24 October 2014

Dead motorbikes revived


The BBC has an article by Ronald Ahrens about the return of some 'dead' motorcycle brands:
In 1902, Norton set to work building an impeccable pedigree. The marque eventually won at the Isle of Man and Brooklands, as well dominating the grueling contests on the Continent. Norton was the last word in motorcycle performance in the 1930s and immediately after World War Two. Chassis engineering took on a lightly poetic aspect when the Featherbed frame arrived in time for the 1950s. Next, the Commando’s success transcended sales figures as it became a touchstone of the 1960s. A late-century malaise, the kind that plagued much of British industry after the rise of Japanese manufacturing, would follow but, in 2010, after fresh investment, the Commando 961 (photo) brought Nortons back to the streets of Britain and mainland Europe. They would eventually find nostalgia-bitten bikers in distant markets such as California and even Japan.
Rico says if you care, click the link to see the others; while they're all pretty, only Norton (because of the Dan O'Neill connection) has any appeal for Rico...

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