A classy French Norton Wasp racer

I love this Norton Wasp because it has an understated, almost monochromatic beauty. It belongs to a member of the Coyote Racing Team in France, who built it four years ago to run in classic race events. It’s a very classy ‘bitsa’, marrying Norton parts with Italian and Japanese components. The owner wishes to remain anonymous, but he’s happy to run us through the spec-sheet: “The engine comes from a 1972 Norton Commando 750. Mark II Amal carbs are fitted, with high-level pipes from a Commando S.” Norton Wasps are most closely associated with mid-70s sidecar motocross racing—there's a niche...