UK-based motorcycle manufacturer, Norton, recently pulled the covers off their new Atlas models – the Nomad and the Ranger. They also unveiled their entry into the middle-weight supersport segment with the brand new Norton Superlight.
The Superlight gets more than just its striking looks from its elder sibling, the V4 RR. Like the Atlas models, the Superlight’s 650cc parallel-twin finds its roots as the front-half of the 1,200cc V4 RR engine. The bore remains identical at 82mm, but gets an enlarged stroke – from 56.8mm to 61.5mm – resulting in an extra 25cc per cylinder. The wide bore and short stroke combo, along with a very high compression ratio of 13.4:1 results in a large rev band. Peak power is an impressive 105hp at 12,500rpm, and a maximum torque output of 75Nm. For some reference of how impressive this is, you get similar performance figures of 105hp and 87Nm from a significantly larger parallel-twin on the KTM 790 Duke.
Bred and designed for the racetrack, the Superlight comes with an array of riding aids. The package includes multiple riding modes, traction control, wheelie control and launch control, using a built-in six-axis IMU. It also gets a quick-shifter and an auto blipper on downshifts. The bike is equipped with a 7.0-inch HD display to convey information to the rider.
The Superlight stays true to its name, with most of its bodywork, and fuel tank being made of carbon fibre. Norton quotes a dry weight figure of 158kg. The twin-tube chassis is identical to the ones Norton uses on the V4 RR, and the engine acts as a stressed member. Stopping power comes from dual, 330mm full-floating Brembo discs, with radially mounted M50 callipers.
Norton also has on offer an optional full-titanium race exhaust that is claimed to increase power output by 6hp while simultaneously cutting weight by 6kg, bringing the dry weight down to 152kg.
The bike is priced at £19,950 (approximately Rs 18.30 lakh), which is on par with the likes of a base Ducati Panigale V4. It’s unlikely the Norton Superlight will be launched in India, unless Motoroyale manages to bring a small number here. One place that you can look forward to seeing it is in the Lightweight TT races.