The Norton ES2 is a Nortonmotorcycle produced from 1927 until 1964. From 1965, a different machine was produced for a short time by parent manufacturer AMC, based on a Matchless but badged as Norton ES2 Mk2.
1949 ES2 with telescopic front fork and plunger rear suspension
It was a long stroke single, always 79mm × 100mm bore and stroke, originally launched as a sports motorcycle but throughout its long life it was gradually overtaken by more powerful models.
It remained popular due to its reliability and ease of maintenance, as well as the traditional design. From 1947 the ES2 had an innovative hydraulically damped telescopic front fork and race developed rear plunger suspension. From 1953 it had a single downtube swinging-arm frame.
Featherbed frameedit
From 1959 it used the Rex McCandless-designed featherbed frame, with upgrades including an improved AMC gearbox, revised cylinder head, crankshaft-mounted Lucas RM15 60-watt alternator with coil ignition and an 8-inch front brake with full width hubs front and rear.[1] The wideline Featherbed-framed bike was road tested in The Motor Cycle 4 June 1959 issue and was reported to have a mean top speed of 82 mph with petrol consumption of 56 mpg at 60 mph.[1]
Slimline featherbed frameedit
For 1961, in common with other large-engined Nortons, the bike was further improved with the Slimline frame with upper frame rails narrowed and a restyled slimmer fuel tank.[5]
The last ES2 was introduced in late 1964. A Matchless-based machine with Norton badges, it was produced for two years before final discontinuation, coincident with the commercial failure of the AMC Group.[6][7]
The slow but immensely likeable Featherbed-framed 350 Model 50 and 500 ES2 Norton ohv singles were dropped and in their place appeared the Model 50 MkII and ES2 MkII, or, with Norton badges hastily tacked on the side, the Matchless G3 and G80. They failed to fool anyone, let alone the buying public. In 1966 the heavyweight singles were all but a memory...
^"Norton ES2". Motorbase. Retrieved 24 October 2008.[dead link]
^Motorcycle Mechanics, December 1964. Editorial: "(Earls Court) Show – not much new." p. 3: "Two Matchless singles christened the Mark II versions of famous and former Norton models by virtue of a Norton badge".
^Motorcycle Mechanics, December 1964. "What's new? Bill Lawless takes a look at the 1965 models." pp. 29–31: "Messrs AMC reintroduce the once popular Model 50 and ES2 Nortons by calling them the Mark II models and sticking Norton badges on Matchless G3 and G80 machines".
^Classic Bike, February/March 1980 pp. 56–60 "AMC's heavyweight singles"
Bibliographyedit
Bacon, Roy, (1983). Norton singles: Manx and Inter, and all side and overhead valve singles from 1927 to 1966. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-0850454857
Williams, P, & Reddihough, JA (1960). Motor Cycle Data Book: Motor Cycles, Scooters, Mopeds, Light Cars. London: George Newnes Ltd.
norton, norton, motorcycle, produced, from, 1927, until, 1964, from, 1965, different, machine, produced, short, time, parent, manufacturer, based, matchless, badged, 1961, slimline, featherbed, framed, es2manufacturernorton, motors, aston, birminghamparent, co. The Norton ES2 is a Norton motorcycle produced from 1927 until 1964 From 1965 a different machine was produced for a short time by parent manufacturer AMC based on a Matchless but badged as Norton ES2 Mk2 Norton ES21961 slimline featherbed framed ES2ManufacturerNorton Motors Ltd Aston BirminghamParent companyAMC Ltd from 1953 1 Production1928 64 1 PredecessorModel 18 1922 27 1 SuccessorNorton ES2 Mk2 Norton badged Matchless 1965 66 2 Engine490cc OHV air cooled singleTop speed82 mph 1 Power1960 25 bhp 5500 rpm 3 Transmission4 speed gearbox to chain final driveBrakes1959 onward 8 00 1 25 front 7 00 1 25 rearTires1959 onward 3 00 front 3 50 rear 19 Wheelbase56 inchesSeat height31 5 inchesWeight380 pounds 170 kg dry 392 pounds 178 kg wet Fuel capacity1947 58 2 75 Imperial gallons 4 1958 63 3 5 gallons 4 Oil capacity4 pintsFuel consumption50 to 60 mpg Contents 1 Development 2 Featherbed frame 3 Slimline featherbed frame 4 Finale 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 See alsoDevelopment edit nbsp 1949 ES2 with telescopic front fork and plunger rear suspensionIt was a long stroke single always 79mm 100mm bore and stroke originally launched as a sports motorcycle but throughout its long life it was gradually overtaken by more powerful models It remained popular due to its reliability and ease of maintenance as well as the traditional design From 1947 the ES2 had an innovative hydraulically damped telescopic front fork and race developed rear plunger suspension From 1953 it had a single downtube swinging arm frame Featherbed frame editFrom 1959 it used the Rex McCandless designed featherbed frame with upgrades including an improved AMC gearbox revised cylinder head crankshaft mounted Lucas RM15 60 watt alternator with coil ignition and an 8 inch front brake with full width hubs front and rear 1 The wideline Featherbed framed bike was road tested in The Motor Cycle 4 June 1959 issue and was reported to have a mean top speed of 82 mph with petrol consumption of 56 mpg at 60 mph 1 Slimline featherbed frame editFor 1961 in common with other large engined Nortons the bike was further improved with the Slimline frame with upper frame rails narrowed and a restyled slimmer fuel tank 5 Finale edit nbsp ES2 Mk2 bearing an E suffix 1967 UK registration plateThe last ES2 was introduced in late 1964 A Matchless based machine with Norton badges it was produced for two years before final discontinuation coincident with the commercial failure of the AMC Group 6 7 A report in a 1980 UK magazine stated 8 The slow but immensely likeable Featherbed framed 350 Model 50 and 500 ES2 Norton ohv singles were dropped and in their place appeared the Model 50 MkII and ES2 MkII or with Norton badges hastily tacked on the side the Matchless G3 and G80 They failed to fool anyone let alone the buying public In 1966 the heavyweight singles were all but a memory References edit a b c d e f The Motor Cycle Road Test 4 June 1959 page needed Robinson James 6 June 2012 Norton ES2 and Matchless G3 The Classic Motor Cycle Archived from the original on 23 June 2012 Retrieved 29 March 2013 Williams amp Reddihough 1960 page needed a b Bacon 1983 page needed Norton ES2 Motorbase Retrieved 24 October 2008 dead link Motorcycle Mechanics December 1964 Editorial Earls Court Show not much new p 3 Two Matchless singles christened the Mark II versions of famous and former Norton models by virtue of a Norton badge Motorcycle Mechanics December 1964 What s new Bill Lawless takes a look at the 1965 models pp 29 31 Messrs AMC reintroduce the once popular Model 50 and ES2 Nortons by calling them the Mark II models and sticking Norton badges on Matchless G3 and G80 machines Classic Bike February March 1980 pp 56 60 AMC s heavyweight singles Bibliography editBacon Roy 1983 Norton singles Manx and Inter and all side and overhead valve singles from 1927 to 1966 Oxford Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 0850454857 Williams P amp Reddihough JA 1960 Motor Cycle Data Book Motor Cycles Scooters Mopeds Light Cars London George Newnes Ltd See also editNorton Model 50 List of motorcycles of the 1920s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Norton ES2 amp oldid 1187769961, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
