Good day Mr. Lamar,

 As you may be aware, the new Norton Motorcycles Ltd. (UK)
 is back in the rotary business, taking off where the
 former Norton company left off in the mid-90's after
 being effectively banned from UK motorcycle road racing
 for being too successful in winning against reciprocating
 competition. Sorta got "Mazda'd" I guess. The current
 NRV-588 twin-rotor liquid-cooled motor making 170 BHP
 at 11,500 RPM according to website.

 That being said, I'm curious as to whether you've kept
 up with events at the past and present Norton organizations
 and rotary development there. The past Norton organization
 manufactured until the mid-nineties very desirable street
 versions on their rotary which were unfortunately never
 sent to our shores, although I know of a couple acquired
 illegally thru Canada. Until the time the new batch of
 rotaries are available here, I'm stuck with my two '72 Norton
 Commandos with their 1947 design motor. Still cool though!

 I enjoy your site, especially the Jim Hall/Chapparal conversation.


 Sincerely,

 Al Koivisto

 Yes I have heard about the new Norton.

 That is good news indeed. From the RPM numbers
 I assume they are running silicon nitride rotor bearings:)

 The AIXRO engine is the same size and weighs only 24 Kg
 or 52.8 pounds for a remarkable power to weight ratio
 of 3 pounds per HP!!!!

 Norton should start their own rotary only road racing series :)

 Mazda should do the same demonstrating to the world lap time
 advantages on the same road courses the piston engines use.

 If it were not for the artificial rev limit in Rolex GT
 and the artificial and arbitrary minimum race car weight,
 Mazda rotaries would dominate any road racing series.

 Who needs piston engines :)

 Paul Lamar

 To shed a little light on the Norton subject.

 The Norton design was sold to Midwest engines ( England) Yes, aircraft,
 which produced two engines, a 50hp single rotor, which they got certified as
 an aircraft engine in england. They also produced the two rotor 100HP
 version which they were attempting to certify. The originals used Tillotsen (I
 think carbs and an electronic ignition system. Sometime later they redesigned
 the intake to include electronic ignition and fuel injection. Shortly
 before this change, the company ran into financial problems and was bought by
 Diamond aircraft.

 The Norton engine, then renamed Midwest then renamed Diamond was produced
 shortly and then Diamond closed their Midwest branch (moved to Austria.) The
 aero engine single rotor has reemerged under the name Diamond [Austro Engines], I believe
 for one of it's [Alexander Schelecter] motor gliders. I am unaware of the two rotor.
 [It is still there]

 It is my understanding that one of the key figures in Midwest, Richard
 Negus, a great guy, somehow got rights or whatever and is now the force between
 the Norton rotary, now, in England.

 Rich


A fellow by the name of Brian Crighton is running the Norton
rotary race bike project, as he did when with the former
Norton organization mid nineties. Not sure if he's directly
responsible for rotary motor development.

For those out there with interests in bikes, a hole-in-the-wall
motorcycle repair shop by the name of Wheels Unlimited located
south of Rochester, Minnesota on US 52 may still have a Norton
F-1 rotary sport bike on display. Neat bike, and very rare I understand.

Al Koivisto

There are plenty of Suzuki Wankel Rotary bikes around.
http://www.suzukicycles.org/RE5/RE5-Rotary.shtml
My hangar neighbor had one for awhile.

Paul Lamar