Norton cleans up open classic Roadracing in UK

Move good news from Dave Watson below:

hi Jim
Gary won club race, national race, and race of year on 1000cc norton at silverstone, winning all seven rounds of national uk championship ... wining all championships entered this year.

Dave Watson



below: race of year norton in middle of two weslakes (Gary Thwaites - winner).



Note the numbers on the plate of my mid 1980s monoshock 850 below compared to the winning bike above.
Jim



Big Congrats to Dave Watson (owner) and Gary Thwaites (rider) for putting Norton in front on lightweight pistoned 1000cc Seeley with JS stage 3 cam.

Jim

RIGHT .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLq0zUM ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqUN0hMp ... re=related

Thats great news to see a Norton up front. Any feedback on riding style and tire power endurance issue?

Congratulations are definitely in order.

Easy to see where the "Dominator" name earned it's heritage.

jseng1 said:

Move good news from Dave Watson below:

hi Jim
Gary won club race, national race, and race of year on 1000cc norton at silverstone, winning all seven rounds of national uk championship ... wining all championships entered this year.

Dave Watson

below: race of year norton in middle of two weslakes (Gary Thwaites - winner).

Note the numbers on the plate of my mid 1980s ride below compared to the winning bike above.
Jim

Big Congrats to Dave Watson (owner) and Gary Thwaites (rider) for putting Norton in front on lightweight pistoned 1000cc Seeley with JS stage 3 cam.

Jim

Click to expand...

Great Job by Gary, Dave and the engine builder and parts suppliers. And achieved through sheer domination as the man says...not only of the 1300 twins but of the 1300 multis and later 750s that also ran off this grid.

About those Weslakes, Dave Lissaman (#47) who was 21 secs adrift of Gary is in his second series of classic racing on the 900 Weslake (also rides a 500 Weslake but only took of his novice jacket at the beginning of the year), Graham Williams (#72) is a more seasoned campaigner, but that is a 750 Weslake, which is my book is doing pretty well to finish no more than 4 secs behind Gary, especially at an open power circuit like Silverstone.

Where is the next Norton in this class?, long way back in 15th I'm afraid, the other 1007 currently being raced in the class was a DNS.....hopefully this will encourage more to go the Norton route in the UK.....like it used to be in the early to mid '70s when they really did dominate 501-1000 club racing....

Yes that was me in 15th place or 5th in class as the rest were Japanese bikes . Gary is a fantastic rider on a great bike . Al

Ashphalt Al said:

Yes that was me in 15th place or 5th in class as the rest were Japanese bikes . Gary is a fantastic rider on a great bike . Al

Click to expand...

.....certainly true Al, but at least the photos show you enjoying yourself, not wasting time down here in Italy

I had a good day out at Silverstone, I was'nt aware of championship standings or points - but just being there to enjoy the sights and sounds was enough for me. :shock:

Took a few pics - http://www.flickr.com/photos/43019611@N07/sets/72157631760293779/

Somebody on this forum said that I should race in the UK. I am still buying lottery tickets - it looks fantastic ! Loved the photos steve toxic !

Hi Steve

Thanks for the photograph. Can I save it for myself?

Chris no 63

ps no idea where asphalt Al's monica came from but nice to see you on here at last mate

A lot of Torque about Norton! I guess this settles the question of torque vs hp in road racing and street fun dominance. Hi horse power will carry you to a higher top speed but hi Torque gets ya quick faster. Can't rev this 1007 long stroke as fast as shorter strokes so pure Torque increase is what its all about. Bet it also saves some time not having to shift as much. Really would like to hear more on how the rear tire heating is being dealt with by the educated pilot throttle.

Number three thats me..the engine is from a road bike so still on 8.5 to 1 compression . As you say lots of torque , and very reliable . This is all thanks to my friend Chris Tyler , cheers good buddy but please change the coluor of your fame . :lol:

I get a bit confused by some people when the y talk about torquey motors. Someone told me 'you don't need a close ratio gearbox with a torquey motor'. I started racing the Seeley with the standard commando cluster, and it was bloody revolting. You couldn't do a smooth downshift anywhere , and the ratios were stupid. I bought the four speed close cluster from the US, and had trouble getting it off the line when the overall gearing was right everywhere else on a reasonable race cirucuit (Winton). I found it was difficult not to overrev the engine while going up through the gears, and everything happens really fast. It was really beautiful to ride. I've now got the 6 speed TTI box installed, and still have a little job to do on it . But I think it will be excellent.
The four speed clkose ratio cluster should be adequate, but I didn't have the smarts to use the standard commando first gear, and move the overgeared problem to between the first two corners on the circuit.

I wasn't aware that the TTI gearboxes have two selector drum tyupes available for them to reverse the change direction. So I forgot to specify the anticlockwise change direction for first gear, to get one up, five down. Reversing it with the linkage is impossible, because the box is about an inch longer than a standard Norton box.

Chris said:

Hi Steve

Thanks for the photograph. Can I save it for myself?

Chris no 63

ps no idea where asphalt Al's monica came from but nice to see you on here at last mate

Click to expand...

Feel free Chris, pm me with your email and I'll send you all I have of your bike mate.

Hi Steve

Thanks for the photos, proved useful as well. If you look at the swinging arm you can see that the shocks are not long enough. The oil tank is fixed to the frame by two m6 bolts through the frame that thread into the tank. Driving out of Luffield the bike walked, a bit like having the front end chopping away from you. The bike moved a lot!!!
There was a patch of rubber on the back of the tank & the tank mounts cracked around the welds pulling out like a bath plug. End of play.
I have had lots of niggles with this bike since I got the frame & bits. Mostly concerning the bling bits. As usual they are all on a list of "I want to alter that, when I get the chance" The oil tank I want to sleeve with a tube, with rubber fuel hose inside as vibration support. Standard on every Triton ive seen. The petrol tank I have welded a blob on the back to hold with a rubber band. The original was held by a plate bolted to the frame. It lasted one practise before it failed. The swinging arm is on allen head button bolts in alloy top hats that lock into the spindle. These took a full turn, when I came in from practise. (I was looking for the reason it walked) problem is, they were still lockwired in place? The rear wheel spindle pull backs are beautiful 1 piece sleeves, The chain jumped the sprockets at Snetterton, witness marks on the powdercoating showed that the whole thing had moved. Trouble is the adjuster bolts spindle nuts etc were all still tight & still lockwired! Out came the hacksaw & I cut them in half.
I was told when I started racing that it takes a couple of years to sort out a new bike. Well this one has had all of that. I still believe in its potential however the MK 4 750 definately handles better.
Acotrel, Als bike uses a 4 speed box & a standard 850 engine that was balanced & blueprinted. I think it was built in 1996. I used it in a featherbed framed road bike, then it did 3 seasons as a back up bike fitted in the Rickman chassis,with my mate vintage front runner Graham Buller, before I gave the bike to Al as he had blown his 750 engine. Al used the bits he needed. ( he replaced the baked beans can that Graham used as an end can on the silencer this season) He still had the road mastercylinder fitted last season. His lovely misses brought him a new tyre this year.
Al can ride!
It has such drive coming out of corners. I dont doubt you for a minute Acrotel but with the big engine a 4 speed does work, with the 750 you need 5 or in your case 6 gears. The 750 is great fun & revs through 7 with ease. BUT the big engine wow! & yes mine has 5 gears cos you cant go back.
Looking forward to making sure I correct all the items that need sorting over the winter.

all the best Chris

( he replaced the baked beans can that Graham used as an end can on the silencer )

With another baked beans tin....quietest bike on the track...except for that loud rasping noise , :lol:

SteveA said:

About those Weslakes, Dave Lissaman (#47) who was 21 secs adrift of Gary is in his second series of classic racing on the 900 Weslake (also rides a 500 Weslake but only took of his novice jacket at the beginning of the year), Graham Williams (#72) is a more seasoned campaigner, but that is a 750 Weslake, which is my book is doing pretty well to finish no more than 4 secs behind Gary, especially at an open power circuit like Silverstone...

Click to expand...

Now we just need someone to perfect & reintroduce the 8 valve Pete Lovell head.

Some of us in the new world have their own view of British Crown gory years.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_iRIcxsz0[/video]

And some us bike anglophiles are half German but all war is horrible in service of the Crown Banksters in The City of London orders.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vRRNkfj-mM[/video]

Now back to kicking ass with a Norton type power plant...