Crighton’s CR700W Track Weapon Is Unveiled

Admin · November 3, 2021

Crighton Motorcycles has unveiled the CR700W, a track-only machine powered by a rotary engine that’s said to make 220 hp. (Crighton Motorcycles/)

We know we’re living in strange times when the ability to stroll into a dealership and ride out on a 200-hp-plus superbike is no longer a mere pipe dream. And even against that backdrop, the idea of a 690cc machine making 220 hp and weighing just 277 pounds sounds a little far-fetched.

But that’s precisely what the Crighton CR700W is, thanks to a rotary engine that’s unique among modern motorcycles. It’s effectively the ultimate evolution of the Norton 588 racebikes that took Steve Hislop to victory in the 1992 Senior TT at the Isle of Man as well as carrying the likes of Steve Spray, Trevor Nation, and Ian Simpson to British championships between 1989 and 1994. Brian Crighton was the brain behind those Norton racers, which took advantage of capacity rules that simply didn’t cater for rotary engines’ ability to make vast power from a small cubic capacity, and at the age of 73 he’s still a vocal champion for the concept, as well as the man behind the CR700W.

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The 690cc rotary engine has two rotors, just three moving parts and weighs only 53 pounds. Peak power is made at 10,500 rpm. (Crighton Motorcycles/)

The engine is the result of a 12-year collaboration between designer Crighton and manufacturer Rotron Power, which makes a range of rotaries for use in equipment from drones and aircraft to watercraft, and even as range extenders for electric vehicles. With a capacity of 690cc instead of the old Nortons’ 588cc, along with modern material technology including wear-resistant silicon nitride ceramic apex seals, the two-rotor engine has just three moving parts, weighs 53 pounds, and measures little over 13 inches across and 9 inches in diameter. Even with its Nova Transmissions six-speed gearbox attached, the package weighs only 95 pounds.

The engine’s 220 hp peak power arrives at 10,500 rpm, accompanied by a vast 105 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm, giving a power-to-weight ratio that’s on a par with a MotoGP machine.

Buyers can spec their bikes with either Bitubo or Öhlins suspension, and Brembo MotoGP spec calipers are standard. (Crighton Motorcycles/)

The impressive figures continue with the CR700W’s price. In the UK, the bikes—which are track-only machines with no intentions of being used on the road—start at 85,000 pounds. That’s a fraction over $116,000 at today’s rates. Just 25 will be hand-assembled by Crighton himself at Rotron’s base.

Classic Spondon-derived chassis has a single shock rear swingarm made from aluminum alloy. Headstock angle and rear swingarm pivot points are adjustable for individual rider preference. (Crighton Motorcycles/)

The chassis will look familiar to anyone who saw the later generations of Norton’s ‘90s rotary racers, with a similar extruded beam frame and swingarm to the Spondon-made originals. The bodywork, meanwhile, resembles the Norton NRV588—a brief revival of the rotary idea that appeared in 2009 and was originally intended to race at the TT once more after Stuart Garner revived the Norton brand. Elsewhere, the components include Dymag carbon fiber wheels, the choice of Öhlins or Bitubo suspension, and MotoGP-spec Brembo brakes.

The fuel-injected 690cc engine’s prodigious output is said to equal 319 hp per liter, right up there with the latest MotoGP bikes. (Crighton Motorcycles/)

Brian Crighton said: “In so many ways the CR700W is the culmination of my career’s achievements. Developed with my excellent lead engineer, Shamoon Quarashi, it encapsulates the absolute best of my engineering wisdom. And I believe the result is the ultimate track and racing motorcycle.”

Alex Head, CEO of Rotron Power, adds: “The CR700W is a unique motorcycling masterpiece and a true work of art, born out of Brian’s passion and genius when it comes to creating extraordinary engines and racebikes. It is more powerful per cc than any other normally aspirated engine in the world, with a greater power-to-weight ratio than the Aprilia RSV4, or even the supercharged Kawasaki H2R. The performance speaks for itself, yet despite the numbers it is far from a highly stressed racing engine that needs rebuilding after every race weekend, and instead, thanks to its low-revving design, ultralow friction materials, and unique internal geometry, it is resoundingly robust and reliable, and will run a full season before requiring internal inspection. There are few machines as exclusive, with performance and uniqueness to match.”

Dymag carbon fiber wheels are stock. Just 25 bikes will be hand-assembled by Crighton himself at the Rotron HQ. (Crighton Motorcycles/)