There are a few builders we watch like a hawk, because everything they touch turns to gold. One of them is NYC Norton, run by the affable Kenny Cummings. He?s one of the top Brit bike specialists in the States, but he doesn?t build a bike up from scratch every week. When he finishes one, it?s always worth taking a closer look.
This Trackmaster-framed beauty is the latest machine to roll out of his Jersey City workshop, and was commissioned by a Norton enthusiast from California?who also has a very specific interest in the 1970s flat track glory days.

The brief was loose. ?Sometimes we work with folks who want to have their hands on every fastener turn,? says Kenny [above]. ?Other times we get a sketch, an outline, or a text, and away they go.? Whenever Kenny got to a crossroads on this build, he emailed his client: ?He?d answer with an old picture of Dave Aldana jumping his Norton, with the caption, ?Like this.? We were able to have latitude.?

The story of this Trackmaster started five years ago, when it was simply a motor build. The original brief was to build up a 1972 Commando ?Combat? engine?itself a tuned-up version of the familiar 750 twin. During the rebuild, Kenny added a bigger cam and a ported head, and machined it to allow for a magneto.
This sits in the traditional spot behind the cylinders, and it?s an elaborate mod that requires a longer intermediate spindle, turning down the timing cover boss, and modifying the points cavity.

Forged JE pistons and...