70-641: The Dominator is a twin cylinder motorcycle developed by Norton to compete against the Triumph Speed Twin . The original Dominator was designed in 1947 and 1948 by Bert Hopwood , who had been on the Speed Twin design team at Triumph . Available for sale from mid 1949, this design set the pattern for Norton twins for the next 30 years. The first Dominator, the Model 7, had a 497 cc parallel twin engine with iron cylinders and cylinder head and
140-418: A manual five- or six-speed sequential transmission drives the swingarm -mounted rear wheel by a chain , driveshaft , or belt . The repair can be done using a Motorcycle lift . Motorcycle fuel economy varies greatly with engine displacement and riding style. A streamlined, fully faired Matzu Matsuzawa Honda XL125 achieved 470 mpg ‑US (0.50 L/100 km; 560 mpg ‑imp ) in
210-447: A Lucas K2F magneto. The crankshaft was of 360-degree layout with two main bearings. A single camshaft at the front of the engine was driven by gears and chain. The rocker box was integral with the head, so there were fewer gasket faces to leak and less valve noise. The engine was a long stroke design with 66.0 mm × 72.6 mm (2.60 in × 2.86 in) bore and stroke and mild tuning, resulting in more torque low down. For
280-811: A full motorcycle licence or endorsement for completing a Motorcycle Safety course varies by province. Without the Motorcycle Safety Course the chance of getting insurance for the motorcycle is very low. The Canada Safety Council , a non-profit safety organisation, offers the Gearing Up program across Canada and is endorsed by the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council. Training course graduates may qualify for reduced insurance premiums. Motorcyclists and motor scooter riders are also exposed to an increased risk of suffering hearing damage such as hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing ears). The noise
350-673: A motorcycle ( German : Motorrad ). Excelsior Motor Company , originally a bicycle manufacturing company based in Coventry , England , began production of their first motorcycle model in 1896. The first production motorcycle in the US was the Orient-Aster, built by Charles Metz in 1898 at his factory in Waltham, Massachusetts . In the early period of motorcycle history, many producers of bicycles adapted their designs to accommodate
420-414: A motorcycle either as OEM (factory-fitted) or aftermarket . Such accessories are selected by the owner to enhance the motorcycle's appearance, safety, performance, or comfort, and may include anything from mobile electronics to sidecars and trailers . Motorcycles have a higher rate of fatal accidents than automobiles or trucks and buses. United States Department of Transportation data for 2005 from
490-677: A new top 500 cc street-model having twin Amal carburettors being introduced in late 1966 as part of the 1967 range, named as Triumph Daytona . The race win was repeated in 1967. At the 1969 Belgian Grand Prix on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes , Triumph's factory tester Percy Tait led the world champion Giacomo Agostini for three laps and finished second at an average speed of 116 mph on Hele's Daytona racer. Hele had also started work on development of
560-554: A range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting , cruising , sport (including racing ), and off-road riding. Motorcycling is riding a motorcycle and being involved in other related social activities such as joining a motorcycle club and attending motorcycle rallies . The 1885 Daimler Reitwagen made by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Germany was the first internal combustion, petroleum -fueled motorcycle. In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became
630-402: A role in how a motorcycle performs in given conditions. For example, one with a longer wheelbase provides the feeling of more stability by responding less to disturbances. Motorcycle tyres have a large influence over handling. Motorcycles must be leaned in order to make turns. This lean is induced by the method known as countersteering , in which the rider momentarily steers the handlebars in
700-586: A row giving Norton much needed publicity. Norton closed the Birmingham factory in 1962 and moved production to Plumstead , South London, but Hele was ready for a change and took a job with the Ford Motor Company in their Dagenham factory. Things didn't really work out so it was with great relief when he accepted the position of Head of Development with Triumph in Meriden . His first project
770-473: A sidecar motorcycle but was dropped from production after 1957, when sidecar Featherbeds were introduced. Duplex cradle frames known as 'featherbed' were introduced in two types; the initial design was discontinued from 1960, becoming known as wideline when followed by an updated-version introduced during the 1960 model year (known as slimline) until eventual discontinuation circa 1970 on the low-specification 650 cc Norton Mercury . The Featherbed frame
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#1732783720295840-495: Is 43.47 which is 28 times higher than for cars (37 times more deaths per mile travelled in 2007). Furthermore, for motorcycles the accident rates have increased significantly since the end of the 1990s, while the rates have dropped for passenger cars. The most common configuration of motorcycle accidents in the United States is when a motorist pulls out or turns in front of a motorcyclist, violating their right-of-way. This
910-439: Is caused by wind noise while riding, rolling noise from the tyres and the engine itself. The helmet only provides insufficient protection against high sound pressure levels. Medicine (as of 2024) is not able to cure hearing damage. Wearing hearing protection, such as special earplugs for motorcyclists, can help prevent hearing damage. The motorcyclist's riding position depends on rider body-geometry ( anthropometry ) combined with
980-616: Is increasingly problematic. The first (petroleum fueled) internal-combustion motorcycles, like the German Reitwagen , were, however, also the first practical motorcycles. If a two-wheeled vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first motorcycles built seem to be the French Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede which patent application was filed in December 1868, constructed around
1050-634: Is necessary to pass the basic motorcycle licence test. These include the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). Along with increased personal safety, riders with these advanced qualifications may benefit from reduced insurance costs In South Africa, the Think Bike campaign is dedicated to increasing both motorcycle safety and
1120-493: Is often a racing counterpart to each type, such as road racing and street bikes, or motocross including dirt bikes. Street bikes include cruisers , sportbikes , scooters and mopeds , and many other types. Off-road motorcycles include many types designed for dirt-oriented racing classes such as motocross and are not street legal in most areas. Dual purpose machines like the dual-sport style are made to go off-road but include features to make them legal and comfortable on
1190-477: Is sometimes called a SMIDSY , an acronym formed from the motorists' common response of "Sorry mate, I didn't see you". Motorcyclists can anticipate and avoid some of these crashes with proper training, increasing their visibility to other traffic, keeping to the speed limits, and not consuming alcohol or other drugs before riding. The United Kingdom has several organisations dedicated to improving motorcycle safety by providing advanced rider training beyond what
1260-487: Is the 1958 Honda Super Cub , which went on to become the biggest selling vehicle of all time, with its 60 millionth unit produced in April 2008. Today, this area is dominated by mostly Indian companies with Hero MotoCorp emerging as the world's largest manufacturer of two wheelers. Its Splendor model has sold more than 8.5 million to date. Other major producers are Bajaj and TVS Motors . Motorcycle construction
1330-585: Is the engineering, manufacturing, and assembly of components and systems for a motorcycle which results in the performance, cost, and aesthetics desired by the designer. With some exceptions, construction of modern mass-produced motorcycles has standardised on a steel or aluminium frame , telescopic forks holding the front wheel, and disc brakes . Some other body parts, designed for either aesthetic or performance reasons may be added. A petrol-powered engine typically consisting of between one and four cylinders (and less commonly, up to eight cylinders) coupled to
1400-456: The 1961 Isle of Man TT averaging over 100 mph but the project was abandoned when parent-company Associated Motor Cycles ended racing-development at Norton to cut costs. The factory race shop's larger capacity 650 Domiracer also showed promise, so Hele was encouraged and developed the 650 cc road bike which went on to win the Thruxton 500 production-class race for three years in
1470-668: The Australian Capital Territory , Tasmania and the Northern Territory , it is compulsory to complete a basic rider training course before being issued a Learners Licence, after which they can ride on public roads. In Canada, motorcycle rider training is compulsory in Quebec and Manitoba only, but all provinces and territories have graduated licence programs which place restrictions on new drivers until they have gained experience. Eligibility for
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#17327837202951540-496: The Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge "on real highways – in real conditions". Due to low engine displacements (100–200 cc (6.1–12.2 cu in)), and high power-to-mass ratios, motorcycles offer good fuel economy. Under conditions of fuel scarcity like 1950s Britain and modern developing nations, motorcycles claim large shares of the vehicle market. In the United States,
1610-716: The FIM in the light of the safety concerns. From the 1960s through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly as a result of East German MZs Walter Kaaden's engine work in the 1950s. In the 21st century, the motorcycle industry is mainly dominated by Indian and Japanese motorcycle companies. In addition to the large capacity motorcycles, there is a large market in smaller capacity (less than 300 cc) motorcycles, mostly concentrated in Asian and African countries and produced in China and India. A Japanese example
1680-492: The Fatality Analysis Reporting System show that for passenger cars, 18.62 fatal crashes occur per 100,000 registered vehicles. For motorcycles this figure is higher at 75.19 per 100,000 registered vehicles – four times higher than for cars. The same data shows that 1.56 fatalities occur per 100 million vehicle miles travelled for passenger cars, whereas for motorcycles the figure
1750-644: The Second World War . He moved on to Douglas Motorcycles in Bristol in 1945 where he worked as a draughtsman in the motorcycle design team under former Norton chief designer Walter Moore. Moore encouraged him to go to the Norton factory, where he helped Polish engineer Leo Kusmicki design and develop the Featherbed framed Manx Norton single-cylinder racing models that won world championships in
1820-496: The 1920s stood out. Initially, using converted a Woodmann-designed OHV Blackburne engine it became the first 350 cc to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h), recording 100.81 mph (162.24 km/h) over the flying kilometre during April 1924.[7] Later, Chater-Lea set a world record for the flying kilometre for 350 cc and 500 cc motorcycles at 102.9 mph (165.6 km/h) for the firm. Chater-Lea produced variants of these world-beating sports models and became popular among racers at
1890-465: The 500 cc class in the Thruxton 500 event for road-legal production machines in 1960. Norton briefly used race-tuned Dominators from circa 1960, but they were still outclassed by the Manx Norton which was used for general purpose racing. The highly developed 500 cc Dominator engine intended as a successor produced 55 bhp (41 kW) and revved to 8,000 rpm. The overall weight
1960-411: The 99 had a power output of 31 bhp, partly due also to a higher compression ratio possible with the alloy head introduced a year earlier. Full width alloy hubs with improved brakes had also been introduced a year earlier, preparatory for the capacity increase from 500 cc to 600 cc From 1960 model year , the featherbed frame for all Dominators was altered so that the frame tubes in front of
2030-572: The Australian market only. This used the all-iron Dominator 500 cc twin engine, with an oil pressure gauge in the ES2 style but flat-bottomed petrol tank. About 240 were made, from 1950 to 1952. The 596 cc Model 77 Dominator was introduced in late 1956. Essentially the cycle parts of the ES2 and a 600 cc Dominator 99 engine, it was in production at the same time as the Dominator 99 as
2100-519: The Domiracer and factory spares were sold to Paul Dunstall, who continued with development and began producing Norton performance parts, eventually selling complete Dunstall Norton bikes to customers including Steve McQueen . Motorcycle A motorcycle ( motorbike , bike , or, if three-wheeled, a trike ) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar from a saddle-style seat. Motorcycle designs vary greatly to suit
2170-473: The First World War, motorbike production was greatly ramped up for the war effort to supply effective communications with front line troops. Messengers on horses were replaced with despatch riders on motorcycles carrying messages, performing reconnaissance and acting as a military police. American company Harley-Davidson was devoting over 50% of its factory output toward military contract by the end of
Norton Dominator - Misplaced Pages Continue
2240-525: The Isle of Man TT. Today, the firm is probably best remembered for its long-term contract to manufacture and supply AA Patrol motorcycles and sidecars. By the late 1920s or early 1930s, DKW in Germany took over as the largest manufacturer. In the 1950s, streamlining began to play an increasing part in the development of racing motorcycles and the "dustbin fairing" held out the possibility of radical changes to motorcycle design. NSU and Moto Guzzi were in
2310-596: The United States by organisations ranging from state agencies to non-profit organisations to corporations. Most states use the courses designed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), while Oregon and Idaho developed their own. All of the training programs include a Basic Rider Course, an Intermediate Rider Course and an Advanced Rider Course. In Ireland , since 2010, in the UK and some Australian jurisdictions, such as Victoria , New South Wales ,
2380-417: The art at the time. Starting was by compressed air. The engine was liquid-cooled, with a radiator over the rear driving wheel. Speed was controlled by means of a throttle valve lever. No braking system was fitted; the vehicle was stopped by raising and lowering the rear driving wheel using a foot-operated lever; the weight of the machine was then borne by two small castor wheels. The driver was seated between
2450-403: The average motorcycle fuel economy is 44 miles per US gallon (19 km per liter). Very high fuel economy equivalents are often derived by electric motorcycles. Electric motorcycles are nearly silent, zero-emission electric motor-driven vehicles. Operating range and top speed are limited by battery technology. Fuel cells and petroleum-electric hybrids are also under development to extend
2520-577: The awareness of motorcycles on the country's roads. The campaign, while strongest in the Gauteng province, has representation in Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal and the Free State. It has dozens of trained marshals available for various events such as cycle races and is deeply involved in numerous other projects such as the annual Motorcycle Toy Run. Motorcycle safety education is offered throughout
2590-437: The cylinder head adjacent to the ports, quieting the engine and allowing use of a less-restrictive silencer. A decrease in exhaust-gas velocity caused by linking each cylinder into effectively two silencers was addressed by reducing the exhaust pipe diameter from 1 / 2 " to 1 / 4 ". Hele then turned his attention to developing the 500 cc Tiger 100 into a racer, winning the 1966 American Daytona 200 race, resulting in
2660-514: The direction opposite of the desired turn. This practice is counterintuitive and therefore often confusing to novices – and even many experienced motorcyclists. With such short wheelbase , motorcycles can generate enough torque at the rear wheel, and enough stopping force at the front wheel, to lift the opposite wheel off the road. These actions, if performed on purpose, are known as wheelies and stoppies (or endos) respectively. Various features and accessories may be attached to
2730-423: The early 1950s. After a short time at BSA where he worked on the 250cc single-cylinder racer with BSA chief designer Bert Hopwood he returned to Norton to continue development of the "Manx" and it is his 1961 version that is the most sought after by collectors today. His next project was the development of the 500 cc Norton Dominator into a racing motorcycle. Hele's prototype "Domiracer" came third in
2800-530: The edge. In September 1961 the 650SS was introduced. It had USA cafe bar style and twin carburettors. The SS stood for Sport Special and the 600 cc models were discontinued to concentrate on production of the 650SS, which quickly earned a reputation as the "best of the Dommies". A development of the Dominator with enlarged engine was available from 1962. Engineer Doug Hele had joined the Norton factory in 1956 under parent company AMC – instead of combining
2870-474: The first "modern motorcycle". Introduced in 1915 it had a 550 cc side-valve four-stroke engine with a three-speed gearbox and belt transmission. It was so popular with its users that it was nicknamed the "Trusty Triumph". By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest manufacturer, with their motorcycles being sold by dealers in 67 countries. Amongst many British motorcycle manufacturers, Chater-Lea with its twin-cylinder models followed by its large singles in
Norton Dominator - Misplaced Pages Continue
2940-484: The first few years a plunger frame was used, but in 1953 the Model 7 was upgraded with a single downtube swinging arm frame, 19-inch front wheel and 'pear shaped' silencers, still known as a Model 7. The Model 7 continued in production through to 1955 and was often used with a sidecar, which could not be fitted to the later Featherbed frame Dominators. The first Model 77 was a rigid-framed telescopic-forked Dominator version of 500 cc produced from 1950, and supplied to
3010-495: The first series production motorcycle. Globally, motorcycles are comparable numerically to cars as a method of transport: in 2021, approximately 58.6 million new motorcycles were sold around the world, while 66.7 million cars were sold over the same period. In 2022, the top four motorcycle producers by volume and type were Honda , Yamaha , Kawasaki , and Suzuki . According to the US Department of Transportation ,
3080-429: The five brands with enough data to draw conclusions, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha were statistically tied, with 11 to 14% of those bikes in the survey experiencing major repairs. Harley-Davidsons had a rate of 24%, while BMWs did worse, with 30% of those needing major repairs. There were not enough Triumph and Suzuki motorcycles surveyed for a statistically sound conclusion, though it appeared Suzukis were as reliable as
3150-523: The front wheels. It was not, however, a success, as Butler failed to find sufficient financial backing. Many authorities have excluded steam powered , electric motorcycles or diesel-powered two-wheelers from the definition of a 'motorcycle', and credit the Daimler Reitwagen as the world's first motorcycle. Given the rapid rise in use of electric motorcycles worldwide, defining only internal-combustion powered two-wheelers as 'motorcycles'
3220-481: The geometry of the motorcycle itself. These factors create a set of three basic postures. Factors of a motorcycle's ergonomic geometry that determine the seating posture include the height, angle and location of footpegs, seat and handlebars. Factors in a rider's physical geometry that contribute to seating posture include torso, arm, thigh and leg length, and overall rider height. Doug Hele Douglas Lionel Hele (13 July 1919 – 3 November 2001)
3290-584: The massive racing success to Hele's 'brilliance' and greatly criticised the BSA-Triumph board's reluctance to promote him to more senior positions. Hele was offered the chance to return to Norton with their then-new F750 team for 1972, but decided to stay with Triumph. By the early 1970s the BSA-Triumph group was in financial trouble and Hele moved to the experimental team at Kitts Green in Birmingham . When Triumph finally closed Doug Hele turned down
3360-560: The new internal combustion engine. As the engines became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers increased. Many of the nineteenth-century inventors who worked on early motorcycles often moved on to other inventions. Daimler and Roper, for example, both went on to develop automobiles. At the end of the 19th century the first major mass-production firms were set up. In 1898, Triumph Motorcycles in England began producing motorbikes, and by 1903 it
3430-406: The number of fatalities per vehicle mile traveled was 37 times higher for motorcycles than for cars. The term motorcycle has different legal definitions depending on jurisdiction (see § Legal definitions and restrictions ). There are three major types of motorcycle: street, off-road, and dual purpose. Within these types, there are many sub-types of motorcycles for different purposes. There
3500-408: The other three Japanese brands while Triumphs were comparable to Harley-Davidson and BMW. Three-fourths of the repairs in the survey cost less than US$ 200 and two-thirds of the motorcycles were repaired in less than two days. In spite of their relatively worse reliability in this survey, Harley-Davidson and BMW owners showed the greatest owner satisfaction, and three-fourths of them said they would buy
3570-588: The range and improve performance of the electric drive system. A 2013 survey of 4,424 readers of the US Consumer Reports magazine collected reliability data on 4,680 motorcycles purchased new from 2009 to 2012. The most common problem areas were accessories , brakes , electrical (including starters , charging , ignition ), and fuel systems , and the types of motorcycles with the greatest problems were touring, off-road/dual sport, sport-touring, and cruisers. There were not enough sport bikes in
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#17327837202953640-400: The same bike again, followed by 72% of Honda owners and 60 to 63% of Kawasaki and Yamaha owners. Two-wheeled motorcycles stay upright while rolling due to a physical property known as conservation of angular momentum in the wheels. Angular momentum points along the axle, and it "wants" to stay pointing in that direction. Different types of motorcycles have different dynamics and these play
3710-473: The same time as the American Roper steam velocipede , built by Sylvester H. Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts , who had been demonstrating his machine at fairs and circuses in the eastern U.S. since 1867. Roper built about 10 steam cars and cycles from the 1860s until his death in 1896. In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first series production motorcycle, and the first to be called
3780-431: The seat were narrower, for improved rider comfort. The seats and tanks and indeed the whole styling of the Dominator was redesigned to suit. A large metal tank badge completed the look, along with some two-toned paint schemes. And some optional enclosed body styling on the "Deluxe" Models of the 88 and 99, along the lines of the 'bathtub' Triumph models. A new 650 cc model was added to the lineup late in 1960. The frame
3850-640: The street as well. Each configuration offers either specialised advantage or broad capability, and each design creates a different riding posture. In some countries the use of pillions (rear seats) is restricted. The first internal combustion , petroleum fueled motorcycle was the Daimler Reitwagen . It was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt , Germany, in 1885. This vehicle
3920-471: The survey for a statistically significant conclusion, though the data hinted at reliability as good as cruisers. These results may be partially explained by accessories including such equipment as fairings, luggage, and auxiliary lighting, which are frequently added to touring, adventure touring/dual sport and sport touring bikes. Trouble with fuel systems is often the result of improper winter storage, and brake problems may also be due to poor maintenance. Of
3990-455: The three-cylinder Triumph Trident . Motor Cycle 's Technical Editor Vic Willoughby concluded his 1967 interview with Hele's confirmation that "...a high-performance seven-fifty parallel twin is not exactly at the top of the desirability stakes", and the triples were developed into the most successful race bikes of their time, dominating the 750cc races in Europe and the US. Hopwood attributed
4060-452: The two race shops, the AJS / Matchless facility was closed to Grand Prix development, and Hele was briefed to secretly develop an engine intended to ultimately compete at Daytona under AMA race regulations, requiring machines to be based on production roadster designs with a compression ratio no greater than 8.5:1, and using a kick starter mechanism. Dennis Greenfield and Fred Swift won
4130-462: The vanguard of this development, both producing very radical designs well ahead of their time. NSU produced the most advanced design, but after the deaths of four NSU riders in the 1954–1956 seasons, they abandoned further development and quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing . Moto Guzzi produced competitive race machines, and until the end of 1957 had a succession of victories. The following year, 1958, full enclosure fairings were banned from racing by
4200-401: The war. The British company Triumph Motorcycles sold more than 30,000 of its Triumph Type H model to allied forces during the war. With the rear wheel driven by a belt, the Model H was fitted with a 499 cc (30.5 cu in) air-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder engine. It was also the first Triumph without pedals . The Model H in particular, is regarded by many as having been
4270-542: Was 35 lb (16 kg) less than the Manx, when mounted in a special lightweight-frame (dubbed lowboy ), creating the factory "Domiracer". In the 1961 Isle of Man TT Tom Phillis took the bike to third place and lapped at over 100 mph (161 km/h), a first for a pushrod engine and a first for any twin. Norton abandoned the Domiracer project a year later when the Bracebridge Street race shop closed and
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#17327837202954340-623: Was a pioneering British motorcycle engineer with Triumph and other firms: BSA , Douglas and Norton . He was born in Birmingham in 1919 and died in Hagley , Worcestershire on 2 November 2001. Described as an 'outstanding student' at King's Norton Secondary School. Hele started his career in engineering as an apprentice with the Austin Motor Company at the Longbridge factory in Birmingham where he worked throughout
4410-481: Was a three-wheeled vehicle, with the rear wheel directly driven by a 5 ⁄ 8 hp (0.47 kW), 40 cc (2.4 cu in) displacement, 2 + 1 ⁄ 4 in × 5 in (57 mm × 127 mm) bore × stroke, flat twin four-stroke engine (with magneto ignition replaced by coil and battery) equipped with rotary valves and a float-fed carburettor (five years before Maybach ) and Ackermann steering , all of which were state of
4480-550: Was altered so that the top rails were closer together at the front of the seat area to create what became known as the 'slimline' featherbed. A 650 cc engine was installed to create the Norton Manxman. First built from 7 November 1960 to September 1961, these machines were a Limited Edition for the USA only, in custom-cruiser style - with high handlebars, all polychromatic blue paint and bright red seat with white piping round
4550-844: Was designed as an expedient testbed for their new engine, rather than a true prototype vehicle. The first commercial design for a self-propelled cycle was a three-wheel design called the Butler Petrol Cycle, conceived of Edward Butler in England in 1884. He exhibited his plans for the vehicle at the Stanley Cycle Show in London in 1884. The vehicle was built by the Merryweather Fire Engine company in Greenwich , in 1888. The Butler Petrol Cycle
4620-689: Was first designed and raced by the McCandless brothers in Ireland with the design bought by The Norton Motorcycle company who had the frames made by the Reynolds company because the Norton works did not have the necessary welding capacity for its manufacture. The Featherbed frame led to the Model 88 Dominator, also called the Dominator De Luxe, which used the same 497 cc engine and was developed in 1951. Originally developed for export it
4690-447: Was producing over 500 bikes. Other British firms were Royal Enfield , Norton , Douglas Motorcycles and Birmingham Small Arms Company who began motorbike production in 1899, 1902, 1907 and 1910, respectively. Indian began production in 1901 and Harley-Davidson was established two years later. By the outbreak of World War I, the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world was Indian, producing over 20,000 bikes per year. During
4760-486: Was sold on the home market from 1953. The 88 suffered from oil leaks from the primary chain case but it was the outdated and inefficient Norton works that resulted in quality control problems for the 200 Model 88's produced each week. The 597cc featherbed framed Model 99 Dominator was introduced in September 1955, as a larger capacity version alongside the 500 cc Model 88 version. Due to the increased engine capacity,
4830-474: Was to improve the Triumph Bonneville T120 . Drawing from his success with Norton Dominator twins, Hele raised the power output from 47 bhp to 52 bhp on open megaphone exhausts by careful modifications to the design of the camshafts and cam followers. Keen to keep the power gains for road and production racing use, he added a balance pipe between the two exhaust pipes where they exited
4900-469: Was unlike either the safety bicycles or the boneshaker bicycles of the era in that it had zero degrees of steering axis angle and no fork offset , and thus did not use the principles of bicycle and motorcycle dynamics developed nearly 70 years earlier. Instead, it relied on two outrigger wheels to remain upright while turning. The inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). It
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