Only a few weeks ago, Norton unveiled what it considers to be the long-awaited V4’s little brother, the all-new, race-ready Superlight. The British maker has no shortage of ambition as it aims for a win in the 2019 Isle of Man TT in the lightweight category. The brand’s new poney will be raced by none other than John McGuinness, finally ready for a comeback to the TT.
JUST NORTON STUFF
Earlier in November, Norton showed its all-new Superlight sportsbike that shares a tuned version of the new Atlas, in a V4 superbike package. Capable of pushing 105 horsepower and weighting in at 348 lb, the Superlight highlighted Norton’s ambitions to partake in the famous Isle of Man TT race, in the lightweight segment.
While the V4 took two years to finally become reality and make its way into the hands of waiting owners, the Superlight is just about ready to hit the market—a road-dedicated version of the race bike can be expected in the Norton showrooms with a steep, race-worthy price tag of £19,950 (US$ 25,400).
The addition of the Norton in the 2019 starting lineup will also mark the return of seasoned TT racer John McGuinness. McGuinness hadn’t competed on the Isle of Man since 2017, when a crash during a practice run left him with a broken leg. He was set to join the Norton team for the 2018 season, but suffered a setback that prevented him from competing. He has since won the Classic 500 TT and made a comeback in the superbike series in Macau.
He is now ready for some proper TT racing and he will do so on the new Superlight, putting the mid-range sports model through its paces on the street course. With 23 TT wins under his belt, it would be hard to deny that McGuinness is the ideal candidate to give the new model a run. The 2019 Isle of Man TT is scheduled to open on May 25, 2019.