NYC Norton goes Sturgis!

NYC Norton got some amazing press from Paul d’Orleans, who summed up so nicely our bike at Michael Lichter’s “Naked Truth” show at Sturgis this year, in a piece he wrote for Cycle World Magazine: http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/10/13/the-naked-truth-motorcycle-show-cycle-world-custom-and-style/ The story: One morning in July, a call came in from Michael Lichter, asking if we had a bike to put in his show at the Buffalo Chip at this year’s 75th-anniversary Sturgis rally. Michael’s Sturgis exhibitions are legendary, and I knew we’d want to be a part of this. This year’s theme was “Naked Truth,” and the criteria were that the bikes could have no paint, extraneous details, or fluff—just the meat of the matter. Michael rattled off a list of builders who were participating, and it was clear that we’d need to be on top of our game. As we talked, I looked around our shop, and, although there were a lot [...]

2024-02-25T17:56:32-05:00August 13th, 2015|nycNorton|

Racing 2014

Barber Motorsports Park in October is the pinnacle of any classic motorcyclist's schedule and the highlight of the US vintage racing calendar, but in turn feels a little bittersweet, simply because it punctuates the end of each racing season.  The event itself is huge, with 65,000 spectators visiting over the weekend, each year growing more and more.  And just when you think it can't get bigger, it does.  NYC Norton's representation has also expanded over the years and this year we had 11 bikes under the NYC Norton canopy.  And with all that's going on, we rarely get a chance to leave our compound and see all the sights.  It's a black hole of laughing, swearing, and sweating.  This year was no different.  And the intensity that Barber brings started in the shop right after we got home from Miller. Three NYC Norton G50s up on the lifts getting [...]

2024-02-25T17:56:32-05:00January 17th, 2015|nycNorton|

Racing 2014

For years our closest race on the AHRMA calendar was Grattan, MI, clocking in at 750 miles from NYC.  So when the announcement came in last year that we would be racing in New Jersey we couldn't believe what we heard.  The notion of being able to load up and get to a track in 2 hours (125 miles), spend a weekend chasing the racing jones, and make it home to our own beds by Sunday evening was such an alien concept.  Because the track is centrally located to NYC, Philly, Baltimore, DC, the organizers have worked hard to target the eastern seaboard motorcycle world (not just racers) and make it a cornerstone event smack-dab in the middle of our racing season, picking up where Mid Ohio left off.  There are vendors, a swap meet, bike shows, bands, etc. and each year it grows in stature.  Plus, the Thunderbolt track [...]

2024-02-25T17:56:32-05:00December 31st, 2014|commando, G50, nycNorton, racing|

Racing 2014

Charging down Thunder Alley at Road America at top speed has to be one of the greatest experiences one can ever have on a motorcycle.  Doing it on a revving British Single or Twin is even better.  This 4.05 mile long course has everything for the bikes the NYC Norton team races – very fast sections, some wavy twisties, and tight little moments. It is without question a top-3 favorite track for all of us.  We loaded up the Sprinter and began the drive to the land of cheese curds and brats - Wisconsin! Road America, Elkart Lake, WI, June 06, 2014: This year we brought 4 bikes – Helmut’s G50, Kenny’s G50, Jon’s Atlas, and Magyar’s NRE (again, Kenny riding the NRE on loan while new pistons were being manufactured for his Seeley Norton).  Kenny was to run the NRE in Formula 750 and his G50 in 500 Premier.  [...]

2024-02-25T17:56:33-05:00December 30th, 2014|commando, G50, nycNorton, racing|

Clearances

The NRE 750 motor has some unusual spacing dimensions, so careful alignment is in order.  Shims and custom spacers are used to get everything in its proper place.  It all starts with getting the motor and gearbox aligned in the chassis.  Then, the clutch must align with the crank pulley.  Spacer there, moving it outboard a bit for true belt run.  Then onto gearbox-to-rear sprocket alignment.   A very handy laser alignment tool aids in locating the rear hub to its proper place for a perfect chain-run to the countershaft sprocket.  Easy and accurate, but after all this, chain-to-tire clearance can be an issue, especially when running 130mm-width tires.   We had the clearance necessary without much ado.  If not, the next solution would have been to move the countershaft sprocket outboard, or perhaps an even more radical solution; moving the drive-side engine plate outboard by spacing between the motor [...]

2012-04-11T15:55:10-04:00March 3rd, 2012|builds, nycNorton, racing|

NRE in the house

Looking good, feeling good.  We had to work to make it happen, but the Magyar NRE 750 was shoveled in to fit to its Seeley MKII frame.  A little-known factoid about these motors: The case mounting-bolt bosses are different widths and require appropriate shimming.  No two of them are exactly the same dimensions, so a lot of attention was put into the plates to get it all into the Seeley and keep it perfectly lined up.  This, and the ribbed oil galley under the timing cover was certain to foul the lower frame tube without careful placement.  Happy to report about .100" clearance without much ado.  The front plates are next.  Much, much, so ever so much more to come on this one. See all posts on this build by clicking here: https://nycnorton.com//tag/nre/  

2012-04-11T15:56:28-04:00February 22nd, 2012|builds, nycNorton, racing|
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