National Motorcycle Museum Blog

A selection of the Museum’s ex-works Norton Rotary racers thrilled the large crowds at the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Festival of 1000 Bikes at Mallory Park. Five of the legendary machines that revived Britain’s road racing fortunes in the Eighties and Nineties were displayed in the paddock, where swarms of devotees got a close-up look.

They could also meet some former Norton team stars and see them in noisy action on the track. Ian Simpson, British Supercup champion of 1994 rode one of two Duckhams QXR-sponsored machines at Mallory, the other being aired by fellow Scot Jim Moodie, winner of 10 major races on Nortons in 1993.

Phil Borley, third in the 1994 Supercup, was out on the earlier RCW588 on which Steve Spray won a milestone British championship in 1989 while Trevor Nation, Norton’s Isle of Man TT hero of 1990, rode a 1991 NRS588.

Unfortunately the Museum’s updated 2007 NRV588 developed a lubrication problem and had to be parked rather than risk engine damage. It was ridden at Mallory by Lee Dickinson, development rider for the recently-formed Norton Racing Ltd. The company’s busy technical director is Brian Crighton, who initiated Norton’s Rotary racing campaigns and tends our historic Rotaries collection.

The high-tech NRV588 Crighton built for the Museum is being loaned to Norton Racing Ltd to aid development of new-generation Rotaries.

Ian Simpson ready to do some quick laps on the 1994 Duckhams Norton

Trevor Nation rode a 1991 machine in John Player Special colours

C: Eight times TT winner Jim Moodie was back on a Norton

Phil Borley on a 1989 bike. “That blew a few cobwebs away!” he said after his ride

This entry was posted on Monday, July 14th, 2008 at 3:29 pm and is filed under general-news.