Close window
Print details

Norton Yamaha Custom

Norton Yamaha Custom

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

Norton Yamaha CustomNorton Yamaha CustomNorton Yamaha CustomNorton Yamaha CustomNorton Yamaha Custom
Lot number 215
Hammer value £4,600
Description Norton Yamaha Custom
Registration LSU 841
Year 1958
Colour Silver/Black
Engine size 1,000 cc
Chassis No. 25949
Engine No. 5A8-006073

The popular culture of the café-racer started way back in the mists of time when one manufacturer’s engine was substituted into another's chassis, being both a combination of the best engine in the best frame, or a make do when the correct parts could not be sourced.

This gave birth to the various Tritons, Tribsas, Norvins, Tricatis and the like, each built to their own builder’s specification and engineering skills.

The special offered here appears from the old RF60 cardboard log book to have been an amalgamation of a Norton frame and a JAP engine, and has been registered as a "composite" and a model 18 ?? The log book records it as 490cc with a build date of 1958, some considerable time before the 60s heyday of the café-racer.

Moving on some 30 years, this machine has been updated with the fitment of a Yamaha "V" twin 998cc engine from a TR1 and registered on an age related number LSU841, retaining the original title of "composite" and the original frame number, the V5C reflecting the engine number and capacity change.

Being offered here from a deceased estate, it was acquired by the late-owner in 2004 and has been well used and much appreciated wherever it went. Tax discs and MOTs dating from 1988 until 2005 accompany this lot, during which time some 9,000 miles have been added. Unused in more recent times due to the onset of ill health, it comes with Sorn documents to verify this.

This is a rare opportunity to purchase an iconic looking machine with all the right café-racer parts but the easier to live with electric start engine and modern power at the fraction of the cost of a similar looking Norvin. Or if you have a Vincent "V" twin engine lying around, the opportunity to create your own Norvin.

This lot is offered with old RF60 card logbook (which gives date of first registration as 17.10.1958), old V5, new V5C (which gives date of first registration as 26.04.1988) and a quantity of expired tax discs and MOTs.

Close window
Print details