Norton 1200 V4 SV L.E. '588' 2024 — Specifications

Certain machines are born twice. The first in the roar of championships, the second in the collective memory of those who have seen something unique pass by. Norton plays this card with surgical precision for its 125th anniversary, adorning its V4 SV with the colors of a motorcycle that history has mistreated but that enthusiasts have never forgotten.

The 588 was a sportbike powered by a Wankel engine, a remarkable technology championed by Norton in the British championships of the 1990s with real success on the track. The F1 588 was the road version, confidential, unsettling, too far ahead of its time, or simply born at the wrong moment. This chapter of Norton's history deserved a serious tribute. It gets it in the form of this limited edition that faithfully reproduces the competition livery of the NRS, RC and RCW of the time, including forged OZ Racing wheels tinted gold. The visual result is unmistakable: this motorcycle attracts the eye before one even reads the saddle plate engraved "125th anniversary".

Beneath the bodywork, however, a resolutely contemporary machine beats. The 72-degree V4 of 1200 cc produces 185 horsepower at 12,500 rpm and 124.5 Nm at 9,000 rpm, all housed in a trellis frame made of aluminum tubes that keeps the dry weight at 193 kg, or 206 kg fully fueled. For a sportbike of this size, this is a respectable figure, and it contributes directly to the 300 km/h announced as the maximum speed. The compression ratio of 13.6:1, the four valves per cylinder and the bore of 82 mm for a stroke of 56.8 mm draw a portrait of an engine designed to rev high and fast, not for Sunday strolls. Öhlins are naturally part of the equation: NIX30 inverted fork at the front, TTXGP mono at the rear, with Brembo calipers for braking. These are the same technical references as on the standard V4 SV, which is nothing surprising since this limited edition does not reinvent the motorcycle, it enhances its presentation.

Talking about the target audience here is almost a theoretical exercise. At around €60,000, this Norton is aimed at a collector or a wealthy enthusiast who knows the history of the brand and wants to own a tangible fragment of it. It is not a machine for beginners, the 185 horsepower and the pure sportbike temperament confirm it, but it is not a motorcycle that is bought to be taken out in all weathers. The Tourist Trophy, Norton's historic glory ground, remains its natural horizon in the imagination, even if the six-speed gearbox and chain transmission recall that it can be ridden for real.

The 125th anniversary collection will not exceed 125 units in total. The distribution between the different models of the series does not depend on a factory decision but on actual orders. This voluntary vagueness adds an extra layer of rarity, and it must be recognized that the commercial mechanics are well oiled. Norton revives a page of little-known glory, wraps it in a technically accomplished motorcycle, limits production to the bare minimum and sets a price that guarantees exclusivity. For those looking for a sportbike to use daily, there are other addresses. For those who want a piece of British motorcycle history, there are not many others.