・One of fewer than 70 examples, number 7 off the line
・Fully rebuilt by former Norton Development Engineer
・2,800 miles covered since
The Background
Norton’s F1 Sport was the last hurrah for its rotary-engined bikes, a development of the F1 which was a road going version of the marque’s successful RCW588 race bike. In common with numerous other British automotive brands, Norton’s business affairs have seen some ups and downs over the years and this came at a troubled time for the firm. There was a rumour that the F1 Sport was simply a way to use up the parts assembled for the F1 but the result was the pinnacle of the road going rotary Nortons.
The precise number of F1 Sports built remains the subject of some debate as some were assembled after the official end of production but the consensus appears to be that just 66 were made in that production run which makes this, the seventh off the line, a very rare beast indeed. And with a 558cc water cooled twin-rotor Wankel engine, it is a real beast. Highly sought after by Norton enthusiasts, this is a rare opportunity to acquire one.
First registered on 16 December 1991, this example was ordered by a gentleman based in the Isle of Wight. While not the most obvious location to enjoy your superbike, the first owner wanted to enjoy touring with his wife and so it was originally specified with the two-seater configuration, believed to have been only one of three with the option selected. After a few years and 35,000 miles of enjoyment, sadly the owner suffered a stroke and the bike was laid up pending his recovery.
Some eight years later, with a return to biking still not on the cards, the first owner responded to an advert placed by the vendor, a Norton enthusiast, who was looking for an F1 Sport to add to his collection. The deal was done but lack of use had taken its toll on the health of the bike and so a full restoration was commissioned from Richard Negus, former Norton development engineer and now race engine builder.
The brief for the restoration was to replace anything worn with new parts wherever possible. The full list of work carried out is as follows:
Full strip and rebuild of the engine
6 Speed gearbox upgrade
Brand new aluminium radiator upgrade Also hoses
New carburettors
New air filters
New chassis wiring loom
Electronic ignition system upgrade as well as coils and leads
New clocks from Andover Norton (old clocks retained with the original mileage of 35,630)
Frame and swinging arm powder coated silver
Front & rear shocks fully reconditioned
New chain and sprockets
New discs and pads front and rear
Callipers reconditioned front and rear
Wheels powder coated
New tyres
New handlebar ends
New top yoke
Converted back to single seat
Every bearing was renewed on the bike and in the engine
Since the restoration, the vendor has covered 2,800 miles, visiting the Isle of Man classic TT in 2018 and 2019. However, with a house restoration in progress, he’s decided to slim down his collection and, being a lucky blighter that has two, is keeping his other F1 Sport which is liveried to match his newer Norton.
When the current owner acquired the bike, he was planning on a full refurbishment and so while it was a shame that there wasn’t a fuller record of its background, the lack of supporting paperwork was less of a concern.
As such it came with just the original V5, and an invoice from 2005. Since then, the record keeping has improved and there are copies of the MOTs and SORN declarations over the last five years and the invoice, totalling over £4,800, to cover the restoration work.
The MOT is in the process of being renewed at the time of writing and a recent house move means that the pictures show a colour photocopy of the V5 in the vendor’s name, but the updated version has now been issued by the DVLA.ppper 3.jpeg222.25 KB
The Exterior
While the restoration may be a few years ago at this point, the bike has only been lightly used and remains in great condition with lustrous paintwork and highly polished exhausts. There are a few small stone chips which are shown in the photographs but aside from these, the bike could almost pass for new, such has been the attention to detail on the refurbishment work. Even closer inspection through the bodywork reveals all the componentry looking very fresh.
Note that the seat pads were absent for the photo shoot but a new set will be supplied. The decals, all in JPS colours, are all pristine and the dials look as new, having been replaced (the original set is also included in the sale, in support of the mileage).
In all, it’s a real head-turner which attracts attention wherever it goes.
The engine fires first time and, if it has been standing for a while, does smoke a little initially, this being a feature of these rotary engines which is shared by the other F1’s in the collection. Once that clears, it runs very sweetly and the rotary engine revs with a smoothness that is unlike other bikes. The owner reports that although the Sport is a very similar specification to the regular F1, despite being a huge fan of the F1, to ride the Sport is considerably more nimble and hence gets used a little more often. Right now, it’s ready to be enjoyed by its next owner.
The F1 Sport is an important piece of British motorcycle history and an interesting piece of engineering. Opportunities to acquire one are few and far between, as the current owner will attest, having had to hunt hard for his. But as well as being rare and significant, it’s a great ride and really benefits from being ridden regularly.
Fortunately, this example has been restored to a condition that makes it very usable. So while you could buy it as a museum piece, the option is there to make the most of it. Whichever is your intention, you’d best get your bid in now
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