c1907 Norton V-twin

-JdK- Contributed by Howard. Roger suggests it's a 1907 model as it is virtually identical to Rem Fowler's TT machine. Also, the registration is mid 1907.

-SG- Fowler's bike had (and I stress had as I am sure it no longer exists!) a chain driven magneto and this one has a shaft driven magneto ... so not the same! I am advised by Mike in Wales, who does know a lot about Norton products from pre 1914, that the shaft driven magneto machines date from 1908. I realise this may be contrary to what the registration mark O2833 tells us but ... perhaps the engine had been changed.

1908 Model 3 1/2 HP Norton

-Dennis- Above is an advert from the 17th June 1908 copy  of The MotorCycle.

1907? Surely not!

-SG- Back in the distant past I took two books out of the local library by L R Higgins 'Private Owner' (quite a good read) and 'Britain's Racing Motorcycles'. A couple of weeks back, I happened to see the latter at an autojumble and bought it for slightly too much money, bearing in mind its mediocre condition. Considering when it came out (1952) it's not a bad overview of the subject. However, just to show that errors in printed matter cropped up then as well as now, I attach a scan from it of an early Norton engine. It is incorrectly labelled as Fowler's 1907 engine, when it has NORTON cast into the crankcase as well as a magneto chain cover and as I understand it, dates from 1908/9. It is usually described as Norton's version of the Peugeot vee twin.

1908 Model 3 1/2 HP Norton

By Martin

I have recently found another image of an early Norton in an album of early vehicle pictures from the state of Victoria, Australia.  I think this is one of the first Norton-engined 3 1/2 HP machines from circa 1908 but as ever, I stand to be corrected by others more knowledgeable than me! I suspect the background is a painted country scene rather than an actual outdoors view.