Norton-Villiers
Encyclopedia
Norton-Villiers was a British motorcycle manufacturer formed in the 1960s following the collapse of Associated Motorcycles. With the general decline of the British motorcycle industry it was combined with the remnants of BSA
to form Norton-Villiers-Triumph.
Holdings who formed Norton-Villiers to oversee operations. At the time Norton
was the only motorcycle marque in the company that was making money. The AJS
and Matchless
traditional single cylinder four-stroke models were finished. Matchless and AJS badged models, with Norton motors, were assembled till 1969. In 1968 all models had new carburettors, ignition systems and an ignition lock. The G15CS/N15CS/M33CS had improved cycle parts for 1968–69.
The P11 series was a completely new development for 1967 and was further developed for 1968–69. The P11 was available either as Norton or Matchless.
, that it was dropped in favour of an earlier experimental frame that would separate the rider from the engine with rubber bushings. The Isolastic frame Commando was developed in time for the 1967 Earls Court Show.
Production began in April 1968, but bending problems with the frame resulted in a more developed frame being introduced in January 1969.
The Norton Commando
promptly turned up in racing events.
The 1969 Commando S was introduced with a high-level left-side exhaust and a 2.5 imp gal (11 l; 3 US gal) petrol tank. The original model was thereafter referred to as the Commando Fastback.
works at Burrage Grove, where engines from the Wolverhampton
plant and frames from the Manchester
plant were assembled into complete machines, were presented with a Greater London Council
compulsory purchase order. The Plumstead works closed in July 1969.
A Government subsidy allowed assembly to move to a factory at North Way, Andover
, with an aircraft hangar on nearby Thruxton
Airfield housing the Test Department. Manufacturing was concentrated at Wolverhampton, with 80 complete machines produced there each week. Wolverhampton also shipped components, assembled engines, and gearboxes to the Andover assembly line.
The solution to the main bearing problems was the much fabled "Superblend' bearings, although these were in reality just a higher load capacity roller bearing. And the piston issues were resolved by removing the slot for oil drainage behind the oil ring, and drilling a series of holes instead, so that the piston crown didn't separate from the piston at higher rpms.
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
to form Norton-Villiers-Triumph.
Norton Villiers (1966–1973)
In 1966 Associated Motorcycles AMC went bankrupt and were taken over by Manganese BronzeManganese Bronze
Manganese Bronze Holdings PLC is an engineering company based in Coventry, England. Since the sale of its components division in 2003 the company has only one operating division—LTI Limited, trading as The London Taxi Company—which manufactures and retails London Black Taxis.The London...
Holdings who formed Norton-Villiers to oversee operations. At the time Norton
Norton (motorcycle)
Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range...
was the only motorcycle marque in the company that was making money. The AJS
AJS
AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on...
and Matchless
Matchless
Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models was produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke twins...
traditional single cylinder four-stroke models were finished. Matchless and AJS badged models, with Norton motors, were assembled till 1969. In 1968 all models had new carburettors, ignition systems and an ignition lock. The G15CS/N15CS/M33CS had improved cycle parts for 1968–69.
The P11 series was a completely new development for 1967 and was further developed for 1968–69. The P11 was available either as Norton or Matchless.
Norton Commando
For Norton-Villiers the development of a new engine was cost prohibitive, but the vibration of the 750 cc vertical twin was so well transmitted to the rider through the Featherbed frame of the Norton AtlasNorton Atlas
The Norton Atlas was a Norton motorcycle made by between 1962 and 1968, until it was replaced by the Norton Commando.-Development:The Mark 1 Atlas was launched as the 750SS in the early 1960s. Designer Bert Hopwood’s 497cc Dominator engine was bored and stroked out to 745cc, via 600cc and then...
, that it was dropped in favour of an earlier experimental frame that would separate the rider from the engine with rubber bushings. The Isolastic frame Commando was developed in time for the 1967 Earls Court Show.
Production began in April 1968, but bending problems with the frame resulted in a more developed frame being introduced in January 1969.
The Norton Commando
Norton Commando
The Norton Commando is a British motorcycle with an ohv pre-unit parallel twin engine, launched by the Norton Motorcycle company in 1967. Initially a nominal 750 cc displacement, actually , in 1973 it became an 850 cc, actually ....
promptly turned up in racing events.
The 1969 Commando S was introduced with a high-level left-side exhaust and a 2.5 imp gal (11 l; 3 US gal) petrol tank. The original model was thereafter referred to as the Commando Fastback.
Manufacture
In late 1968 the PlumsteadPlumstead
Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...
works at Burrage Grove, where engines from the Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
plant and frames from the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
plant were assembled into complete machines, were presented with a Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
compulsory purchase order. The Plumstead works closed in July 1969.
A Government subsidy allowed assembly to move to a factory at North Way, Andover
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, with an aircraft hangar on nearby Thruxton
Thruxton, Hampshire
Thruxton is just off the A303 road five miles west of Andover. It is a village with a Manor House, thatched cottages and village green...
Airfield housing the Test Department. Manufacturing was concentrated at Wolverhampton, with 80 complete machines produced there each week. Wolverhampton also shipped components, assembled engines, and gearboxes to the Andover assembly line.
NV Motorcycle models
- Neale Shilton designed a Commando to police specifications, the Norton Commando Interpol. It had panniers, top box, fairing, and fittings for auxiliary electrical equipment
- March 1970, Roadster
- June 1970, Commando S discontinued
- September 1970, Fastback MK. 2, soon replaced by the Fastback Mk.3
- May 1971, Street Scrambler and the Hi Rider
- July 1971 Fastback Long Range
- January 1972 Mk.4 Fastback, an updated Roadster, and the 750 Interstate, with Combat engines.
Combat engine
The high performance Combat engine gave 65 bhp at 6,500 rpm using 10 :1 compression. It was too much for the stretched old 500 cc design, with main bearing failures and broken pistons being reported in the press, along with quality control issues.The solution to the main bearing problems was the much fabled "Superblend' bearings, although these were in reality just a higher load capacity roller bearing. And the piston issues were resolved by removing the slot for oil drainage behind the oil ring, and drilling a series of holes instead, so that the piston crown didn't separate from the piston at higher rpms.