James Lansdowne Norton founded Norton Motorcycles in 1898 in Birmingham, England but wouldn’t produce their first motorbike until 1902. The company immediately became synonymous with motorcycle racing and would continue this tradition for decades to come. Norton would survive two world wars and, in the end, produce the legendary “Manx” model in 1946. By 1967, Norton laid claim to the world’s first “Superbike,” the Commando, despite constant financial troubles. Norton’s many different owners have tried to keep the brand afloat for decades, and it now resides in the hands of the TVS Motor Company, which is said to be mounting a revival.