The greatest motorcycles of all time hold such a sway over us that even their simple silhouette makes them instantly recognisable. Major manufacturers leverage this imagery to form a strong connection with their brand, making it so iconic that it can be transferred onto a t-shirt and sold by the millions. And yet, despite the fact that there is nothing factory, let alone mainstream, about the machine before you, it retains that unique feature of looking like a legend, simply standing still. Built by Cédric Camiade, this Norley is more than a transatlantic amalgamation of two icons of the automotive world. It’s one man’s vision, dreamed up in a jewellery store in Sri Lanka, brought to life by a French artisan, and eliciting a timeless appeal, it is The Onyx.
Cédric has been around motorcycles his entire life, introduced to the wild world of two-wheels by his father, the addiction has never abated. As a young lad in France, he was tinkering with bikes as soon as he was old enough to spin a spanner, and he raced 50cc machines too. Then, for more than seven years, he ran a restoration and customisation business, until eventually he decided he’d simply build bikes for his own personal pleasure. But when motorcycles have you on the hook, you’re done for, so even when visiting the beautiful fort city of Galle, Sri Lanka, he was looking at what machines were for sale back home.
“I was having a custom-made ring made, a silver setting, set with a deep black stone, onyx. During the trip, I continued to look at the motorcycle sales announcements when I came across a Norley! A rare motorcycle, never built in series.” Still in Sri Lanka, Cédric arranged for the sale over the phone and would collect the bike when he returned home. He might have had his inspiration in that ring, but plenty will be asking, what the hell is a Norley? It is but one of many special hybrids based around the Norton Featherbed frame. Others use engines from Triumph to create Tritons, Vincent powerplants to create Norvins and a host of other unique creations; the Norley relying on American muscle from Harley-Davidson.
But even the Featherbed frame is actually no factory creation; it was instead crafted by the McCandless Brothers of Northern Ireland, racers and self-taught engineers who were sick of the crap chassis being offered by every major manufacturer. Instead, they built their own, and it was a sensation. Norton would go on to use it to make production bikes, and the Brothers would build the frames for the factory racers that dominated the world. So, paired up with a modern Evo motor, it should have been a thing of beauty, but the bike Cédric had purchased was a bit crap! So, he had his work cut out, but he didn’t want to build any old track special.
“Usually, the Norton are racing machines. I wanted to change the rules and make it much more classy, elegant, and completely unique. Quickly the idea emerged to associate the motorcycle with the jewel, thus giving the combination of chrome reminiscent of silver and black bodywork for Onyx.” But the first part of the overhaul actually started with the rolling stock, switching out the rims for a set of classic spoked items, with beautifully polished hubs and stainless spokes. Next was to get the front end setup to make the most of the exquisite handling, and looking the part too, the period correct Ceriani forks are all polished up to perfection.
A set of custom mounts then bolt to the lower legs, and allow much more modern Brembo calipers to be fitted, which clamp down on a big set of drilled discs. At the rear, the effort has been made to use a hydraulic caliper and disc setup too, with a small master cylinder added above the footpeg. Those pegs would need changing, but not before the entire rear end of the bike was re-engineered to improve the geometry and have everything set up to suit Cédric’s size. The bulk of this work was achieved by lengthening the back of the frame, while maintaining those beautiful lines, and then fitting a set of custom-length YSS shocks.
The new subframe meant that a custom mount and an all-new rear fender were required to get the looks to match, and both mud guards are the perfect length, functional and yet all class. To add a signature touch, Cédric made his own side covers, finished in black with marine-grade stainless steel cable vents, giving a unique touch. That theme runs across the bike, the inspiration from the Sri Lankan jeweller hitting every element, from the headlight surround and mounts, to the famous lines of the Norton tank and the incredible amount of buffing and polishing that brings every raw metal element to life. The tank strap and Monza filler continue the theme and the elegance of the simple, black leather seat, ensuring nothing interrupts those lines.
And then sitting as if it was meant to be, like every other engine ever added to a Featherbed frame, the HD Evo engine from a late model Sportster. There’s something about the narrower lines of a V-Twin that just works so well, and in a chassis capable of using all of that torque, it makes a whole lot of sense.
The engine itself isn’t overdone, a set of custom covers and a new air filter housing, but it was in the exhaust that Cédric saw a new way to do things. “I didn’t want a classic exhaust line, so I made a side line in stainless steel. The big bore pipes have a beautiful symmetry in the way they find the journey home to the rear, and the handmade mufflers are just exquisite. The Onyx has been a hit on this summer’s European show scene, and very few bikes made from all sorts of bits and pieces end up so simply stunning.
[ Cédric Camiade | Photos by Craig Stuart ]