This is the earlier Norton Classic model, it’s powered by an air-cooled two-rotor Wankel engine and just 100 were made. Countless research projects were launched to leapfrog the Japanese designs, one of which was led by an engineer named David Garside at BSA’s Umberslade Hall research facility. In the early 1970s the British motorcycle industry was starting to realize it was losing out to the Japanese, with their advanced new motorcycle designs and low pricing. ![]() The twin rotor Wankel engine makes 85 bhp at 9,000 rpm, enough for a top speed of 125 mph and a cruising speed of 100 mph – only on the autobahn of course.With its full fairings and built-in pannier cases the Commander was ideal for touring, and many owners used it in this capacity, some still do.The Commander was the successor to the earlier Norton Interpol 2, unlike the air-cooled Interpol the Commander had a liquid-cooled engine which offered more power and better reliability.The production run was separated into two lots, the P52 bikes that had a single seat and were for police use, and the P53 which had two seats and was intended for civilian touring use. ![]()
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