Norton updates its V4 for Manx R superbike
Reworked engine has been designed to be torquier, smoother and more efficient
n Norton’ s latest ultra-modernlooking, concept-like superbike, the Manx R, takes its engine from the company’ s old V4SV. However, the British motorcycle maker has thoroughly reworked the engine to make it suitable for its cuttingedge flagship bike.
The 72 ° V4 uses the same 82mm bore and 56.8mm stroke as before, with the same 1200cc displacement. But lighter components have been used extensively – the unit weighs just 73.3kg – and the compression ratio has been raised from 13.6 to 14:1. The result is 206hp at 11,500rpm and 130Nm of torque at 9000rpm – that’ s up from the V4SV’ s 185hp and 125Nm.
Norton says the engine hasn’ t been tuned for peak power; instead, it has aimed for optimised torque, real-world riding and, truly importantly on any sports bike, sound. The engine uses eight injectors, ride-by-wire throttle, and a‘ phase pulse’ firing order. Which is better known as a big bang firing
Lighter and more powerful, Norton has transformed its V4 for its latest superbike
order where two cylinders fire in close succession rather than evenly, which spaces out power pulses to maintain rear-tyre traction, a similar theory was used by Norton on its bikes in the Seventies.
The Manx R features the first Norton engine to comply with Euro 5 + emissions regulations, so the bike can be homologated for road use – previous bikes were individually road registered through the UK’ s Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval( MSVA) process.
Summer 2026 The Engine Rebuilder 7