Norton Atlas 750 for sale
SELLER SAYS: Imported from the UK around five years ago, and in concourse condition. Currently on red-plate registration. Showing 3,982 miles. Slimline featherbed frame and Road-holder forks. Twin carburettors, matching numbers. Video available on request. Reason for sale; storage issue. Contact Ross on 0422 001 509 (Geelong, Vic).
EDITOR TERLICK SAYS: So here’s some old-bike trivia I bet you didn’t know – Norton’s 750 Atlas was not named after a Greek God, but, in fact, an American intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Yep, while we can all remember the Spitfire, Rocket and Thunderbolt, and connect them to things that fly, the Atlas actually pulled rank on them all; big time. America’s first ICBM was the experimental ‘Atlas A’. And it carried some serious punch – by the time the ‘A’ model had evolved to the ‘E’ model in 1961, the Atlas missile carried a two megaton nuclear warhead. And when Norton needed a new name for its ballistically-fast new 750, they turned to NASA, not Athens, for inspiration. The Norton Atlas evolved from the company’s much-loved 500cc Dominator but picked up a much beefed-up engine, plus the adored featherbed frame (created for the Manx race bike), and Roadholder forks. As a result, it was a fast, great-handling motorcycle with a bunch of historic race-track credibility. It’s relatively short model run (1962-68) came from a belief that it delivered too much vibration and was too old-fashioned in its appearance especially with the late-1960s trickle of slick little Japanese bikes turning into a torrent. The big Norton needed a kick of new tech, new colour and something to fix that vibration. The replacement was, of course, the Commando with virtually the same motor but the all-new isolastic frame and a whole bunch of flashy colour schemes. This bike of Ross’ looks like a glorious example of the Atlas, father of the Commando and son of an American nuclear weapon. Great stuff.
