Formula E

[Dirk]

A one legged cyclist on a bike with no pedals could lap quicker than a 500 Snorton could.

I did a 90+mph lap in the Isle of Man on a 1958 Manx Norton 20 years ago.
Have you ever ridden a Manx?

 

[Drago]

I've an idea.

All the action happens in the last lap, where tactics and batter management come into play. That being the case, we could make it cheaper and more exciting by sending the cars out for a 1 lap race only, powered by a set of AAA's.

Have you ever ridden a Manx? View attachment 151021

Yes, I have, and a Velo Thruxton at the same venue. However, i had a Gixxer 11 at the time, so it's quite possible my brain was calibrated to the wrong end of the scale back then.

 

[Dirk]

.....Yes, I have, and a Velo Thruxton at the same venue.......

Competitor?

 

[Drago]

I actually preferred the Velo. Rougher but felt gruntier, but after so long it's hard to recall it in great detail.

 

[Dirk]

I actually preferred the Velo. Rougher but felt gruntier, but after so long it's hard to recall it in great detail.

Competitor?

 

[Drago]

No. Collector.

 

[raleighnut]

I actually preferred the Velo. Rougher but felt gruntier, but after so long it's hard to recall it in great detail.

The Manx had probably had its compression ratio reduced to stop 'detonation' they are getting a bit 'long in the tooth' and parts are very expensive. Hard to tell without knowing the spec/having a natter with the engine builder whereas the Velo was built up to the 70s (and is a road bike) so spares aren't quite as expensive.

 

[Dirk]

The Manx had probably had its compression ratio reduced to stop 'detonation' they are getting a bit 'long in the tooth' and parts are very expensive. Hard to tell without knowing the spec/having a natter with the engine builder whereas the Velo was built up to the 70s (and is a road bike) so spares aren't quite as expensive.

The Manx I rode was built new in 1994 to 1958 spec and cost the owner £24,500 to get race ready.
Summerfield engine, Newby drive, 5 speed box, Interspan ignition, Rob North built frame etc, etc. It would rev to 8000 at a push and was sweet as a nut.
Only original thing on the whole bike was the rear brake plate.
There's not many 'original' Manx Nortons being actually raced these days in Classic Racing - too fragile and not competitive.

 

[mustang1]

Not a patch on the bikes,


View: https://youtu.be/vlxZs2-gICc


lapping the TT course faster than a 500 Norton could.

Op S right. This e-mail stuff is rubbish