| Manufacturer | Norton |
|---|---|
| Production | 1960–61 only |
| Assembly | Bracebridge St, Birmingham |
| Successor | Norton 650SS |
| Engine | 646 cc (39.4 cu in) air-cooled OHV vertical twin |
| Bore / stroke | 68 mm × 89 mm (2.7 in × 3.5 in) |
| Compression ratio | 8.3:1 |
| Power | 52 bhp (39 kW) |
| Ignition type | Magneto |
| Transmission | Wet clutch, 4-speed, chain drive |
| Frame type | Featherbed duplex cradle |
| Suspension | Front: telescopic forks Rear: swinging arm |
| Brakes | Front: 8 in (200 mm) drum, Rear: 7 in (180 mm) drum |
| Tyres | 3.25x19 front, 4.00x18 rear |
| Fuel capacity | 2.5 US gal (9.5 L; 2.1 imp gal) |
| Footnotes / references [1][2][3] | |
The Norton Manxman was a 650 cc vertical twin motorcycle manufactured by the British Norton Motorcycle Company at their Bracebridge St, Birmingham factory for export. The engine was an enlargement of the 600 cc engine used in the Model 99 Dominator. The Manxman was first shown at the November 1960 Earls Court Motorcycle Show[1] and listed by the American importer, Berliner, in their catalogue from 1961[2] to October 1962[4] Berliner had asked for the model to be named Manxman although the twin had never been raced at the Isle of Man.[5]
630 machines were produced in the first half of 1961 in 3 batches: first, 330 on 13 January, then 150 on 3 March and lastly 150 on 8 June. [6] Of these, 99 were sent to Australia, 25 to Sweden, 1 to the Falkland Islands and the rest to the US.[7]
A European-styled version of the Manxman was shown in early 1962 at the Amsterdam International Auto Show and went on sale in April that year as the 650SS.[1]