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Norton Motors GmbH
was founded as a joint venture between Norton Motors Ltd and Joachim Seifert
in January 1989.
Its aim was to supply the German speaking countries with Norton
motorcycles and spare parts. Furthermore, R&D was carried out
on Norton Motors Ltd behalf to make the Norton rotary (Wankel) engined
motorcycles conform with European legislation (which had no legal
relevance in England at the time).
Triumph spare parts are also carried, as well as other
accessories for the owners of British bikes.
Norton became distributor for Amal
carburettors, Toga exhaust systems, and the Norman Hyde range of
products.
Ever since the firm was established Norton Motors GmbH was, and is, the
spares outlet with the highest turnover in continental Europe (i.e.
outside England). In the last financial statement ever published
by Norton-Group,
Norton Motors GmbH accounted for roughly 90% of Norton Group's total
exports to the Continent. Today, it is still one of the biggest outlets
of Genuine Norton Factory Parts worldwide.
As the Norton F1 could not be legally registered for road use in those civilized countries alerted to environmental issues, Norton Motors GmbH
put down the specification of it's successor, the "F1Sport" (called
"TT" for Germany). This was to become, by anonymous consent of all Norton
experts, the best rotary Norton
ever . It was only fitting that the 70th, and last, F1Sports was assembled
in Berg at Norton Motors GmbH,
rather than in Shenstone, Nortons British factory.
After building the last Norton in 1993, and realizing the new owners of
the Norton Motors Ltd/GB would never again produce motorcycles, we decided
to develop a new Norton model in spring 1997. This motorcycle was called the "C652"
or "P100" at first. In production form it became the
"Norton International".
Later, we were asked to develop a motorcycle
prototype, based on the "International", for
Norton Motorcycles International, Inc., who had
finally understood their V8 project would never work.
This became known as the "Combat".
As all attempts to find production partners failed,
the project and motorcycle production was laid to
rest.
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Pictured
are from left to right:
Alan Cathcart, International Journalist; Joe
Seifert, Norton Motors; Dave Pearce,
Tigcraft; Garry Cotterell, Norton Racer,
on occasion of the test of the first Norton C652
prototype at Goodwood Race circuit in 1997.
Garry was 3rd in the British and 4th in the
European SoS Championship on a C652 Norton
a year later
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After the end of our own
motorcycle production we had no more use for our
rights to the "Norton" Trademark, and it was
sold, eventually passing into the hands of Norton
America.
Apart from dealing in British spare parts we personally race these
motorcycles and ride them on the road. In the five years from 1990 through 1994 we entered
Norton P55 (F1)
frame #1, the first ever to leave the factory, in the German BOT-Championship under a
contracted rider.
As of November 2003, Norton
Motors Ltd became a sister company in the Norton
Motors Group. Norton
Motors Ltd owns all technical drawings, tooling and
the factory spares stock for Norton Rotary engined
motorcycles built between 1979 and 1993. In March 2004
Norton Motors Ltd moved to new premises. The details
can be found under www.nortonmotors.co.uk.
On 2nd
April, 2007 Andover Norton International Ltd
was aquired from the BSA-Regal Group and completed the
reunification of all parts of Norton. It is now also a
sister company and owns all drawings, tooling and the
total stock of Genuine Norton Factory Parts for
pre-1977 Norton motorcycles. The homepage is
www.andover-norton.co.uk
please note:
[Norton's History in Eras] [Address]
[The Norton International] [The Norton Combat]
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