VOL. 53 ISSUE 46 NOVEMBER 22, 2016 P37
Each model has a different
chassis design, but with the V4
engine acting in each case as a
fully-stressed component. The
limited-edition V4-SS features
a hand-polished (taking 26
hours!) hand-built aluminum
twin-tube frame based on the
SG5 TT-racer's chassis, and
a single-sided billet-aluminum
swingarm weighing just 6.8
pounds, machined down from a
single 154-pound billet, whereas
the series-production V4-RR
features a cast aluminum chas-
sis and swingarm. The two bikes
share a common fully adjustable
chassis geometry format devel-
oped on Norton's SG5 Isle of
Man TT race bike, with both the
head angle and swingarm pivot
capable of adjustment. Each
has a 56.2-inch wheelbase,
22.4-inch long swingarm for
extra traction, and a stock 23.9°
rake for its 43mm Ohlins NIX30
fork, with a TTX-GP rear mono-
shock specially designed for the
Norton V4. The Brembo brake
package features twin 330mm
fully floating front discs gripped
by lightweight M50 Monoblock
radial calipers, with a single
245mm rear disc. Seven-spoke
BST carbon wheels equip the
limited edition V4-SS, while OZ
forged magnesium wheels are
fitted to the V4-RR, shod on
the show bikes with Metzeler
Racetec RR tires—the rear one a
200/55-17. Claimed dry weight
is 394 pounds.
In what's claimed to be a
first for motorcycle design,
the Norton R&D team used
advanced design techniques
including rapid CAD design to
take the concept straight from
CAD without an intervening clay
model or physical prototype—a
process it's claimed sped up
development by as
much as a year. The
narrow V4 engine
permits a sleek fair-
ing wrapped tightly
to the chassis.
All bodywork is made from
carbon fiber by BST in South
Africa, including the fuel tank
for the first time on a street-
legal motorcycle, and the V4-SS
comes in unpainted carbon
fiber, with the V4-RR in a spe-
cial hard-to-work-with silver-
impregnated paint resulting in a
TT-replica chrome finish, just like
the Pepe Jeans-sponsored SG5
race bike. Full LED lights are fit-
ted front and rear.
A full titanium race exhaust
supplied with aftermarket tune is
the only option on either model,
weighing 17 pounds less and
producing 10 bhp more, without
being street-legal. Otherwise,
this new two-wheeled best-of-
British comes fully equipped,
ready to make a mark on the
realm of high end hyperbikes.
Alan Cathcart
Designer Simon
Skinner channeled
high-end supercars
for his design of the
V4-SS.
Australian David Johnson on
his way to seventh at the 2016
Isle of Man TT. It was a stellar
display and one that has seen him
retained for TT duties in 2017.
