4 years ago