Named after the ICBM, the Norton Atlas was released in 1962, earning a so-so reputation before being replaced by the classic Commando. Built to appeal to American aesthetic preferences, it was initially only produced for export. Here’s an example that’s been turned into a cafe racer.
The Atlas produced 55 horsepower, with plenty of torque available low in the rev range. Utilizing Norton’s famous Featherbed frame, the bike weighed about 420 pounds, and post ’66 models were upgraded to a 12 volt electrical system. Want to learn (a lot) more? Check out this wonderful write-up from The Vintagent, an absolutely fantastic site about older bikes.
This specific Norton Atlas Cafe Racer (VIN: 103735) was originally acquired as unfinished project, the seller restored it over a 5 year period. It’s a numbers matching bike with a rebuilt engine with features like Superblend main bearings and Hepolite pistons. Other nice components include Tomaselli clipons and headlight brackets, as well as plenty of alloy parts from Unity Equipe. The seller gets into tremendous details about the extra parts that have been used, and includes a set of photos from the rebuild process here.
Find this Norton Atlas Cafe Racer for sale in Saint Charles, Illinois with bidding up to $8,400 and the reserve not yet met