1929 Norton 490 CS 1

1929 Norton 490 CS 1 sits in the middle of Norton's late-1920s sporting range, a serious overhead-valve machine built for riders who wanted genuine performance rather than a commuter single. This was a bike meant to be worked, not babied: the OHV configuration rewarded confident, sustained throttle use and gave Norton's engineering reputation something real to stand on in competition circles. A top speed near 80 mph was legitimately quick for the era, and riders who bought one expected to use that performance on open roads or at the occasional track day, not just admire it on paper. It handled with the directness typical of pre-war British singles, demanding real rider input through corners and under braking. The 1929 model carried over without significant mechanical changes from the prior year, so buyers comparing it to a 1928 example should focus on mileage, service history, and condition rather than spec differences. Today the people chasing a 1929 Norton 490 CS 1 tend to be experienced vintage collectors or riders already deep into pre-war British motorcycling, often stepping up from smaller side-valve machines. Given the high collector interest around this era of Norton, condition and documented provenance matter enormously to value.