Topic: Norton Ranger ??

[SteveD CB500F]

Snapped this at our local meet last week.

Anyone ever heard of a Norton Ranger 750 ??

[Bob Wessner]

I hadn't until just now.  Check this link, there is some discussion of the Ranger model.. towards the bottom.

http://www.ajsmoc.com/hybrids.html

[bill440cars]

               Oh yeah, Nortons had more models than the Commando, Atlas and the Manx. If you check it
       out,the Nortons, Matchless and AJS motorcycles were all pretty smilar to each other and there was
       also a scrambler version of the Ranger w/up swept pipes. Of the old Thumpers, I liked the old
       version of the BSA 500cc Gold Star and the Matchless 600c Typhoon. When I was a teen, I had
       brochures of about all of the Nortons, Matchless, AJS (way before the 2 strokes), BSA, Ariel, Royal
       Enfields, Parillas, Jawas & CZs and then my little brother came along and Boy, was he destructive!!
                                                       
                                                          Later on, Bill

[SteveD CB500F]

Well I guess that makes sort of sense.

The meet was the annual AJS & Matchless OC Bike Night...

[fishtoft]

Don't know where the 'Ranger' name came from, but looks like a Norton P11. Built '67-'69 for export only, although some managed to stay in the UK, its purpose was to compete in US desert races, an Atlas engine in a Matchless frame and this model enjoyed a lot of success in the late '60s.

[bill440cars]

         I've got a Sept 99' issue of Walnecks that has a roadtest done on the two 750 Nortons. One was the Atlas and the other is the P-11 Scrambler. These are said to be 67' models and the road tests are reprints from July 67' issue of "Cycle" magazine. The biggest differences I can see from the pictures are the P-11 has an upswept (high) exhaust system, the rear fender and the seat are slightly shorter. I can't seem to find it just now but I thought I had a magazine with the Norton Ranger in it. Anyway, I'd like to point out that the one posted is a fine looking machine but, I can't believe the mufflers are stock. Norton had a muffler design different from most everone else's. Later on, Bill


       Just checked the link that Bob posted and the P-11 shown there is the same one that I was describing from the Walneck's.     

[bill440cars]

    Matter of fact, if you'll type in"Norton Ranger" & click on 1967 750 Norton P11, you'll find that the Ranger was the final P11 built in 68'. In 1969, Norton-Villiers replace the P11 with a scrambler style
version of the Commando called the "750S". Check it out as I'm not real good with links or I would post it. Maybe this'll clear things up                           Later on, Bill

[mrbreeze]

That Ranger is a sweet looking bike! I've always liked the Nortons.An old workmate back in the late 70's let me take his 850 Commando for a putt once and I really enjoyed it.

[bill440cars]

That Ranger is a sweet looking bike! I've always liked the Nortons.An old workmate back in the late 70's let me take his 850 Commando for a putt once and I really enjoyed it.

                        Never got a chance to ride a Norton but, I did get to take a 65' Royal Enfield 750TT
               Interceptor for a stroll a few times and that was a blast.

                                                   Later on, Bill

[nickjtc]

Riding any of these old Brit bikes is a different experience, not least because of the 'odd' gear change. It's a completely different mindset from riding Japanese!

[mrbreeze]

Yup.....MrBreeze needs one them there Nortons.(Won't trade the 750 Honda though!!!!!)

[SteveD CB500F]

Riding any of these old Brit bikes is a different experience, not least because of the 'odd' gear change. It's a completely different mindset from riding Japanese!

The Ranger was built for the US market.  They may have been built with the LH gear change...

[bill440cars]

Riding any of these old Brit bikes is a different experience, not least because of the 'odd' gear change. It's a completely different mindset from riding Japanese!

The Ranger was built for the US market.  They may have been built with the LH gear change...

    Far as I know, gearshifts didn't get moved to the left side until sometime after the Japanese bikes came over. I can't tell you an actual date but in the mid to late 60's I guess. Maybe even early 70's. I do know that Royal Enfield still had it on the right side for 66', cause I had the opporitunity to ride a
66' 750 TT Interceptor and, as I remember, it was quite a blast. I don't know if Norton lasted long enough to change over or not. My Own Opion: I didn't think it was right for everone to have to swap sides with the gearshift and the brake pedal. That being said, I can and will live with it but, if I ever end up with an Enfield, I'll get a conversion kit and change back to the original setup. I don't mind the Hondas being that way, that's all I've ever known. Okay, I've had my say, now I can move on. 

                                                                  Later On, Bill

[dusterdude]

in the us,by law they had to be left side shift by at least 1974 or 75.thats why harley went to left side shift on the sportster.

[nickjtc]

in the us,by law they had to be left side shift by at least 1974 or 75.thats why harley went to left side shift on the sportster.

....and everyone else had to follow along, especially if they wanted to sell in the US market. Norton/Triumph solved the problem by putting a shift rod all the way through from the right to the left and then hung the gear shifter off it. Apparently (according to the road tests of the time) it worked well.

[bill440cars]

in the us,by law they had to be left side shift by at least 1974 or 75.thats why harley went to left side shift on the sportster.

....and everyone else had to follow along, especially if they wanted to sell in the US market. Norton/Triumph solved the problem by putting a shift rod all the way through from the right to the left and then hung the gear shifter off it. Apparently (according to the road tests of the time) it worked well.

     nick,  That's something I didn't realize about Norton. Glad you posted that. Later on, Bill

[dusterdude]

in the us,by law they had to be left side shift by at least 1974 or 75.thats why harley went to left side shift on the sportster.

....and everyone else had to follow along, especially if they wanted to sell in the US market. Norton/Triumph solved the problem by putting a shift rod all the way through from the right to the left and then hung the gear shifter off it. Apparently (according to the road tests of the time) it worked well.

     nick,  That's something I didn't realize about Norton. Glad you posted that. Later on, Bill

harley did the same thing on the sporster for a year or 2 after they changed over.