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Norton Motorcycles: 122 years of speed for famous brand
As globally renowned motorbike builder Norton goes into administration, the 成人快手 looks back on its past glories.
Started by James "Pa" Norton in Birmingham in 1898, the firm was originally a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade".
The first motorcycles were built in 1902, winning the first Isle of Man TT race in 1907, though they did not carry the famous logo until 1916.
Between the wars Norton was producing over 4,000 road bikes annually, winning the TT race 10 times.
During World War Two the firm withdrew from racing but manufactured almost 100,000 sidevalve motorcycles - almost a quarter of all British military motorcycles.
The 1968 Earls Court motor show saw the introduction of the Commando model and more than 500,000 were produced in the next decade.
But the 1970s saw increased competition from Japan and the last Commando was produced in 1976.
After going through a series of owners, the brand was relaunched in 1989 and enjoyed new TT success, beating a Yamaha to win in 1992, the first victory for a British bike for almost 30 years.
Norton moved to Donington Park, Leicestershire, in 2008 and the name enjoyed renewed attention with appearances in films like The Motorcycle Diaries and James Bond thriller Spectre.
But owner Stuart Garner warned earlier this year Norton owed tax authorities 拢300,000 and needed more time to pay.
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