Prewar trial specification.

My WD big 4 outfits use rubber mounted handlebars.

Hi Svein

all nortons 1935 to 1939 had rubber mounted handlebars except for the WD 16h

Regards Roger

The brochure illustrations appear to show fairly low handlebars on the trials models and the 1936 brochure in fact specifically mentions that they were rubber-mounted.

The spare parts lists only include the rubber-mounted bars for 1937 onwards civilian models (I don't think that there was a 1936 Spare Pats List).

The factory records, in dealing with the first WD16Hs state :- 'Non rubber special trials type handlebars with alum adj. clips'

There are two types of handlebar bend listed for civilian models - 'TT' and 'Semi-TT' - I have no idea if this was 'Tourist Trophy' or 'Trials Type' as the pre-1936 TT handlebar was part number 3214 and this continued in use for the WD 16H.

It is probably not impossible that a buyer could have specified adjustable non rubber mounted handlebars but it wouldn't have been catalogue specification.