1922 Model 18 Norton

Ralph Cawtorne at the start of the 1922 Senior TT. A significant picture as this is one of the very first OHV machines produced by Norton. The machine is fitted with Druid forks and must have been a handful, with the almost complete absence of brakes.

Many levers are fitted to the left hand side of the machine. One of them may operate the manually operated oilpump fitted in the oiltank; you can just make out the Bowden cable, at the left of his knee. And what's that thing fitted to the top frame tube in front of his crotch? It looks like something that may seriously damage the crown jewels in a crash.

Unfortunately Ralph did crash in that race; he fell off a few miles from the finish on the final lap after 223 miles. (From Cohen's Flat Tank book).