Norton 500cc RAC Patrol Combination

Norton 500cc RAC patrol combination 1936

Key facts

  • Year

    1936

  • Country

    Great Britain

  • Capacity

    490cc

  • Cylinders

    1 cylinder

  • Valves

    side valve

  • Performance

    65mph

  • Price new

    £49 (retail price for motorcycle only)

  • Loaned by

    Private Owner

  • Manufacturer

    Norton Motors Ltd, Birmingham

The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) first introduced Road Guides in 1910. They were renamed Service Patrols in1912 and used bicycles for transport. The services provided to members at the roadside grew and RAC Patrols were equipped with motorcycles from 1922, standardising on Norton sidecar outfits, like this Model 16H, in the 1930s.

Sidecars were used to transport the patrolman’s tools, and a limited set of spares, to help RAC members stranded at the roadside. Vans, carrying more tools and parts, replaced the last RAC motorcycle outfits in 1969. The RAC briefly re-introduced solo motorcycle Patrols in the 1980s, as they could reach members who had broken down in traffic jams.

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Panoramic view of the first floor of the National Motor Museum

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