This year multiple world champ and museum owner Sammy Miller is bringing his 1953 350cc Norton ‘Kneeler’, also known as the ‘Silver Fish’.
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Pulled out of Sammy’s Norton collection at his museum in Hampshire, this bike is, well, unique!
The ‘Kneeler’ was Norton’s experimental attempt to improve the outdated Manx Norton’s performance, and where better to start than the aerodynamics. Sheet aluminium was hammered into fairings and mounted around a racer that was lying practically flat, the theory being that bike and rider will cut through the air with reduced drag and improve the mph.
The project made its debut at the 1953 North West 200 race, where works rider Ray Amm set a lap record before retiring with fuel pump problems. The ‘Silver Fish’ (as it was nicknamed for obvious reasons) was never seriously raced again, mainly because of issues with stability, as the bike was slender and fast in a straight line but prone to buffeting laterally.
Ray Amm and Eric Oliver used this bike to set numerous speed records at Montlhery, achieving 60 world records. You can find the ‘Kneeler’ on Mortons’ magazine stand M1a in the main hall.
Get your tickets for The International Classic MotorCycle Show by heading to www.staffordclassicbikeshows.com. You can purchase your ticket in advance and save £2.50. That’s only £15.50 for an entire day packed full of bikes, special guests, live firing up, a live display team and the best quality trade from around the country all in one place.
You can also find this amazing motorcycle at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, April 2, 2023 along with James Hillier who will be available to answer any questions the public may have.
Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Bashley Cross Road, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 5SZ.
