Steve Spray’s Norton demo

Former British Superbike Champion Steve Spray was back in action recently – riding the ex-Steve Hislop 1992 Senior TT-winning Norton Rotary in New Zealand.

Spray and the Norton starred in the Pukekohe classic festival on the white NRS588 rotary which is now owned by the Birmingham’s National Motorcycle Museum.

Brian Crighton, initiator of the Norton Rotary race programme in the Eighties and now in charge of maintaining the Museum’s collection of factory Rotary racers, was also at Pukekohe to look after the TT-winning bike.

Crighton said: “We got a fantastic reception. The Norton was easily the fastest thing there. Steve was pulling high-speed wheelies and he finished off his demo with a rear tyre burn-out. Most New Zealand race fans had never heard a Rotary in action, or seen the long flames that shoot from its exhaust! They loved it.”

The event, staged annually in February by the NZ Classic Motorcycle Racing Register club, had a TT theme this year to mark the centenary of the Isle of Man races. 
Steve Hislop’s 1992 Senior win was one of the most exciting TTs ever. The Scottish ace rode a Norton leased from the John Player team for the event but backed by Abus (hence the white livery) and was out to prove that he could beat arch-rival Carl Fogarty. 

Despite handling problems with the 140bhp NRS588, Hizzy wrestled it around the 37.73mile Mountain course at record speed to contest the lead with Foggy and narrowly take victory. It was Norton’s first TT win since 1973. Eleven times TT winner Steve Hislop died in a helicopter accident in 2003.

The National Motorcycle Museum has 16 ex-factory Norton Rotary racers on display.