Norton Rotarys...

[Biker Biggles]

Those Nortons are now mostly owned by the National Motorcycle Museum.(Ithink)They have about five or six of them and let them loose on track from time to time.I last saw them at the Post TT at Mallory Park last year.
Still a few road Norton rotarys about,but they were pretty awful bikes IIRC.

When I started working for the RAC in 1990 as a motorcycle patrol I used to ride the tourer version it was the same spec as the police used in some parts of the Midlands ...

It was really quick but had no engine braking and as they only used a FJ 900 front end and because the bike was fully loaded with tools etc. I used to get through a set of brake pads every month !! it would have been better if they had used the FJ 1200 front end.

It was good fun as in those days as the RAC colours where white with blue & red reflective stripes ...much the same as the police bikes ...peeps always used to slow down or get out my way !!

The bike I rode is now on display in the entrance foyer of the RAC building by the M5/M4 at Bristol.

I own a RX8.. Awsome car

And there is nothing 1.3 about it, a common saying is..

"1.3 that performs like a 2.6 and drinks like a 3.9"

to all intents and purposes it is a 3.9 6 cylinder (2 full revolutions 3x2 rotors of 654cc capacity)

the power is low for the '3.9' but the rotary hasn't had half the development of the otto engine. give it a few years we'll all be driving hydrogen rotarys!

[glade]

take a look at the current edition of motorcycle sport & leisure. They have a feature about a current rotary race bike .

Very light, same power to weight as the more powerful jap bikes

[glade]

Jan 2008 Issue of Motorcycle Sport and Leisure.