Photo: The Bike Specialists
Founded in 1898, Norton started making motorcycles in 1902. By 1908, the British manufacturer had also developed an in-house engine. Trouble, however, hit hard in the 1950s because major shareholders left the company to decline.
Reorganized as Norton Villiers Triumph by the British government, Norton was liquidated in 1978, putting an end to the company’s rotary-engined ambitions. However, a businessman by the name of Stuart Garner bit the bullet in 2008 by buying the rights to Norton and relaunching the motorcycle brand.
Fast-forward to the 2010s, and that’s when the Domiracer rolled out as a tribute to the 500-cc race bike from the good ol’ days. The Dominator won the nine-hour Thruxton 500 endurance race in 1960, and the Domiracer takes many cues from the original as well as from the Commando 961 series of café racers.
Only 50 units were produced, and the bike you’re looking at is number 6 according to The Bike Specialists. The selling vendor claims that 6/50 has covered just 935 miles since 2014, representing “a unique investment opportunity to own a piece of motorcycling history.” The blue-chip collector talk, however, is more than meets the eye because Norton went into administration in January 2020.
Indian company TVS bought the company for 16 million pounds sterling in April, and last month, Norton was looking for new talent in terms of engineering, quality control, and design. Having said that, let’s turn back to the Domiracer.
Built by hand with utmost attention to detail, the special-edition bike “radiates style and charisma.” And despite the retro-infused styling, Norton has treated this fellow to a carbon-fiber air box and front mudguard, carbon seat, Brembo stopping power, and a simple yet supremely elegant race-style dual exhaust.
A parallel-twin engine supplies the suck-squeeze-bang-blow to the tune of 88 horsepower and 59 pound-feet (80 Nm) of torque, driving the rear wheel with the help of a five-speed transmission. Ohlins forks and an Ohlins monoshock are also worthy of note, along with the Featherbed-style frame with a tubular steel swingarm. Care to guess how much this bad boy costs?
Well, The Bike Specialists wants no fewer than 39,980 pounds sterling for the silver bike. More than ten grand over the original retail price is speculation, indeed, but this wouldn’t be the only case given how popular café racers are these days, let alone bikes from a company as legendary as Norton.
Fast-forward to the 2010s, and that’s when the Domiracer rolled out as a tribute to the 500-cc race bike from the good ol’ days. The Dominator won the nine-hour Thruxton 500 endurance race in 1960, and the Domiracer takes many cues from the original as well as from the Commando 961 series of café racers.
Only 50 units were produced, and the bike you’re looking at is number 6 according to The Bike Specialists. The selling vendor claims that 6/50 has covered just 935 miles since 2014, representing “a unique investment opportunity to own a piece of motorcycling history.” The blue-chip collector talk, however, is more than meets the eye because Norton went into administration in January 2020.
Indian company TVS bought the company for 16 million pounds sterling in April, and last month, Norton was looking for new talent in terms of engineering, quality control, and design. Having said that, let’s turn back to the Domiracer.
Built by hand with utmost attention to detail, the special-edition bike “radiates style and charisma.” And despite the retro-infused styling, Norton has treated this fellow to a carbon-fiber air box and front mudguard, carbon seat, Brembo stopping power, and a simple yet supremely elegant race-style dual exhaust.
A parallel-twin engine supplies the suck-squeeze-bang-blow to the tune of 88 horsepower and 59 pound-feet (80 Nm) of torque, driving the rear wheel with the help of a five-speed transmission. Ohlins forks and an Ohlins monoshock are also worthy of note, along with the Featherbed-style frame with a tubular steel swingarm. Care to guess how much this bad boy costs?
Well, The Bike Specialists wants no fewer than 39,980 pounds sterling for the silver bike. More than ten grand over the original retail price is speculation, indeed, but this wouldn’t be the only case given how popular café racers are these days, let alone bikes from a company as legendary as Norton.
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