Norton Atlas 750 first road test after full engine rebuild by Performance Classics.

[@junglie]

Sounds lovely the engine mate, like how you always check that railway line before crossing, bet some of the locals don't but it's stuff like that keeps you alive.

[@SuperSeriouSam]

Have a 59 Norton 600 99 with a ss head . It now runs well after sorting the magneto out, and fitting new carburetor slides. It pulls well from low down (28mph in top) , but watching your video i think i can tell it certainly doesn't have the grunt of a Atlas . Your video is, rightly so, much appreciated, with a good look at the bike and an appraisal before and after the test ride. Many thanks Paul for a professional job all round.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

Thank you very much, Sam, for your kind words!

[@shug831]

A true classic, wonderful to see. Thanks for taking us along for the ride.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

You're welcome, thank you!

[@topcappy100]

16.49 What is that puff of something from between cylinder head and barrel, just under carb?

[@paulhenshaw4514]

That is the tiniest blow from the head joint, which couldn't be heard or felt, but the head has since been retorqued after the engine cooled down, to hopefully sort it.

[@SuperSeriouSam]

@@paulhenshaw4514 Had the head off my 99 Norton . After replacing started to get a slight oil leak between the head and barrel . I re-tighten the head down , which seem to have cured the slight oil leak . A few more miles and time will tell. Many of the cylinder head bolts are almost, if not impossible to get a torque wrench on, so it was a matter guesswork, and rechecking the tappets after a test ride , and the engine had cooled down.

[@bigred8438]

I like the under square engine dimensions of the norton. I can tell in a back to back comparison it has more torque and longer legs in each gear than the A65 l just watched you ride. As a side note, there are very few modern bikes with under square engine dimensions, but The Kawasaki W650 (676cc) and the bored out W800 (773cc) are both under square.

[@jeremykeller211]

The 500cc Dominator was a smooth delight. Its 650cc successor was almost as smooth. The 750cc Atlas was a bone shaking disaster. Its vibrations would make your fillings fall out of your mandible. This is why it only stayed briefly in the Norton line-up and was replaced by the far finer Commando.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

This one wasn't bad at all.

[@andymath1523]

Runs nice once warmed up ,sounds ok to me , bet it sounds much better in real life than on camera , I have Velocette LE sounds very quite mechanically as not done many miles from new , yet sounds awful on camera . Seems to pull well low-down makes you wonder why they pulled Norton engines out to make Tritons (do like a nice triton cafe racer though)

[@philrulon]

Very nice. Much quieter at idle, after a warm up run, now that you’ve done the engine work. I’m a bit surprised to see a motor go to -.030 after 22,000, I hope it will last a while by now. I’ve always been fascinated by the care of the hedges on these roads. This time out I saw a public tractor with a boom on the A40. My guess is, that’s why these hedges are always trimmed so nicely.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

Hi Phil, my guess is the displayed mileage was not genuine on this machine, despite initial expectations that it was. Local farmers and contractors are paid by the council to trim the hedges - a nice little earner if you have the machinery.

[@pbrucpaul]

Paul Henshaw: Where is this filmed Paul? Very British countryside. The Norton has a lot of torque perfect for those narrow roads.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

South West Wales in Carmarthenshire.

[@rajeshsawratkar8057]

Nice and beautiful

[@williamnethercott4364]

Despite some dubious comments, I thought it sounded great.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

Thanks - it does in real life, but my camera mic picks up all sorts of sounds which the ear does not!

[@redbike6340]

Nice 👌

[@neilurquhart8622]

Sounds a bit rough to me....or is it just the microphone? Why is there such a big gap between the front of the seat and the tank....is it aftermarket seat?

[@paulhenshaw4514]

Answers to questions in the order they were asked - 1, yes. 2, I don't know.

[@bimmjim]

The sound is completely unfamiliar to me. I rode every other kind of bike back then, but never a Norton. Vincent, BSA, Triumph etc.

[@arthurpendragon7224]

Do you have any thoughts as to why it needed a rebuild at such low milage?

[@paulhenshaw4514]

Yes - I don't think the mileage on the clock was anywhere near genuine!

[@amelierenoncule]

Well, mes amis, I suppose that Norton M/C's are better than walking...BUT, they're not a BSA. And anyways, feather beds are for sleeping, and pro-creating, NOT cycle frames !

[@allanalgeralph]

sorry but it doesnt sound to healthy.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

It was fine and is still going strong to this day, I believe.

[@allanalgeralph]

good im glad of that@@paulhenshaw4514

[@servicarrider]

Nice bike but you guys have shit for roads over there cross the pond.

[@paulhenshaw4514]

Our roads are great fun, just got to keep on guard for the odd D.H., as seen in my other clip of this machine after rebuilding!

[@jeremykeller211]

Wrong. The UK has roads that are a joy for motorcycling. The USA by contrast has thousands of straight line roads interrupted only by traffic lights.

[@philrulon]

I also disagree, my view is that, for a biker, the roads in Wales are superior to those in the United States. I strongly wish we had roads such as these in the US.

[@davesundquist3178]

It still sounds HORRIBLE !YOU SHOULD NOT USE THAT! Get your money back .Please search- Sundquist Norton you tube ,hear what a proper motor sounds like.Please stop running that motor and change mechanics.

[@whiterabbit201]

At 16:52 you can see the head gasket blow by/leaking.