The post-war trend towards more specialised trials machines, rather than the lightly-modified roadsters of the pre-war years, led to Norton, Ariel and AMC developing dedicated ‘heavyweight mud-pluggers’, to use the contemporary term. The day of the purpose-built two-stroke lay far in the future: in the 50s a trials bike had to be recognisably related to the firm’s road machines. Norton’s version was the 500T, introduced in 1949, which used, according to a contemporary report ‘a rigid open-type frame with high ground-clearance and a short wheel-base’. Allied to this was a wide-ratio ‘box and a tuned version of the firm’s torquey overhead-valve 500. It was a successful and sought-after trials iron then and still is now. Numerous works and privateer competition successes soon confirmed that Norton had produced a machine as good as, if not better than, any other rigid-framed trials iron. Sadly, there would be no spring-frame development to carry on the line, and the 500T disappeared from the Norton line-up in 1954. CHL 929 has not been used since, it is thought, for many years and is recognisably to a largely original specification. The motor turns freely, with all components in good condition, though a careful re-commissioning will be needed. It comes with a V5, a receipt and an RF60 Log-book.
The post-war trend towards more specialised trials machines, rather than the lightly-modified roadsters of the pre-war years, led to Norton, Ariel and AMC developing dedicated ‘heavyweight mud-pluggers’, to use the contemporary term. The day of the purpose-built two-stroke lay far in the future: in the 50s a trials bike had to be recognisably related to the firm’s road machines. Norton’s version was the 500T, introduced in 1949, which used, according to a contemporary report ‘a rigid open-type frame with high ground-clearance and a short wheel-base’. Allied to this was a wide-ratio ‘box and a tuned version of the firm’s torquey overhead-valve 500. It was a successful and sought-after trials iron then and still is now. Numerous works and privateer competition successes soon confirmed that Norton had produced a machine as good as, if not better than, any other rigid-framed trials iron. Sadly, there would be no spring-frame development to carry on the line, and the 500T disappeared from the Norton line-up in 1954. CHL 929 has not been used since, it is thought, for many years and is recognisably to a largely original specification. The motor turns freely, with all components in good condition, though a careful re-commissioning will be needed. It comes with a V5, a receipt and an RF60 Log-book.
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
