Designer Pierre Terblanche moves to Norton

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Designer Pierre Terblanche moves to Norton
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Designer Pierre Terblanche moves to Norton

Designer Pierre Terblanche moves to Norton
Interview with a motorcycle designer

After designing the Seat Ibiza, the South African designer Pierre Terblanche switched to 916 creator Massimo Tamburini at the Cagiva Research Center in 1989. He later created the Ducati 999 and left the company after designing the Hypermotard. Now he works for Norton. MOTORRAD spoke to the Terblanche about his move.

01/19/2011

? Pierre, how did you get to Norton?
! Norton is one of the big names in motorcycle manufacturing, and many of the bikes I admire most are Nortons. My favorite motorcycle is the John Player Norton monocoque. When I heard about the comeback of the brand under Stuart Garner, I called him and asked if he would be interested in working with him. Before that, I had worked for Italian manufacturers for many years and what always frustrated me most was the fact that decisions take so long. I wanted to work again like at Massimo Tamburini, when everything happened in a direct way, wanted to do things again that inspire me without a whole committee deciding about it afterwards. It’s like being pecked to death by a flock of geese. I didn’t see any geese at Norton. There is one man here who writes the paychecks and makes the decisions, which is a huge advantage.

? You are a big fan of rotary engines. To what extent was the 700 cc Wankel project a reason to come to Norton?
! That’s right, I’m a Wankel fan. My college roommate had a Mazda RX-2 that he also raced in. A great car. I have also experienced the Wankel Nortons and have always loved their fragrance, their simplicity, their light weight, the whole appearance.

? What was your first impression when you first came to Norton?
! Stuart Garner looked bright and bright, with a strong drive. He knows where he is going and I think he can make decisions quickly, which is not often the case in today’s companies. You have to go through so many meetings before something is decided. We hit it off from the start, there was so much we wanted to talk about.

? What do you have to do at Norton, what is your job description?
! I will design some motorcycles. It’s that simple. Job descriptions and titles are just a distraction.

? Will these also be different machines than the modern classics that Norton is currently building?
! We have to develop and improve the neoclassical motorcycles we are building right now. And then it depends on what vision Stuart has for the brand. A number of new models are being developed that will have Norton DNA presented the way I see them. Before doing this, however, we have to decide on a type of engine that carries the brand identity.

? Will it be a V4 that Stuart Garner told me about in an earlier interview, or an in-line twin?
! It will be a modern engine that will meet all of the performance, emissions and other goals we set.

? From a designer’s perspective: Do you have a preference for a particular type of engine??
! A modern two-cylinder would be perfect; it would also fit in with Norton’s tradition and current developments. Many people realize that it is not the smartest thing to have 195 hp, which is throttled to 50 hp in the curve via electronics. I believe that 98 percent of people with less performance are faster and more satisfied in a coherent overall concept.

? In the past you have always worked with pre-existing engines. How does it feel to have a blank sheet of paper and to be able to influence the technology of the engine?
! A wonderful opportunity, without it I would not have come. We need to think hard about engine design in a modern context. The legislation has changed motorcycles so much that it is no longer possible to do the same thing as 40 years ago. They have grown very large and still only carry small supplies of gasoline. That shows how difficult it is to pack everything you need into it.

? What are the ingredients of Norton’s DNA??
! Nortons had the same characteristics as the other motorcycles of the time, only they were better executed. Enough power, wonderful handling, low weight, simple construction. And the mechanical parts were just beautiful. They were not designed on the computer, but modeled by hand. It will be about building perfect street bikes that don’t have to win the British Superbike Championship out of the box. Driving such motorcycles on the road makes no sense. However, I can already imagine a Norton Wankel that is built up as a motorcycle for the racetrack from the start.

? And what about the Norton Commando 850? Could you imagine those with a modern engine?
! More like the Norton Manx. It was one of the most beautiful motorcycles of all time. It only had its large engine as an eye-catcher. Whatever else it took to get it working was just plugged in. And it had the best chassis. I would like to do something like that again with a two-cylinder.

The interview was conducted by MOTORRAD employee Alan Cathcart.

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