Rotary Bikes at Rotorstock III 2006

[Norton]

It looks like we may have this beauty at Rotorstock III.
It was built in 1989 by a guy from St Neots. It is a replica of the 1989 air cooled Norton race bike but it was built for the road and is road legal !!! Power output is about 130 bhp. It now resides in Lincoln.
See picture below. Bike Magazine got non other than works rider Trevor Nation to road test it (thats Trevor sitting on the bike).

[Norton]

This pic of it was taken on the Isle of Man in 2005

[Norton]

I shall be keeping everything crossed from now to RSIII.
One more recent picture...

[Carl]

That is great derek!
Look forward to seeing that beastie and more.
Regards
Carl

[MikeLMR]

not seen that one about in Lincoln (I guess its not used much!) ... I'm sure I would have remembered it !

[Norton]

not seen that one about in Lincoln (I guess its not used much!) ... I'm sure I would have remembered it !
I should imagine you'll hear it before you see it :D

[Norton]

This is part of the room in which the bike is kept... (and i thought i was an enthusiast!! :D )... AND, no hes not single, hes married with kids!!
That big picture is on the ceiling!!... i dont think i would get away with that, in fact, i know i wouldnt, no chance.

[banned advertiser]

Thats what Chloe call a man cresh, I have my own office where I have my personal stuff, the rest of the house is hers.

[Martiny]

I am not even allowed my pictures of me racing my RX-2 anywhere in the house, except 2 tiny ones on the fridge

:-(((((((((((((((

All banished to the loft.

[Norton]

'a man cresh'... good description :D
I had hoped (and have previously mentioned on here) that a friend might be bringing a pre-JPS liveried factory race bike (like the one pictured) along. The bike is undergoing a complete re-build and unfortuately it doesnt look like its going to be done in time, it should be at RS4 though. So, everything crossed for the JPS replica.

[Lisa]

Hi Derek

Just wanted to know if you guys will be attending RSIII so that we can allocate an area to you.

If you are attending, how many do you think will be coming along.

Hope you can all make it.

regards

[Norton]

Hiya Lisa
I think i was a bit too optimistic last year, dont you? 5 bikes in 12 car parking spaces!! Me and Geoff will be there as usual (possibly Sunday & Monday / maybe just Monday.. will have to check with Geoff) and hopefully Mark with the JPS replica (ive sent him a reminder). One or two other 'maybes'. I dont hold out much hope for a big turnout (i despair!!). Much of the problem is that the Rotary (Motorcycle) Owners Club attend a Classic Bikes event at Stanford Hall on the Sunday.
Do i need to send a cheque to reserve the space? Will we be in the same place? Looking forward to it!! See you all soon.

[Lisa]

Hi Norton

Thanks

Clive has advised that you do not need to make payment for the Bikes, however we are raising monies for Cancer Research so you may want to make a donation at RS.

Not sure about the aloocation of the area. We are currently looking at this when all clubs etc have regsitered.

Look forward to seeing you there.

regards

[Ianmcurtis]

Excellent news Derek :) . Hope I can be there to see the bikes. Monday a cert for the bikes then?

Ian.

[Norton]

Excellent news Derek :) . Hope I can be there to see the bikes. Monday a cert for the bikes then? Ian.
You 'hope' to be there Ian? :xconfused you move heaven & earth m8!!
Yes, we will be there Monday, still not sure about Sunday (still waiting for a decision from my track rival). I see that there is a lot more RWYB time on Sunday.

[Norton]

I dont hold out much hope for a big turnout (i despair!!). Much of the problem is that the Rotary (Motorcycle) Owners Club attend a Classic Bikes event at Stanford Hall on the Sunday
ok, so the Classic Bikes event at Stanford Hall has been cancelled at the last moment due to waterlogged grounds... so... we MIGHT have a few bikes at RS after all.
I wonder how wet the camping field is at Shakespeare Raceway.

[Ianmcurtis]

.......
I wonder how wet the camping field is at Shakespeare Raceway.


This just in...... :2eek







Joking - I hope ;)

[Norton]

Thats ok, theres still a couple of green bits :cool

[Norton]

Rotorstock III… we got our asses whipped reeeal good!! Malcolm Stanley, ex- Derbyshire police Norton rotary mechanic and experienced bike racer, brought his red ‘Earlystocks’ Norton Interpol 2 race bike along to Rotorstock for his first ever venture onto a Drag Strip. Im not sure how many runs he did, it must have been around eight. On his penultimate run (against me) we were side by side about two thirds of the way down the track when Malcolm unexpectedly pulled out a lead of a few bike lengths to finish in 12.1 seconds, beating my best of 12.3. On his final run (against Geoff) he repeated his ‘top end of the track blitz’ to set an amazing time of 11.7 beating Geoffs best ever run of 11.9, all this without the aid of an ejector exhaust!!! When pressed on what his secret was, it would appear that its all down to revs, Malcolm has modified the bike to rev higher than the standard 9000rpm, I think a figure of 11,750 was mentioned. He reports a loss of bottom end torque but is able to hold each gear longer and wring a few more bhp out at the top end. Congratulations to Malcolm. Red faces for me and Geoff (sunburn, honest).
And we still haven’t managed to get a Suzuki RE5 to Rotorstock… pleeease, can somebody bring one along to put on display next year.

[Ianmcurtis]

RE5 would be nice :D . Here's some of the Norton's for now :Thumbs-up

[mattmaclennan]

You'll have to pursuade Tim to resurect some of his old two wheeled rotary machines.

[Norton]

You'll have to pursuade Tim to resurect some of his old two wheeled rotary machines.
Tell me more!!
Tell me more!!

I had hoped that a friend might be bringing a pre-JPS liveried factory race bike along but unfortuately it doesnt look like its going to be ready in time, it should be at RS4 though. So, everything crossed for the JPS replica.
The early red silver & blue race bike belongs to Malcolm who brought the Plod bike and the suprisingly quick red bike this year, so that should be there next year.
Sadly a no-show from Mark and the JPS replica, dunno why yet.


:Thumbs-up Nice pics Ian.

[Norton]

And i see that Fish has taken some excellent action shots... :Thumbsup!

[Fish]

Not excellent, could have been a lot better, but was sitting half way up the stand. Get me a better position and I'll do better. ;)

If you want the full sized version, please mail me (Dan (at) MazdaRotaryClub.com)

Fish

[Norton]

And another photo by Matt Woods (miniwilliams)...

[Norton]

Rotorstock III… we got our asses whipped reeeal good!! Malcolm Stanley, ex-police Norton rotary mechanic and experienced bike racer... set an amazing time of 11.7 without the aid of an ejector exhaust!!! Malcolm has modified the bike to rev higher than the standard 9000rpm, I think a figure of 11,750 was mentioned.

I asked Malcolm how he did it, this was his reply...

Author wrote:
> Thats top secret, but its a factory built RC588 spec
> Sparkrite unit on mine! OK its a standard ign box that
> was modified by Paddy at the factory in 1989. He was a
> television engineer who used to rebuild and test all
> the Sparkrite ignition units and voltage regulators. I
> had 2 boxes modified, one for the race bike and one
> for the Earlystocks bike, but only the one for the
> race bike had the tacho take off wire and as I was not
> using the alternator, this was the only one I could
> use.
> One big problem though is the need to replace the
> rotor bearings if high rpm are used. (Brian Crighton
> says 300 racing miles). I was a bit complacent and put
> off changing mine, after all, it was running really
> well and there were no noises until a sudden thud and
> the engine locked after the bearing broke up. The L/H
> endplate, centre plate, rotor shaft, rotor and housing
> were all scrap! All parts which are hard to get hold
> of now. I think it is the cage of the bearing that is
> forced into the rotor and fails.
> Nearly twenty years on and the Sparkrite units can be
> modified if you can find someone to do it. Graham
> Wilshaw can probably supply one made to order or
> Norton Motors are advertising new systems and could
> probably supply to order,ie no retard and rev limiter
> set at what you want.
> Malc


Oh!... sod that for a game, think i will stick to 9000rpm then. LOL.

[Ianmcurtis]

Cheers Norton :) .

BTW - Malcolm sounds like he knows his stuff :yes :Thumbs-up .

[Norton]

Ive just got hold of Malcolms figures from his final run...

60ft- 2.080
330ft- 5.075
1/8mph- 95.97
1/8sec- 7.589
990ft- 9.737
1/4MPH- 116.51
1/4SEC- 11.72627

Looking at that i think theres more to come, the 60ft could be better and the Terminal Speed isnt as high as i expected... watch this space.

[Ianmcurtis]

Seems pretty quick considering how old the technology is in those Norton rotary bikes. Do you know where and when Malcolm is likely to be performing Derek?

[Norton]

Unfortunately hes had to give up the circuit racing so i think we will have to wait until Rotorstock IV. By then he should have the 1987/88 'ex-works' blue/silver/red bike up and running which should be a whole lot quicker again so the red bike may lie idle... hmm.. maybe he will lend it to me :D