NVT Easy Rider ER2

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Norton Villiers Triumph was formed in 1973 by a merger of Triumph/BSA with the Norton Villiers group (who were owned by Manganese Bronze) as part of Ted Heath's government bail-out of ailing firms deemed worthy of saving by throwing tax-payer's money at them.

Still short of development cash, the group had to rely on existing products such as the Norton Commando, although later on a ‘sixteener’ moped with pedals was launched together with the Easy Rider conventional automatic moped and the Rambler which used 125cc and 175cc Yamaha engines in a British manufactured frame that also relied on Yamaha for its forks and wheels. The substantial debt of £4m was eventually called in by Industry Minister Eric Varley in the late 70s and NVT was finally liquidated in 1978 with the loss of 1,600 jobs.

This original NVT Easy Rider dates from the latter end of production, being first registered in July 1977, and is the ER2 model which features two-speed automatic transmission and a 49cc two-stroke engine. One of the rarer British made mopeds, this twist-and-go machine is presented in good cosmetic condition having been on display at the Stondon Museum since 2003. Now nearly 36 years old, it is eligible for events in the National Autocycle Club and VMCC cyclemotor section.