Norton ES2
Encyclopedia
The ES2 was a Norton
motorcycle
first produced in 1927. It was a long stroke single originally launched as a sports motorcycle
but throughout its long life it was gradually overtaken by more powerful models. The designation ES2 originated from the original design where E was for extra cost, S for sports and the 2 was a reference to the second version of the 79mm x 100mm 490cc engine.
It remained popular due to its reliability and ease of maintenance, as well as the traditional design. From 1947 the ES2 had an innovative hydraulically damped telescopic front fork and race developed rear plunger suspension. From 1953 it had a single downtube swinging-arm frame and was uprated to the Rex McCandless Featherbed frame
in 1959 and featured an improved AMC gearbox, revised cylinder head, modernised alternator and an 8-inch front brake with full width hubs. For 1961 the bike was further improved with the Slimline frame with upper frame rails narrowed and a slimmer tank. The last Norton ES2 was produced in 1964.
Norton (motorcycle)
Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
first produced in 1927. It was a long stroke single originally launched as a sports motorcycle
Sport bike
A sport bike, also written as sportbike, is a motorcycle optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on paved roads, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to less specialized motorcycles...
but throughout its long life it was gradually overtaken by more powerful models. The designation ES2 originated from the original design where E was for extra cost, S for sports and the 2 was a reference to the second version of the 79mm x 100mm 490cc engine.
Featherbed frame
The featherbed frame was a motorcycle frame developed by the British Norton motorcycle company to improve the performance of their racing motorcycles around the twisting and demanding Isle of Man TT course in 1950. It was considered revolutionary at the time, and the best handling frame that a...
in 1959 and featured an improved AMC gearbox, revised cylinder head, modernised alternator and an 8-inch front brake with full width hubs. For 1961 the bike was further improved with the Slimline frame with upper frame rails narrowed and a slimmer tank. The last Norton ES2 was produced in 1964.