

Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia, is not where you’d expect to find a 1960s-style cafe racer. But this Sportster-powered machine would look right at home in the parking lot of London’s Ace Cafe.

It belongs to enthusiast Faizal Yusop, who’s crammed a modified 1969 Ironhead motor into a Norton Featherbed Wideline frame. Which makes it both a ‘Sporton’ and a ‘Norley’, I guess.



The specifications are truly impressive. The Sportster engine has been bored oversize, and treated to big valves, uprated conrods and high-compression pistons. It’s also running an Andrews street/drag cam—a ‘Y’ grind with .425 of lift. The engine is now fed by a classic Weber 40 DCOE racing carb and breathes out via a Dunstall two-into-one exhaust system. Spark is courtesy of a Joe Hunt Magneto with a manual retard/advance lever.



“It wasn’t a case of just ‘bolt it together and go’,” says Faizal. “We’ve shifted the whole Sportster motor and drive train about 19mm towards the centerline, to make it a well-balanced bike. We made a motor mount from 1½ inch steel plates, which took quite a bit of machining for the right geometric balance.”



Other top-shelf components include 18-inch alloy Borrani rims, a handcrafted alloy Norton Manx five-gallon fuel tank (and central oil tank), 4-leading shoe brakes and Tommaselli hand controls. As befits a true cafe racer, weight has been kept to a minimum—a mere 180 kg (just under 400 lbs).



I’m not sure what the roads are like around Kuala Lumpur, but I hope they’re good. This machine must be an absolute blast to ride.

Images by Sollehim Abdulrahim.

Specification

Make: Norton/Harley-Davidson (the Sporton)

Model: Cafe racer / grand prix roadracer

Year: 1957

Engine and drivetrain

1969 Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster rebored 900cc XLCH motor, .30 thou oversize bore

CCI conrods

Oversize inlet and outlet valves

Silicone bronze valve guides

Oversize AMF Harley-Davidson high compression pistons

Andrews ‘Y’ cam (57-70) with .425 lift

Joe Hunt magneto ignition system

Spitfire silicon HT cables

Weber 40 DCOE race carburetor with custom jets, tubes and linkages

Custom intake manifold and aluminum rampipes

Ramair air sock filters

Lockhart 9-row oil cooler

Facet 4psi electric fuel pump

Braided fuel and oil hoses all around

Barnett kevlar 9-plate clutch with heavy duty springs

Stock Harley-Davidson 4-speed transmission with Andrews close ratio gears

Electric start and kick start

Chassis, brakes and suspension

1957 Norton featherbed wideline frame

Ohlins steering damper

Four-leading brake shoes, 4LS front hub (Suzuki GT750 model J)

Suzuki twin pull brake lever system

Suzuki GS550 rear hub

Borrani rims and Dunlop TT100 tires

Shortened Roadholder forks

Marzocchi AG Strada shocks

Tommaselli hand controls and clipons

Paul Dunstall aluminum alloy rear sets

Body

Norton Manx aluminum alloy petrol tank, oil tank and seat pan

Norton Manx steel rear fender

Triumph headlamp, Tommaselli head brackets and custom rear brake lights

Paul Dunstall Decibel Silencer exhaust system with custom exhaust manifold

Thanks to fellow members of the Mug Town Rockers, Ohio USA. A big pat at the back also to Pak Lah, Awe and Ramli Norton and also the original members of the Brit Iron Brothers Kuala Lumpur.