Allen Norton (motorcycle)

This article is about the British motorcycle manufacturer. For the American poet, see Allen Norton.

Allen Norton is a defunct British company that supplied replicas of 350 and 500 cc Norton Manx road racing motorcycles.^[1][2] The company was run by Bernie Allen in Great Bedwyn, near Marlborough, Wiltshire.^[3]

Allen Norton

Industry	Motorcycle manufacturer
Founded	1990 in Wiltshire, England
Founder	Bernie Allen
Defunct	1994
Headquarters	Great Bedwyn , United Kingdom
Products	Norton Manx replicas

The company started to build replicas of the famous Norton Manx racers in 1990,^[1] based on the final 1961 Manx.^[4] Allen had been given the rights in 1989 after the death of Norton tuner Ray Petty and had received special permission to use the name "Norton" in England.^[1]

Except for the magnetos, all the components used were of new manufacture.^[3] The engines were supplied by Summerfield Engineering of Derbyshire,^[1][4] the frames came from Goodman Engineering and were made from Reynolds 531 tubing.^[4] The machines were fitted with a 5-speed gearbox^[4] and a belt primary drive.^[3] (The originals used a 4-speed gearbox and chain primary drive.)^[5] Although the original Manx machines were pure racers, Allen fitted a speedometer, horn and brake light so the machines could be ridden on the road.^[3]

The machines were renowned for their quality.^[1] Former Norton race engineer and designer Doug Hele commented on the Allen machines "They are better than when we made them".^[4]

Production numbers were low. Allen delivered the first machine in 1992, but was only able to build one every two weeks. He was 61 years old at the time.^[3] In 1994, the manufacturing rights passed to Preston, Lancashire engineer, Andy Molnar.^[6]