Factory visit April 1st 2022

BritTwit said:
True, but they are literally everywhere, can't hardly swing a dead cat without hitting a Duck these days.
I love Ducks, but today they have become like Jap bikes, ubiquitous.
When was the last time a Norton motored past your house, of course without you on it?
Seeing the rare Norton is like a breathe of fresh air, a treat for the eyes, something really special.
That's all I want, Oh yeah, I want it to start, idle, run and be reliable like all modern motorcycles.
This may be my search for the Holy Grail, dunno.
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I literally almost never see a Ducati in my neck of the woods. And by literally I mean never. Unless if I went to the Detroit area. Now, Japanese and Harley’s, I see them everywhere.

And not counting my Nortons, I see 2 commandos once in a while. A 750 and a 850. But no other 961 except mine.
 
BritTwit said:
True, but they are literally everywhere, can't hardly swing a dead cat without hitting a Duck these days.
I love Ducks, but today they have become like Jap bikes, ubiquitous.
When was the last time a Norton motored past your house, of course without you on it?
Seeing the rare Norton is like a breathe of fresh air, a treat for the eyes, something really special.
That's all I want, Oh yeah, I want it to start, idle, run and be reliable like all modern motorcycles.
This may be my search for the Holy Grail, dunno.
Click to expand...
I bet you’d ride a Ducati model of your choice across the USA before your 961.

Don’t get me wrong I love my 961 and I’ll never sell them. I love the looks, performance and I love the simplicity and also the looks I get while riding them.

I also take pride in not seeing them on the road, meaning, the rarity.

But for someone to say they are dependable or trouble free is humorous.
 
Clive said:
Ok I have to say that despite it being April the First this is not an April Fools Day joke, unlike the assembly process of Old New Norton. Thank you New New Norton for the hospitality and factory visit I have just returned from; last time it was to see the new facilities waiting to be used but now there are real people making real parts and it is £$** impressive. I mean REALLY £$** impressive. The investment in equipment has been massive and most of it seems to be test and measuring equipment. Like probe scanners which can scan a complete frame and a whole clean room full of brand new test kit. A big new dyno. An environmentally sealed engine build area. Vacuum fluid fill station it just goes on and on. There are V4 parts everywhere. A test station where piles of con-rods have been passed and failed. Racks with beautiful polished frames and swingarms. Engines in stages of assembly. The procedures for sample testing that would make you cry - if I remember correctly one in ten beautiful frames are taken for destructive weld testing. QR codes etched onto components for traceability which is recorded down to bolt torque readings. The assembly jigs are also sent through test procedures to validate them against reference frames. A sample finished bike is taken and completely retested with remedial processes in place to ensure that there should be no faults on a bike delivered to a customer. And these V4s are absolutely stunning - like the 961 it is a bike to stand and look at to admire the detail. My Ducati piggy bank has had been replaced with a Norton one! Currently orders and 'expressions on interest' are being taken.

To answer questions in another thread a lot of time has been taken to test ALL components inherited from Old New Norton. And there is a big container of parts ready to be scrapped. And no: there is no way round the legal liabilities so they will be scrapped. An Atlas was sitting in the Norty corner 'as an example of how not to do it' which is destined for a very sad fate. No future plans for the Atlas/Nomad/ superlight.

They have not yet shipped out the build of 961s yet - they are still testing and validating 961 components, remedying faults and buying in new parts. They basically brought in a few owners and compiled a list of known faults. These faults were allocated individually to engineers to fix; eg there is a new output sprocket tab washer which will not fall apart. They also extensively road and track tested the 961 to establish its weaknesses. Their recent emails to customers about not supporting the 961 with spares and servicing is because they found so many variances in parts that they could not guarantee a new validated part would fit a customer's bike. And as soon as they touch a bike they are legally liable. So yes they are buying parts in and working with suppliers and there will be spares on the shelves (5 spares ordered for every 50 bikes built) but they are not validated to fit anything other than their 'new' 961s. So why all this effort for a model which is popular with lots more potential customers especially in a 'fixed' state but about to end? Draw your own conclusions.... Nothing 100% definite but if you really want a new 961 you might want to cancel the taxi to the Triumph dealership.

This is a flagship company for TVS which leverages TVS's buying power so anything produced will swarmed over by inspection rather than bean-counters, which is good for their customers. The current factory is not a temporary 5 year unit but a long term motorcycle industry for Solihull. Yeahhh!

Lots more bits which I will remember over the next few days - Did I mention EVs? Not exactly a headline that a progressive Bike company is looking at EV development. Nothing to see yet though.

Hope this might be useful and interesting and encouraging to Norton brand-loyal customers to learn that the future for Norton looks pretty good. Sorry no pics at moment 'cos lots of secret development work going on. And if this filters through; thanks to Chris and Jason for their valuable time - they are very representative of the great people I have met so far there.
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Many thanks for the encouraging write up Clive. Even if they don't offer the 961 in future I wish them all the best. To make this sort of investment in Britain is noteworthy in itself and should be applauded and supported in my opinion. From yours and all the other visitor feedback I am absolutely sure that whatever they do offer will be a quality, reliable product.

Can I ask if factory tours are open to the public now?

Cheers,

cliffa.
 
Jokin‘ aside, and I was earlier of course - my gran‘s keeping her Ducati;)! I’ve owned Ducati’s including a beautiful 998 when the model first came out. Loved it. Would still own it, if some bastard hadn’t stolen it from my garage in Germany. I know they are awesome, reliable machines (less some electronics) but for me, I no longer see them as individual exotica as I used to - as they are now so ubiquitous. That’s not a criticism just a fact and obviously because they are such great machines.

Our taste in bikes changes as we age I guess - mine certainly has. One thing is for sure though, I’d quickly lift my head out of my fat boy fry-up if a Norton came thundering past my local biker cafe!!

I think as a 961 owner though, you have been very lucky indeed if you can call your bike reliable.
 
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cliffa said:
Can I ask if factory tours are open to the public now?

Cheers,

cliffa.
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Sorry not at moment they are still installing equipment and have some test bikes in various states hence no pics but I will ask if they have an idea when. Of course Solihull has its excellent Motorcycle Museum which is worth a visit!
 
Clive said:
Sorry not at moment they are still installing equipment and have some test bikes in various states hence no pics but I will ask if they have an idea when. Of course Solihull has its excellent Motorcycle Museum which is worth a visit!
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I try to get to the NMM at every opportunity, but it would be nice to be able to combine the two Clive, as I’m not back in Blighty that often.
 
And the British Motor Museum at Gaydon and the Tr*umph visitor centre and factory tour and Morgan Sportscars factory tour and Coventry Motor Museum. Hey Britain actually used to make some stuff didn’t it?
 
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