50 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK|MARCH 2018
PATON S1-R
LIGHTWEIGHT
Power
95bhp @ 8500rpm
Weight150kg (wet)
Price£25,300a perfect morning, it looks delectable, with curvy lines,
high-end running gear, and a pair of Bathams stickers.
ThebikeisinexactlythesamestateasitwaswhenMichael
finished the TT – complete with snotted Metzeler Racetec RR
K1 tyres, scraped bellypan and dried-out carcasses of
countlessManxflies.Thereisevenabulletholeinthescreen,
thanks to a flying stone when Michael was drafting Martin
Jessopp’s Kawasaki on the final lap.
ButwhileanER-6hastobeheavilymodifiedtocompeteat
theTT,mechanicallythePatonracerismoreorlessidentical
totheroadmachine,saveforatallerandstiffersuspension
set-up and a motor tuned to 95bhp that barks though an
ear-splitting 125dB race exhaust.
Andwhenyoustartitup,thatexhaustisthefirstthingyou
notice – machine-gunning vibes and violence. Fabricated
fromtitaniumbyPaton’snewowners,SCProject,ithaslittle
silencingtospeakofanditsbarkisreminiscentofaclassic
racer. It fits perfectly with the bike’s image.
AllthisracketmakesgettingonthePatonmorethanalittle
intimidating, but when you do, everything is welcoming. Your
backsidenestlesonasurprisinglysoftandgrippyfoamseat,
thebarsarecloseandnottoolow.Anditfeelssolight–at
around150kgwet,it’sagoodbitlighterthananER-6racer.
Allthecontrolsarelight,too–aflickofthequick-action
Domino throttle is enough to send the revs searing across the
ER-6dash.Pullinthelightclutch,upintofirstgear,revand
sliptogetaway...Stillrunningultra-longTTratios,it’sgeared
formorethan160mphonSulbyStraight.
Tunedin-house,thePatonstillrunsthemotoritfinished
theTTwithandtheteamarealittlecageyaboutitsspec.But
itsunlikeanyotherER-6engineI’veeverridden.Likeevery
otherSupertwin-specERmotor,you’relookingathotcams,
lots of headwork, high-comp Pistal pistons, stronger rods and
ahugeamountofdetailworktobumppowerupfrom72bhp.
It’salittleflatbelow7000rpm,butasthetachoclimbsit
gathers momentum, before heading towards the redline withFOUNDED IN 1957 when Italian firm Mondial
pulled out of racing, Paton was created by
Giuseppe Pattoni and Lino Tonti. Using the proven
Mondial technology, they were competitive right
from the start – Mike Hailwood finished seventh on
a 125 Paton on his debut in the 1958 Ultra
Lightweight. Paton’s golden era was the sixties.
A new parallel-twin 250 was developed in ’62 and
then expanded first to 350 and then 500cc. In ’68,
Angelo Bergamonti used it to win the Italian 500cc
world championship and scored podiums in GPs.
In eight-valve form it was competitive in Italian
racingrightuptothemid-1970s.
As four-strokes were phased out, the team
startedtodeveloptheirowntwo-strokemachines.
AndPaton’sdesignswereaheadofthetime–their
machine had the first single-crank V-configuration
engine and this concept was developed over the
next 15 years. Although the team struggled to
competeontheworldstage,theywerethirdinthe
European 500cc championship in 1988 and were
regular500GPpointsscorers.Suchwasthe
respect that Paton gained that when they
developed a new 70-degree motor, HRC’s design
bossgavethemabankofultra-rareNSR500
FactoryKeihin36mmcarbstofitthenarrowangle.
Pattonidiedin1999,buthissonRoberto
carriedonwiththefirm.Theyenteredtheirlast
500GPracein2001,butthatwasn’ttheend.Paton
reproducedandsoldtheirBIC5001968GPbike
for£80,000,enteredtheir500attheTTin2007
(below)andbranchedintoroadbikesin2014.
Pattoniisstillwiththefirm,nowownedbyexhaust
manufacturer SC Project, and plans more models
for road and track.WHO ARE PATON?
Left to right: Bergamonti, Pattoni, Nelson and
Marchesani, with the Paton BIC 500 in 1968MAIN: Composure, corner speed, commitment...
not words you’d normally associate with Wildee
INSET: Screen took a stone at the TT