Norton Single's Performance

When I was racing my short stroke Triton 500, I did not believe many singles were as fast as it until I rode a good 1962 manx. It wasn't the power, it was the handling. I could ride it around corners much quicker even though it had the same frame. It is about the position of the motor. I think my Triton actually forced me to become a much better rider, however I'm still not good - I know how to crash safely. That is probably all a bad bike can reach you. I once encountered a very good rider on a Gold Star BSA - he gave me a run for my money at Phillip Island . The Triton was all top end power, so I saw him off down one of the long straights.
 
Norton Single's Performance
By machining and welding in a new port
 
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That is really beautiful. If I owned that I would be very proud of it. I think the position of the motor in the frame is critical to getting the bike to handle well. With a Triumph motor, it is difficult - with a Vincent motor, impossible. In the end if you want performance, it is the handling which makes the bike useful. If you have tons of power and cannot handle it, where are you ?
 
The Clatworthy ES2 was conspicuous by it's absense at the Phillip Island Classic meeting this year, and the obvious question is, why?
Performance potential wise it would have been most likely the class winner, despite the excellent performance by Luis Gallur's beautiful Godet Vincent Comet's, and a very fast Paton
Perhaps Geoff feels he has gone as far as he can with development, which will certainly be a great shame if his wonderful machine is to be consigned to a place at the back of his workshop, and no longer be seen at it's best, on a race track.
 
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That is really beautiful. If I owned that I would be very proud of it. I think the position of the motor in the frame is critical to getting the bike to handle well. With a Triumph motor, it is difficult - with a Vincent motor, impossible. In the end if you want performance, it is the handling which makes the bike useful. If you have tons of power and cannot handle it, where are you ?
Your comment is consistent with my experience i.e. the position of the motor and gearbox, significantly influences the handling and hence performance (lap times) - Geoff
 
The Clatworthy ES2 was conspicuous by it's absense at the Phillip Island Classic meeting this year, and the obvious question is, why?
Performance potential wise it would have been most likely the class winner, despite the excellent performance by Luis Gallur's beautiful Godet Vincent Comet's, and a very fast Paton
Perhaps Geoff feels he has gone as far as he can with development, which will certainly be a great shame if his wonderful machine is to be consigned to a place at the back of his workshop, and no longer be seen at it's best, on a race track.
I did not enter because the with regret the final total cost for me did not represent value for the number the number of racing laps available. All of these machines require a highly skilled and understanding rider to exrtract all the available performance potential. Such riders are rare commoditiy. Dan Mettam did an outstanding job with Pete Lodge's ES2 outperforming all in his class (and above) at the recent FOS. Tony Henderson and I are still in the workshop making small improvements to ES3 and 4.
 
The Clatworthy (Ozzie) and Lodge (NZ) ES2s (3 -4 ) are without doubt the fastest in the world. I think the Lodge bike may be going to the Manx this year ?
 
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