P76
RIDE REVIEW I 2027 NORTON ATLAS APEX
The Icelandic launch of the
Atlas provided an appropriate en-
vironment in which to sample the
Atlas. With its mixture of cold tem-
peratures, wet pavement, gravel
roads and strong winds that had
us riding at near 45 degrees while
going straight at times, Iceland
offered the opportunity to experi
-
ence the motorcycle in conditions
considerably more demanding
than a typical press launch.
The Atlas name itself has a
storied history within Norton. The
original Norton Atlas was intro
-
duced in 1962 as the company's
750cc flagship, replacing the
Dominator 650 and becoming one
of the final iterations of Norton's
traditional parallel-twin road bikes.
This was at a time when the British
bike industry was still kicking, but it
wouldn't be long before the Japa
-
nese came along and rendered
nearly the entire British industry
irrelevant almost overnight.
The Atlas name was subse
-
quently revived in the modern
era with the Atlas 650 adventure
concept, unveiled in 2018
(Left) A 585cc
displacement may not
set the world alight,
but its performance is
pleasantly surprising.
(Right) Bybre calipers
aren't the highest spec
on the market but do
a reasonable job of
hauling the Atlas up
from speed. (Below)
Mission control of
the Atlas. The TFT is
brilliant. It's easy to
read, adjust, and there's
a USB-C power socket
under that little low-
pressure cutout in
the screen.
