A superb and rare photo of the 600cc Norton Model 1 - or Norton Big 4 as it was more commonly known - with Sidecar photographed while being tested by the British Army on September 7, 1943. This image was taken by the great Joe Craig, from whose “Dutch Connection” heritage comes this negative.

The Norton Big 4 , or as it was officially know, the Norton Model 1 , was produced between 1907 and 1954 in various forms. With 633cc, it was the largest and most powerful sidevalve engine with plenty of low end torque in the model range made by Norton Motorcycles in Birmingham and mostly used to haul sidecars. Approximately 4700 of the nearly 100.000 military bikes made by Norton during WW2 were Big 4 sidecar outfits. Designed to carry two or three men plus their fighting equipment over very rough terrain, the Big 4 was wasn't particularly big and didn't have four of anything - but it was used for reconnaissance and carrying loads of ammunition to the front line troops. The first Big 4 machines were civilian versions starting in 1907 with a bore and stroke of 82 x 120 mm. The model continued to be produced for nine years after the end of World War II when Norton ended the manufacture of side valve singles to concentrate on twins. As from 1948 the bore and stroke changed to 82 x 113 mm to give 596cc capacity. The Military Norton WD Big 4 was a development of prewar trials outfit with a sidecar wheel coupled to the motorcycle rear wheel through a dog clutch and drive shaft. Initial trials were carried out at Studland in Dorset and it coped well with challenging terrain. The simple design also meant it was easy to maintain in the field. All three 18" X 4.00 wheels were interchangeable with various makes of tyres for off road use. The sidecar was unarmoured with thin sheetmetal on the front of the sidecar and there was no suspension in the rear of the heavy duty frame, the sidecar was mounted on 4 leaf springs, and had 2 friction disc shock absorbers at the back. The Norton Big Four was eventually replaced by the Ford GP or the Willys Jeep in 1941. The Big 4 could be equipped with a Bren gun or a 3 inch mortar, bombs could be fitted to a platform in place of a sidecar, but this seems to have been a one off model, same with the Thompson equipped Big 4.

Norton was founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of cycle chains. By 1902 they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908 a Norton built engine was added to the range. This began a long series of production of single cylinder motorcycles. They were one of the great names of the British motorcycle industry, producing machines which for decades dominated racing with highly tuned single cylinder engines under the Race Shop supremo Joe Craig. In 1949 Norton wanted a 4-cylinder engine for their race bike, BRM in Bourne in Linconshire designed a 500 cc 4-cylinder engine that would blow the competition away. It was a water cooled, DOHC, five speed gearbox, clutch on the right hand side, horizontal split crackcase, cams driven by four timing gears, oil was underneath the engine, and formed as the mounting points for the engine to fit the mcCandless new frame (the "featherbed"). Heated and bad tempered arguments in the boardroom caused two major shareholders to leave Norton in 1953 and Norton went bankrupt as a result. AMC bought the shares to prop up Norton. Postwar 500 cc twin cylinder model called the Model 7 Dominator was added to the range for 1949, and this evolved into 500cc to 600cc in late 1955 to models with the 500 cc and 600 cc Dominator, in 1961 the 650 cc Manxman, 650ss and Atlas in 1962. Commando 750 cc in 1968, and in 1973 to 828 cc known as a 850 cc Commando, all highly regarded road motorcycles of their time.

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This is your rare chance to own this photo that reflects a very interesting and historic piece of motorcycle and Norton ’s history. Therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 10" (ca. 20 x 25 cm).