Norton

Heritage

James Lansdowne Norton started building motorcycles in Birmingham in 1902, and the company became synonymous with racing excellence. The Manx Norton dominated the Isle of Man TT for decades. When the Japanese invasion hit in the late '60s, Norton responded with the Commando — an innovative isolastic-mount twin that managed to be smoother than the sum of its parts. It won the Motor Cycle News 'Machine of the Year' five consecutive years (1968-1972). Norton went through bankruptcy, revival attempts, and more bankruptcy. The bikes that survived are revered.