One for the Ugh file...

Oct `12 edition of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics features a 'Race Replica' J.P.S. Norton Wankel - that turns out to be a Yamaha YZF 750 - cosmetically disguised to look like one... oh the humanity..

ugh, if not for the genuine article existing, counterfeits wouldn't be created.

I was just looking at that. WTF? "There's something timelessly classy about the Norton logo- especially gold on black". Especially when it's on a Fk'n Norton! Nice bike despite the identity crisis.

The only thing 'ugh' about a YZF750 is the cost of running it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPBVRR2DHr0

Aco, the ugh referred to the mentality of the masking, have you seen one of those pathetic Yamaha SR 500 'Gold Star' tart-ups?
If BSA wanted to market their unit B50 single as a Gold Star, well, that at least had some competition heritage & was in a similar ball park, but a 4T 750/4 [the YZF is not a YZR/TZ] AINT gonna sound like the real Norton, even if it is a superficial look alike...

In fact, if it`s as pose & for parading about, you`d think he could get hold of a surplus U.A.V. Roton/Wankel mill to slot into it...

I know the Norton Rotary did good things, but I suspect the format of the engine made it a capacity cheat. I think a good thing was done in banning the format, and if they'd done that to conventional two strokes when they first appeared, the world might have been a better place. I'm strongly of the opinion that two strokes and four cylinder machines should be raced separately to 'thunderbikes'. If historic racing was for sheep stations, nobody would ever try to compete on an old British single twin or triple cylindered bike. The mixed grid is killing our sport, it is bullshit !
I used to love to watch races where all the bikes were two strokes, but if they are on the grid next to my two valve four stroke, I get the shits. I am quite capable of building an extremely fast two stroke , I don't normally choose to go there. They are not what I want to ride. They might be fast, but the y've got no soul. I built this Suzuki T250 in the mid 70s. It was on alcohol, seen here with me riding and blitzing a new TZ350G at Ballarat Airstrip. I sold it to a guy in the Hartwell Club who won 28 races and 5 championships with it. Why would you bother ? :

Soul is an oddly subjective concept, Aco, which I`ve never felt the need for/lack of - & in mechanical contrivances. I reckon an eager, willing , spirit is the go.
That 4-strokes, unless pressure boosted chemically &/or by additional pumping are fundamentally lazy, [having a 'siesta' between combustion events] is a disadvantage esp`for the tightly packaged/low mass requirements of racing motorcycles.
If they need a 'special olympics' type dispensation to compete, well...hmmm.