The Norton Motorcycle Company was founded by James Lansdowne Norton. He was born 8 January 1869 in Birmingham to James and Elizabeth Norton. His father was a furniture dealer from Kings Norton Birmingham.

The company he founded in 1898 was originally called the Norton Manufacturing Company, making chains for bicycles. Unfortunately the company went into decline and his main creditors, R.T. Shelley joined forces to form Norton Motors Ltd. and Bob Shelley became joint director. The first motorcycles he made were from Swiss and French engines in 1902, and won the very first Isle of Man twin cylinder class race in 1907 from these machines.

'Pa' Norton died on 21 Apr 1925 aged only 56.

The Dominator came into existence because of the decline in the British motorbike industry due to the multi-cylinder machines coming in from abroad, especially from Italy and Japan. So in 1950 Rex McCandless from Belfast designed a frame for Norton which was to become a benchmark for all other frames. And in 1948 the "Garden Gate" frame used in the Manx Norton was replaced by the next generation of frames, the featherbed frame.

Their design of a bronze-welded duplex cradle with a swinging fork rear suspension coupled with the famous "Roadholder" fork was first made in 1948. The test riders described this design as 'like a feather bed'. Geoff Duke, John Surtees and Derek Minter, big names in the motorcycle-racing world at that time rode for the Norton Stable.

Production of the frame was slow at first as the contract to build the new featherbed frames was given to Reynolds Tubes Ltd. But unfortunately for the British market Reynolds was only able to make 70 frames a week and they were for the export market.

To marry into the new featherbed frame Norton needed a new engine and they finally decided on Bert Hopwood's design to power the machine. The Dominator 88 deluxe, a 500cc overhead valve vertical twin, formed an ideal partnership and was first shown at the 1951 Earls Court Show but for the export market only. The design went on to win many production races outdoing all its rivals.

The Japanese tried for over 20 years to imitate this frame design with limited success. A testimony to its design.

The 600cc Dominator 99 was introduced in 1956 this was an improvement on the 88 Deluxe because it developed 31bhp @ 5750rpm.

In 1960 saw a revised featherbed frame from its wideline form to a slimline frame and finally in 1961 the 650ss was introduced but once again only for the export market.

The Birmingham factory at Bracebridge Street closed in 1962 and transferred to AMC's Matchless factory at Woolwich in South London. The new bigger Atlas was introduced in 1963 by Norton. The larger engine fitted into a different frame. Very prone to vibration.

The 650ss suffered many early teething troubles, burst cylinder barrels, fatigue fittings and various fittings; all these problems were resolved. This machine has a top speed of over 110mph, quite good for that time, it went on to win numerous production races. In 1968 production cease and a single carburettor Mercury took over.

In its short production life, 1964-68 the Norton Dominator 650ss was probably the best machine on the British market and I believe that I am priverage to own one of the rare breed of British thoroughbred racing machines.

Engine Air-cooled 647cc OHV vertical twin downdraft head.

Horsepower 49bhp @6800rpm.

Transmission 4-speed.

Frame 'Featherbed' duplex steel cradle.

Brakes drum/drum.

Top Speed 115mph

Preporation is well underway for the rebuild. Some photos are shown below, and an account will follow.