P116
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 NORTON MANX R
This Manx R's designation is
not specifically aimed at race-
tracks, although no one is going
to stop you from taking your
1200cc, 206-horsepower V4
Manx R to the track to hit apexes.
With the Manx R, Norton aims
to "make sportsbikes fun again,"
according to Norton's new Chief
Technical Officer, the incredibly
well-regarded Brian Gillen.
The Manx R, a stately sports
motorcycle, is designed primar-
ily for street riding and is built in
the same tradition as the line of
luxury sports road cars that are
done so well by fellow Brits, auto
industry legends Aston Martin.
ENGINE
The all-new 1200cc V4 engine
powering the Norton Manx R
was designed from the get-go
to be an interpretation of the
ideal road superbike. Above 200
peak horsepower was an aim,
but arm-stretching torque from
3000-9000 rpm, where almost
all riders who buy a superbike
will spend their time on the road,
was a necessity. As such, the
V4 produces 77 percent of peak
torque from 5000 rpm onward.
The numbers read 206 horse-
power at 11,500 rpm and 96 lb-ft
at 9000 rpm, but they don't tell
the whole story.
Although the engine shares no
components with the previous
V4SV unit, it retains the same
72-degree V4 configuration and
1200cc dimensions, which is dis-
tinct from Ducati's 90-degree vee
in the Panigale V4 and the 65-de-
gree vee in the Aprilia RSV4.
Norton chose the 72-degree
V-angle after close collabora-
tion among the engine, chassis
and design teams to achieve the
ideal engine width, center-of-
gravity placement and vibration
characteristics. The V4 layout
also enabled the creation of
Norton's unique "Phased Pulse"
firing order, with irregular firing
intervals that improve mechani-
cal grip and drive before the
traction-control system begins
to kick in.
Instead of firing at even
180-degree intervals like a con-
There are so many
stunning design
points to drink in
with the Manx R,
from the Rotobox
carbon-fiber wheels
to the pin-sharp line
from the subframe
base to the top of
the seat, to the total
lack of any winglets
or aerodynamic
appendages. It truly
is a stunning-
looking machine.
