Norton, the Lazarus of motorcycling, continues to gain steam with its MotoGP project, as the latest news is that the British company is working on a 1,000cc V4 for its racing platform, which will debut in 2012 when the pinnacle of motorcycle racing reverts back to a liter bike capacity. Rumors had swelled that Spanish MotoGP hopeful Inmotec, who consistently fails to get its bike on the GP grid, could link up with Norton, likely in helping the British firm design its motor.
We don’t know if that partnership ever materialized, but MCN has snagged a CAD drawing of a Norton V4 motor that presumably is for the new GP bike. Initially the MotoGP race bike was expected to lay the tracks for a production sportbike, which could bode well for Norton fans who wanted something more than just a run-of-the-mill inline-four.
Norton has already made tremendous progress as a company in its short two years of rebirth under Stuart Garner. Just recently the British company announced that it had retained Pierre Terblanche, which virtually guarantees a unique design coming forth from the historic brand. Norton has also begun setting up shop in the United States, appointing former Ducati CEO Dan Van Epps to head the branch.
Despite the motorcycle industry’s near apocalypse, Norton has been flourishing with growth. Time will tell if the Brits can hold onto the momentum they’ve generated, but it certainly be exciting to watch. Stay tuned Norton fans.
Source: MCN & MotoMatters
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