1938 Norton 490 CS 1

1938 Norton 490 CS 1 sits among the sporting 490cc machines Norton built for riders who wanted genuine performance without stepping up to a full racing specification. This is a proper mid-displacement single meant for fast road work and club competition alike, the kind of bike that rewards a rider who understands how to work a British single through a gearbox rather than relying on sheer grunt. With a top speed near 129 km/h, it had real legs for its day, enough to hold its own against Velocette's KTT and the usual crowd of Rudge, Triumph, and BSA rivals on English back roads. It asks for attentive maintenance and a rider comfortable with period controls, but it gives back a mechanical honesty that modern bikes rarely offer. The 1938 model carried over without significant mechanical changes from the prior year — buyers comparing it to a 1937 example should focus on mileage, service history, and condition rather than spec differences. Collector interest in the 1938 Norton 490 CS 1 runs high, drawing serious prewar British bike collectors and riders stepping up from smaller vintage singles who want something with more presence and pedigree.