Video: Norton Commando 961 set for launch

Couple of things straight off the top of my head:

1913 4v, OHC Indian

1920 ohv 4 valve Ricardo Triumph

1925 4 valve Velocettes

OHC Norton's that cleaned up on the race tracks.

Ariel Square 4 - 1940's

Phil Irving/Vincent - designed what is accepted today as the best chasis design, back in the 30's/40's-ish

2t designed in East Germany and nicked by Suzuki.

BSA designed the "modular engines"; I believe the concepts were first aired in the early 60's -250 single to a 1000cc five pot.

Lord knows what else was designed and tested in the early years, and it was not done anywhere near Japan until well into the 50s.

Who's industrial infrastructure was established with a great deal of help from the Yanks, post war, in reparation.

Sochiro's first 3 valve deign for a four stroke was in 1952, when principles were already well established.

His bikes went on quite rightly to become legends. I have absolutely no argument with Honda's contribution to motorcycling. Sochiro was imaginitive and far sighted, as well as being a damned good engineer. He was also prepared to take the odd risk!

1955 saw his first OHC 250 - then nothing could stop Honda.

Etcetera...

By the way, the Japs didn't invent the computer either, Babbage - a Brit invented the principle, and I believe the first accepted "proper computer" was "the Colossus" based at Bletchley POark in the 2nd World War.

Nope they didn't invent the transistor either.

You may need to consider such names as Newton, Ohm, Voltaire, and so on.

AND one simple fact, a lot of early designs failed due to the simple fact that materials technology and machining simply was not up to it. As materials technology has advanced, so have designs.

Coupled these advances with the move from air cooling moving to water cooling for instance, and if I understand it correctly it reduced piston/bore fit tolerances from 40 thousandths of an inch to 4 thou!  And even less

The Japs have not invented an awful lot really, but what they do better than anyone else, is development and process engineering - they are simply the best - better even than the Germans probably.

So they will take a design and make it better...much better. And do it consistently well. I admire them for this.

So, credit where credit is due FBN - go and do some research, become less of a Japanese apologist lickspittle - and open your mind.  Respect your motorcycling heritage.  It didn't start in Japan, and it will not end in Japan.

What killed the British bike industry was not the lack of excellent engineers or even facilities, it was the intransigence and arrogance of short sighted management. Read the latest Harley story you will see what I mean.

So there is no reason at all why these new Nortons should not be as absolutely excellent as an air cooled parallel twin can be. 

As to where all the componenets are made, well everyone's in Korea and Malaysia these days!

Here's a question for you: why were early Jap bikes so much more oiltight than old British iron?

BTW - I have had a good few Jap bikes, the odd German device, and some British iron - and loved 'em all mainly - but I still have a very soft spot for my rattly old British iron.

As you can tell, you and people like you, really bloody annoy me.

Norton has nearly made it back into production. That alone deserves a massive round of applause and support from ANY biker.

I have a Norton 961SE on order.  I have visited the Donnington Park factory. I have seen the work and effort that has gone into this bike. To be honest, the objectors are doing nothing to support the bike industry and would be better of dreaming of having any bike at all. Stick to buses, you will get helped on, it's safer and you can park the zimmer.

I shall enjoy this bike as any other that I have bought. British, Japanese, Italian or US.

Great discussion, wasted on Fly by Night. Agree that he should go to Japan, ride the speed restricted roads and suffer the constant traffic jams.  Or get his bus pass renewed. Your a Chump mate!

Phil, living very close to Daventry, is there anyway I could contact the guys who developed the engine?

It's sad that 'Fly by Night' believes we couldn't one day again have a "flourishing motorcycling industry." Maybe I'm too optimistic? But long term why not?

I do believe the UK has the engineering skills...