Norton Navigator
Norton Navigator Background & History
The Norton Navigator and the Navigator Deluxe in particular were products of a trend that existed in Britain in the late 1950s. Many British riders were commuters, not recreational riders like in America. And they rode to work each day, rain or shine. It rains a lot in Great Britain, and it’s muddy and foggy. And all of this invites rust. British riders routinely wiped down their bikes after each ride. In the late 50s, several British motorcycle makers began enclosing parts of their bikes to keep the moisture out, and thus make the lives of their owners easier. This niche was all about 'enclosed bikes' as they were called. And from around 1959 to around 1965 the styling trend of enclosing the motorcycle spread like wildfire across most British brands.
This 1962 Norton Navigator Deluxe shows what 'Deluxe' means: An enclosed body. The front brake was off of Norton's big twins.
Thankfully, they didn't infect the entire product lines of brands like Triumph who embraced enclosed bikes but kept their premium models, like the Bonneville and the TR6, 'exposed'. Triumph’s ‘Bathtub Bikes’ were a prime example, because they only affected Triumph's entry-level machines, the 350cc Twenty One and the 500cc Speed Twin. But, they weren't alone. Velocette had their Vogue,Ariel had the Leader, even Norton got into the act. The Norton Navigator De Luxe was perhaps the prettiest of the bunch, and certainly one of the fastest. The regular Navigator, and the Jubilee it was based on are basically the same with the enclosed bodywork stripped off, for those buyers who liked the Navigator mechanically but didn’t like the way it looked. But technically the first British marque to enclose one of their bikes was Vincent with the 1954 Black Prince. Based on the bones of the 1000cc V-twin Vincent Rapide, the bike was so enclosed, and painted in all black as were most Vincents, that it was almost a shapeless blob. While the Brits liked them, many Americans removed the bulky bodywork from their bikes, replacing it with the more svelte units from their brands' open bikes. This is one reason why they're so rare today, particularly in America. However, more and more bathtub bikes have surfaced at auction, and they have come back into fashion, with collectors anxiously seeking unmolested, original bikes.
This is a 250cc 1962 Norton Jubilee. The Norton Navigator was based on this bike.
Norton Navigator Based on Norton Jubilee
The Norton Navigator was in production from 1960 through the 1965 model year. The 350cc twin was based on the 250cc Norton Jubilee. Norton engineers bored (from 60 mm to 63 mm) and stroked it (from 44 mm to 56 mm) the Jubilee engine to a capacity of 349cc for Navigator duty. While the Jubilee had a separate casting for each cylinder barrel, this new, bigger engine incorporated both into one common cast iron cylinder block. The alloy cylinder heads, as before on the Jubilee, were two separate castings, one for each cylinder. It made 22 hp at 7,000 rpm, which was enough to propel a stock bike to 80 mph.
The trend in England in the late 50s was enclosed bodies because of the inclement riding weather there.
Norton Navigator at the Track
Norton, always with its mind on performance, wanted to demonstrate the power of this little commuter bike. So the persuaded Harold Daniel, who raced for Norton at the Isle of Man TT, and who is also credited with naming the Featherbed Frame, to race a basically stock Norton Navigator at the Silverstone Race Track where it hit 101 mph on the straight with only minor carburetor tuning done.
The 250cc Jubilee was bored & stroked out to 350cc for Navigator duty. This was Norton's only unit-construction engine.
Norton Navigator Features
The 1960 Norton Navigator launched with an 8-inch front brake and Norton’s Roadholder forks from Norton’s big twins. The front downtime on the Jubilee frame was strengthened to improve rigidity and handling. In 1961, a handlebar-mounted fairing became optional as well as leg shields and panniers (British for saddlebags) completing the enclosed look.
In 1963, Norton moved Navigator and Jubilee production to its Plumstead factory in the interest of cost savings, and DeLuxe production never resumed there. Only the Standard models continued on, this time with a wider front fork with a steering lock. Norton Navigator production ended in 1965 as Norton’s owner, AMC (Associated Motor Cycles) slid into insolvency.
This is what the Norton Navigator looked like without the full-bodied 'Deluxe' treatment. This is a 1962 Norton Navigator.
Norton Electra
The Electra was essentially a Norton Navigator bored out to 383cc with an electric starter. Launched in 1963, the Electra was upgraded from the Navigator’s 6-volt electrical system to 12 volts. Of course, the supplier was Lucas Electrics so starting was hit and miss at best. Fuel consumption was also and and the bike vibrated badly, so it didn’t do well in the marketplace and lasted just 2 years. Like the Jubilee and Navigator, production ended in 1965.
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