Back in 1973 a motorcycle rolled out of a garage in England, it was to be just one of four ever built, and it was going to shake the world of professional motorcycle racing to its core. The bike in question was the John Player Norton Monocoque, it had been designed and built by Peter Williams – a man who was both a motorcycle engineer and a talented racer.
Williams had been given access to the already outdated, pushrod Norton engine of the era. The 750cc parallel twin was woefully slow next to the modern two-stroke bikes that were rising to prominence. He knew that in order to compete at the 1973 Isle of Man he was going to need something genuinely remarkable, so he set out creating a monocoque chassis that held the oil and fuel, an advanced aero-fairing and a perfectly tuned set of suspension – he also made the first foray into cast wheels (rather than the traditional spokes).
Peter Williams went on to win the Isle of Man TT, and he did it at an average speed of 107.27mph – a staggering feat even today. Skip forward in time 40 years and Williams is back at the drafting table preparing to create 25 John Player Norton Motorcycles, each of these bikes will use the classic Norton 750, the bullet-proof monocoque frame and each one will cost far less than the £250,000 originals.
(Via: http://silodrome.com)
