History lesson

ACCORDING TO WRITER Phillipe Guyony, the first Norvin was conceived by a very famous name. It was built by John Surtees, who worked at Vincent and whose father, Jack, had a Vincent dealership.

Writing in his book – Guyony tells how in 1953 a young John Surtees was racing against Geoff Duke on a Featherbed-framed Manx Norton, and quickly realised what a world-beating package it was. The Featherbed-frame Manx had been launched in 1950 and the short-stroke Norton Engine in 1953. The machine