First test on new V4 ….

Stephen_Spencer · Jun 15, 2022

Don’t think many, including the journos that have ridden this bike, would ever call the V4SV ‘mediocre’. Also doubt whether anyone willing to part with 44k would be particularly concerned with how it handles in the wet on its standard tyres; don’t see many of these blasting around the UK in the dead of winter!

I think that Norton Birmingham has released this piece of exotica, expensive as it is, because it was 90% developed and it displays the capacity to produce high end quality machinery and is therefore indicative to the buyer of what may come next. Look at this beauty boys, get your hands on yer wallet for something more affordable. And by the way it’s a Norton!

I ride every Sunday with a mate on his V4S - strangely he’s had it stickered up to look like the ‘tri-colour’. It may get a few passing glances but I rarely see anyone stopping to have a good look - we often bump into other Ducati V4’s. That’s one of the main reasons I think that the V4SV will sell. People with that much money to spend want exclusivity, not racetrack technical performance when the vast majority will go nowhere near the track. My thoughts only.

Voodooo · Jun 15, 2022

TVS can thank Skinner and Garner.

jan nelder · Jun 16, 2022

the gearbox sprocket protective cover: I didn’t think it quite fitted with overall look when I first saw it several years back, and it still looks just the same.

Welshrugby · Jun 16, 2022

Fast Eddie · Jun 17, 2022

Yet despite all this PR… they’re still not taking orders !

Maybe they’re trying to build up a bit of hype, create pent up demand ?

So… who has registered their interest…?

I wonder if the Superlight is still alive / will make a return…?

Stephen_Spencer · Jun 17, 2022

Fast Eddie said:
Yet despite all this PR… they’re still not taking orders !

Maybe they’re trying to build up a bit of hype, create pent up demand ?

So… who has registered their interest…?

I wonder if the Superlight is still alive / will make a return…?

Love to have one in my garage, as impractical as that would be at my stage in life, but the wife would undoubtably chop my balls off with a rusty spoon if I even mentioned it! I’ve been trying to persuade her that it’s essential that I get a matching black and gold 850 Commando - divorce was mentioned

!

I‘m guessing that the superlight will be amongst the lineup - certainly helps that Hickman wanted to run his (albeit modified) supelight in the TT. It is obviously a very capable machine.

Anticipation is building guys - C’mon you doubters, admit it!!!

Fast Eddie · Jun 17, 2022

Stephen_Spencer said:
Love to have one in my garage, as impractical as that would be at my stage in life, but the wife would undoubtably chop my balls off with a rusty spoon if I even mentioned it! I’ve been trying to persuade her that it’s essential that I get a matching black and gold 850 Commando - divorce was mentioned!

I‘m guessing that the superlight will be amongst the lineup - certainly helps that Hickman wanted to run his (albeit modified) supelight in the TT. It is obviously a very capable machine.

Anticipation is building guys - C’mon you doubters, admit it!!!

Don’t forget this small fact when trying to drum up positivity from ‘doubters’… not only did I buy my 961 new from the factory… I still have a ‘live’ deposit on a Superlight FFS… that’s how positive I used to be

I‘d still be VERY interested in a Superlight, but it will have to be a bloody good bike to persuade me to let one usurp the MV in the shed !

I have zero interest in a V4 though at that price.

Madnorton · Jun 17, 2022

Since their takeover, the competition has got better. I'd like to see them do well but the bar is set so high and I suspect they will struggle to produce better than what is already out there. What ever they produce will have to deserve the Norton name on the tank for one reason or another, putting Norton on the tank of bland bike will not work. The 961, if owners bought that on performance then it would have fallen on its face, but the looks sold it. They are years behind other manufacturers, need to catch up and then over take them, it is going to take some time before we see a bike that other manufacturers see and think we need to make one even better than that.

Maybe they should listen to the potential customers, manufacture and sell them what they want to buy and and not try and sell them what Solihull want to make.

Madnorton · Jun 17, 2022

Fast Eddie said:
Don’t forget this small fact when trying to drum up positivity from ‘doubters’… not only did I buy my 961 new from the factory… I still have a ‘live’ deposit on a Superlight FFS… that’s how positive I used to be

I‘d still be VERY interested in a Superlight, but it will have to be a bloody good bike to persuade me to let one usurp the MV in the shed !

I have zero interest in a V4 though at that price.

Hickman needs some more space for his TT trophy's, maybe he'll sell you his!!

TonyA · Jun 17, 2022

Fast Eddie said:
Don’t forget this small fact when trying to drum up positivity from ‘doubters’… not only did I buy my 961 new from the factory… I still have a ‘live’ deposit on a Superlight FFS… that’s how positive I used to be

I‘d still be VERY interested in a Superlight, but it will have to be a bloody good bike to persuade me to let one usurp the MV in the shed !

I have zero interest in a V4 though at that price.

It seems that an Aprilia is a good alternative . Very similar but much lower cost. I don't see a lot of Aprilia lovers on this forum ? Its all Ducati usually , is there a reason for this ? Aprilia RSV4 Factory 217 HP and has a very similar engine . A Tuono could make one hell of a street bike !

Voodooo · Jun 17, 2022

I asked on Instagram when this would be available to the USA market. The answer is…
As much as I love Norton, if I were to buy a sport bike today, it’ll be a MV or a KTM
I can buy either of them just miles from my home.

TonyA · Jun 17, 2022

Voodooo said:
I asked on Instagram when this would be available to the USA market. The answer is…
As much as I love Norton, if I were to buy a sport bike today, it’ll be a MV or a KTM
I can buy either of them just miles from my home.

A Super Duke would be an awesome torque monster . Have you considered Aprilia ? Also , the (1/4 mile) time slips are coming in for the Sportster 1250S : 10.9 secs can you believe it ? That thing rips it in a straight line.

TonyA · Jun 17, 2022

Voodooo said:
I asked on Instagram when this would be available to the USA market. The answer is…
As much as I love Norton, if I were to buy a sport bike today, it’ll be a MV or a KTM
I can buy either of them just miles from my home.

Why no Aprilia , just wondering ? Is it the looks or bad reports ?

Fast Eddie · Jun 17, 2022

TonyA said:
Why no Aprilia , just wondering ? Is it the looks or bad reports ?

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Aprilia Tony. I looked at the 660 as a track toy, but then looked at Ducati‘s… and the Aprilia suddenly seemed a bit, well, dull.

Then I looked at MVs and the Ducati suddenly seemed a bit, well, dull.

Bit I ended up with a barely used MV (1200 miles) for not much more than the Aprilia. So all ended well !

Stephen_Spencer · Jun 17, 2022

Fast Eddie said:
Don’t forget this small fact when trying to drum up positivity from ‘doubters’… not only did I buy my 961 new from the factory… I still have a ‘live’ deposit on a Superlight FFS… that’s how positive I used to be

I‘d still be VERY interested in a Superlight, but it will have to be a bloody good bike to persuade me to let one usurp the MV in the shed !

I have zero interest in a V4 though at that price.

I’m a bit of an MV fan-boy myself and came very close to buying the F4 many years ago, when some ‘barsteward‘ stole my spanking new 998! Not a bad Superlight consolation, having an MV in the shed!

V4 and the Superlight would both be too exy for my tastes and are hardly my sort of bikes anymore. Does’nt stop me wanting one of each in my garage though!

joinerjohn · Jun 17, 2022

TonyA said:
It seems that an Aprilia is a good alternative . Very similar but much lower cost. I don't see a lot of Aprilia lovers on this forum ? Its all Ducati usually , is there a reason for this ? Aprilia RSV4 Factory 217 HP and has a very similar engine . A Tuono could make one hell of a street bike !

An Aprilia is a thinking man's Ducati , not a bar stool brag,
IMO

Voodooo · Jun 17, 2022

TonyA said:
A Super Duke would be an awesome torque monster . Have you considered Aprilia ? Also , the (1/4 mile) time slips are coming in for the Sportster 1250S : 10.9 secs can you believe it ? That thing rips it in a straight line.

I like the Aprilia Tuonos. But I like the Mv and KTM better.

Have you seen or ridden a sportster s? I sat on one, it’s tiny, I was disappointed in the quality and plastic.

TonyA · Jun 17, 2022

Voodooo said:
I like the Aprilia Tuonos. But I like the Mv and KTM better.

Have you seen or ridden a sportster s? I sat on one, it’s tiny, I was disappointed in the quality and plastic.

I sat on one only. Never ridden it , would like to. Have you seen the Nightster 975 in the flesh ? I have not.

Voodooo · Jun 17, 2022

TonyA said:
I sat on one only. Never ridden it , would like to. Have you seen the Nightster 975 in the flesh ? I have not.

I have not seen the nightster in person yet. You interested in one?

Fast Eddie · Jun 17, 2022

Voodooo said:
I like the Aprilia Tuonos. But I like the Mv and KTM better.

Have you seen or ridden a sportster s? I sat on one, it’s tiny, I was disappointed in the quality and plastic.

I thought that, they are tiny and you really sit on top of the bike, not in it, rather like a Mini Moto! It’s an odd design IMO, it looks Iike a very capable bike but it really is small. Its almost like someone got the scale wrong on the drawing ! I reckon they’ll address this at some point as I would imagine it’s gonna cost them huge sales.

First test on new V4 ….

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