Comments on: 1965 Norvin Rapide

By: brian thurlborn

brian thurlborn — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 17:36:12 +0000

I remember in the M M about McCoy and his Norvin,he shortened the stroke,used manx pistons and many other mods !! And he claimed about 170 mph,M M were going to road test it but i never found the test,i almost got a shadow engine in the 60s ,but the seller (he had five ! in his barn !) felt that i would cannibalise it to make it a Norvin ! (he would have been right!)

By: pete7

pete7 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:02:01 +0000

Great picture. Looking back now (as a road rider, non racer) I think the ‘Norvin’ was perhaps a strange mix as the engine was meant to be stress-bearing and a Featherbed cradle frame seems overkill. I remember Motorcycle Mechanics pictured one about 1966 in the ‘Letters’ section by somebody called McCoy ( McCoy Vincent/Norvin ring any bells?) claiming 170mph. On a Smiths Speedo no doubt. Keep up the good work!

By: David

David — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:51:12 +0000

If memory serves, I think I met this bike and owner at the Johnson’s Motorcycle Club in the summer of ’65. (When asked how he liked it, he replied: “It’s fine- but the motor has to come out of the frame to adjust the valves.”)

By: John. Gibson.

John. Gibson. — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:51:21 +0000

What a lovely Norvin – where is it now? The first I saw was in 1960 at Charterhall riden by Louis Carr. Bob McIntyre was racing that day and was just able to keep ahead of Louis.

John.Gibson.