1966 Norton 650SS

1966 Norton 650SS sits near the top of the parallel-twin road bikes Norton was building through the mid-1960s, aimed at riders who wanted genuine performance rather than a commuter machine. This is a bike built for fast A-road work, the kind of riding where a torquey twin and a stiff Featherbed-derived chassis matter more than outright horsepower numbers. It rewards a rider who's comfortable working the gearbox and doesn't mind the mechanical upkeep that comes with a twin-cylinder British bike of this era; in exchange you get a machine that handles with real precision and pulls hard enough to embarrass more modern machinery on a twisty road. The 1966 model carried over without significant mechanical changes from the prior year — buyers comparing it to a 1965 example should focus on mileage, service history, and condition rather than spec differences. Today's buyer is typically an experienced classic bike owner, often someone who's already worked through a smaller British single or twin and wants something with more presence and speed. Collector interest sits at a moderate level, so a well-documented 1966 Norton 650SS with clean history holds appeal both as a rider and a slow-appreciating asset.