Vincent Bonneville Pix

Prosper Keating

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
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Great display of images but they've miscaptioned this one. This is a serious tool. This is VOC member Eric Patterson's Norton-JAP Special, built with the help of Dave Degens. Some of you will know Eric as the man behind the Kempton Park Autojumble and The Southern Classic Bike Show, amongst other events in the past.

Eric set an AMA world record last year in the ride-what-you-bring-class at Bonneville last year with his Norton-JAP Special but I don't yet know how he did with it this time. I know he was hoping for 150 mph. Last year, first time out, he did 112 mph on road tyres. The next day, Eric set a new class record - modified frame, pre-1956 1000-1350cc engine - at 119 mph, the record having been held by an Indian for two years at 110.02 mph. The next run set a world record at 121.79 mph and the bike was also clocked at over 135 mph on a fun run. The bike is also road legal and is sponsored by Brough Superior Motorcycles Ltd, hence the name on the tank, who are producing brand new replica Brough Superior SS100 machines using replica JAP vee-twin motors.


It is a 1952 1100cc JAP motor fitted into a slightly modified Norton Featherbed chassis. Not many people know that JAP continued building vee-twin motors after WW2 and this lump has magnesium cases and alloy top ends, hence the protective black paint. Note the twin BTH competition magnetos, one for each pot, driven by a bevel gear. This was a Brough Superior and Morgan 'extra' for serious sportsmen who didn't want to have compromise on precise ignition timing, something that will strike a chord with many Vincent-HRD riders.

PK
 
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