Adam's 1915 Model 9TT

 

-JdK- Adam sent us these pics and words: "I've just done over 100 miles on the bike in Belgium at the 'Where is Anna?' event and then onto the 'Oude Klepper Parade'... it didn't miss a beat all weekend.

I can honestly say a single speed, belt drive Norton is the most fun I've ever experienced on a motorcycle. These bikes are fast and handle beautifully. The lack of clutch, gearbox and working brakes really add to the feeling of 'being connected to the bike' and being completely 'In the presant' whilst riding.

Aesthetically (in my opinion) there are no finer machines, the simplicity of a model 9TT is truly a motorcycle at the pinnacle of automotive design."

1915 Model Big Four Norton

-JdK- A 1915 WD Model Big Four Norton attached to a sidecar. The photo was contributed by Rich in Belgium and was taken apparently on 16 March 1916. According to Mike: "This is the new Big Four for 1915 as it has the new dropped top tube on the frame, and the first year of fitting the early pattern Sturmey Archer gearbox, the cutout in the petrol tank for valve removal and replacement, only used on 1915 models."

1915 Norton parts list

-JdK- Reece sent us the 1915 Norton parts list which can be accessed by following this link.

From 'The Motor Cycle' 1911 to 1915

-SG- Peter Thomson - Thomson's Motor Museum, Palmerston North, NZ - has sent us lots of interesting photos and information over the past few years and this time he's copied various Norton-related pages/adverts from 'Motor Cycle' from 1911 to 1915. All gratefully received! Click this link for the PDF of all pages.

Norton's 1915 models

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-By Martin- While browsing through a late 1914 issue of The Motor Cycle, I stumbled across the attached report on Norton's 1915 model range. Interesting details such as the customer could choose if they wanted a straight top tank tube or a dropped one. I had always assumed this sort of change was made for a new model year, not at the customer's discretion. Also the 90mph sprint single speeder looks awesome - note the torpedo tank!

1915 Model 8 Norton

This picture shows Alexander Lindsay, a doctor in the Royal Army Medical Corps, with the Norton he rode in the August 1915 'All Khaki' Brooklands meeting. This race was for members of the armed forces only. He won the half-mile sprint for machines up to 550cc.

The Norton is a 1915 model as it has the 'Curly N' trademark on the tank, first used in 1915; note that the trademark on the magneto chain cover is still of the plain earlier type. It's a Model 8, also known as the Brooklands Road Special, similar to the Brooklands Special though fitted with a carrier and mudguards. Brookland Specials were not specially built but rather identified; engines would be sent to O'Donovan at Brooklands who would fit them to a frame and test them; Brooklands Specials were fitted with the fastest engines from these batches, guaranteed to do 65 to 75 mph depending on year and model.

Production engines would vary a lot in performance, mostly due to the difficulties of casting the 'blind' cylinder barrels without a detachable head. Sometimes the cylinder head would sink in the casting and you could end up with a very high compression ratio and the perfect shape of the head and ports. These engines would be kept apart and become the record breakers.

Dr. Lindsay extensively modified his machine. He fitted special forks; tiny springs can be seen where you would expect to find the top links. The carburetter is a Binks Mousetrap. He seems to have jammed metal plates between the fins of the cylinder head in an attempt to improve the cooling of the engine. The belt rim looks very shiny and new to me and there is something fitted between the frame rails, on the left, at the rear of the machine; dr. Lindsay's idea of a brake perhaps?

Alexander is holding a wrench in his right hand, ready to change the plug!