ROAD REGISTERED 500CC RACER

Middlehurst Road Race & Classic present this 1951 Manx Norton 30M racing motorcycle, which was first registered on the road in the UK on the 10th September 1955.

The Manx Norton is one of the most famous racing motorcycles of the post-war years. The ‘featherbed’ frame was used for the works team in 1950 and was made available to customers from 1951, making this one of the earliest 'customer' Manx Norton examples, having been delivered new in 1951.

The original buff logbook is present which shows that it was last taxed on the road on 13th February 1961 and had just 2 registered keepers in total at the time. Although we do not have any circumstantial evidence to prove that it was 100% a period racer, it has some very unique parts on it, including an original Francis Beart engine, which leads us to believe that may well of been at some point. It also has 'works' magnesium front and rear hubs, Francis Beart front brake cooling fins/discs, a Dunlop 19" WM1 (2 1/4) front wheel and a Borrani 19" Record 19" (2 1/2) rear wheel, both of which have been re-spoked and 2x brand new Dunlop tyres have been fitted.

Frame - #F11M237384 was originally supplied new in 1951 as a 500cc 30M to Tom Davies (Chorlton Light Cars), a well-known Manchester based motorcycle dealer, who at the time supplied Reg Dearden, a tuner, racing entrant and sponsor of countless motorcycle racers including stars such as Geoff Duke, Gary Hocking, Dave Chadwick, John Hartle, Ralph Rensen and Terry Shepherd, to name a few.

Engine - #C10M16228 an earlier 1948 'long stroke' 500cc racing engine with 'lay-down' gearbox, which was rather interestingly fitted in period, built by Francis Beart; a legendary period Norton engine builder. Records state engine #C10M16228 was originally supplied new in 1948 to Tom Davies (Chorlton Light Cars) for TT racer Wilf Billington. The engine has a Francis Beart 'all-alloy' cylinder head with extra large fins for better cooling and is stamped 'FB' on the crankase and gearbox. The original green 'buff' logbook also states "Fitted Francis Beart C10M16228 FB6 w/shop no XM248."