Norton Commander (motorcycle)

The Norton Commander was a Norton motorcycle with a Wankel rotary engine, the liquid-cooled successor to the air-cooled Interpol 2, which in turn followed the 1987 Classic as the second Norton rotary road machine. Liquid cooling was adopted for greater power and reliability, and a full enclosure protected the final-drive chain. Some cycle parts, including the wheels, forks, switchgear, clocks and brakes, were bought-in Yamaha items from the XJ900. Two types were built: the P52 was a single-seat model equipped for police use, and the P53 was a dual-seat civilian tourer. Both had panniers integral with their fibreglass bodywork, and the P53 bodywork was later revised to take detachable Krauser K2 panniers. The Commander was followed by the Spondon-framed F1, which replicated the factory racing machine.