Purpose-built racing 250s were very thin on the ground in Britain in the post-war years, a situation that led to the creation of a number of home grown ‘specials’ - most notably the REG - and the conversion of several Manx Nortons to quarter-litre specification. Among those choosing the latter option was legendary tuner/entrant Ray Petty, whose association with the Manx Norton and rider Derek Minter brought him five British Championships between 1962 and 1966. An accomplished trials rider, sprinter and road racer, as well as a highly skilled engineer, Ray Petty rode his first 250cc Manx Norton to 8th place in the 1952 Isle of Man Lightweight TT. That first quarter-litre Manx used engine dimensions of 64x77mm bore/stroke for a capacity of 247cc, but unlike many similarly modified machines, its cycle parts - including the Featherbed-style frame - were scaled down also, such attention to detail being a Petty hallmark. For the 1953 TT the bike was fitted with a full fairing, one of the first to be seen on a British racing motorcycle, enabling Petty to better his ’52 finish by one place. Ray Petty retired from riding at the end of the 1954 season, having finished 9th in that year’s Lightweight TT, but persevered with the 250cc Manx engine, building a further five examples, later versions of which used bore/stroke dimensions of 65x75mm for a capacity of 249cc. The 250 Manx offered here uses one of those shorter-stroke motors. The latter was built by Petty in 1960 for John Bacon who finished 12th in that year’s Isle of Man TT Lightweight race, and is housed in the Featherbed frame of a 500 Manx dating from 1954. We are advised that this machine was restored in the late 1970s and kept by Ray Petty inside his house before being sold. It comes with his signed letter stating that the engine ‘is as supplied and used by Mr John Bacon finishing in 12th place in the I O Man Lightweight TT.’ Further documentation includes Ray Petty’s engine specification details; (copy) 1960 Lightweight TT entry list; and documentation relating to its purchase by the current owner in November 1986 from Mr Eric Clewlow, of Natal, RSA, who had bought the machine from Ray Petty.
Purpose-built racing 250s were very thin on the ground in Britain in the post-war years, a situation that led to the creation of a number of home grown ‘specials’ - most notably the REG - and the conversion of several Manx Nortons to quarter-litre specification. Among those choosing the latter option was legendary tuner/entrant Ray Petty, whose association with the Manx Norton and rider Derek Minter brought him five British Championships between 1962 and 1966. An accomplished trials rider, sprinter and road racer, as well as a highly skilled engineer, Ray Petty rode his first 250cc Manx Norton to 8th place in the 1952 Isle of Man Lightweight TT. That first quarter-litre Manx used engine dimensions of 64x77mm bore/stroke for a capacity of 247cc, but unlike many similarly modified machines, its cycle parts - including the Featherbed-style frame - were scaled down also, such attention to detail being a Petty hallmark. For the 1953 TT the bike was fitted with a full fairing, one of the first to be seen on a British racing motorcycle, enabling Petty to better his ’52 finish by one place. Ray Petty retired from riding at the end of the 1954 season, having finished 9th in that year’s Lightweight TT, but persevered with the 250cc Manx engine, building a further five examples, later versions of which used bore/stroke dimensions of 65x75mm for a capacity of 249cc. The 250 Manx offered here uses one of those shorter-stroke motors. The latter was built by Petty in 1960 for John Bacon who finished 12th in that year’s Isle of Man TT Lightweight race, and is housed in the Featherbed frame of a 500 Manx dating from 1954. We are advised that this machine was restored in the late 1970s and kept by Ray Petty inside his house before being sold. It comes with his signed letter stating that the engine ‘is as supplied and used by Mr John Bacon finishing in 12th place in the I O Man Lightweight TT.’ Further documentation includes Ray Petty’s engine specification details; (copy) 1960 Lightweight TT entry list; and documentation relating to its purchase by the current owner in November 1986 from Mr Eric Clewlow, of Natal, RSA, who had bought the machine from Ray Petty.
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