NEW 916 COMMANDO

Richard Barks · May 27, 2009

Just sent a cheque for £1600.00 for the New Commando being built 10 miles up the Road at Castle Donington
Total price £15995.00 ( $25000 US aprox)
My last new one in the 70s cost £660.00 ( $1650 us ).
But i sold it after 6 months as it had a Combat Engine
Let us hope this one fare's a little better ........................

grandpaul · May 27, 2009

I wish I was in the queue with you...

pelican · May 27, 2009

when do you expect delivery?

Richard Barks · May 27, 2009

pelican said:
when do you expect delivery?

they have'nt said, should be before the bad weather comes, how ever in in the uk
that could any time !!!!!!

Richard

JimC · May 27, 2009

Richard,

Congratulations. Not to take any bloom off the rose, but I'm wondering how I would feel about the new Norton. If it's anything like the new Triumph twins, I like them, but not well enough to buy one.

Do keep us posted. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing from an owner.

Richard Barks · May 27, 2009

JimC said:
Richard,

Congratulations. Not to take any bloom off the rose, but I'm wondering how I would feel about the new Norton. If it's anything like the new Triumph twins, I like them, but not well enough to buy one.

Do keep us posted. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing from an owner.

Call me an old cynic ( 30 years and still going, as a pawnbroker does that to you) i am looking at it as a long term investment
when norton goes tits up i should make a profit. ex friend kenny put $10 mill into it before running out of dough.
i bought one of his 880's hence exfriend i also have a new bonnie ( now for sale ) so i know what you mean and a cnw norton
( its a sickness ! )caf'e racer on the way, the illness is terminal ....................

Coco · May 27, 2009

So what was up with the 880 that turned you off?

grandpaul · May 27, 2009

Well, at three times the price of a top-of-the-line new Bonnie, it will never be three times the bike. That, said, you can't just count the beans to get a valid comparison. the new Norton will probably beat the bonnie in an all-around comparison with better results in most categories except price (and dealer support)

What will it stack up against? Very few bikes come to mind.

Ducati Monster? Similar in price, probably performance, and uniqueness. I'd much rather have the Norton, although I'm guessing the Duc would win in a roadrace. Those Monsters are just horrible bikes, ergomically speaking.

Buell? No comparison.

JimC · May 27, 2009

Paul,

What's up with the Monster's? I've been thinking of buying one. Do you own one?

Foxy · May 27, 2009

Paul,
Ive got a Ducati 900 Monster with 46ooo trouble free ks on the clock. Around town you cant beat the comfortable riding position as youre not folded up like a Swiss pocket knife,( like its race brothers). It has a real mechanical petina where the cast twin disc rattles, clutch rattles and of course that Duc note that would give an old man a horn.Its only 2 valve technology developing 80 hp but that V twin grunt is still there. You gotta love em!

Regards FOXY

debby · May 27, 2009

I wouldn't call the Monster ergos horrible. Compared to my GT1000, the Monster has a longer reach to the bars and less legroom. If you have shorter legs and longer arms it would probably be just fine. For me, my GT fits me better.

Seems to me the GT1000 is one of the closest competitors for the Norton. I'm guessing the new Norton will offer similar performance and feel. I'll be very interested to hear the ride reports!

Debby

grandpaul · May 27, 2009

My son's monster 900 with the clip-on bars gets to my back, neck & wrists after 20 minutes. My buddy's Foggy monster is worse.

The response from a serious twist of the (painful) wrist kinda makes you forget, but only for a few minutes.

Jeandr · May 27, 2009

Richard Barks said:
JimC said:

Richard,

Congratulations. Not to take any bloom off the rose, but I'm wondering how I would feel about the new Norton. If it's anything like the new Triumph twins, I like them, but not well enough to buy one.

Do keep us posted. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing from an owner.

Click to expand...

Call me an old cynic ( 30 years and still going, as a pawnbroker does that to you) i am looking at it as a long term investment
when norton goes tits up i should make a profit. ex friend kenny put $10 mill into it before running out of dough.
i bought one of his 880's hence exfriend i also have a new bonnie ( now for sale ) so i know what you mean and a cnw norton
( its a sickness ! )caf'e racer on the way, the illness is terminal ....................

:lol: If I was in CNW's shoes, I would refuse to sell you a bike since you seem bent on betting on bike builders going in bankrupcy...

Jean

chris plant · May 27, 2009

hi jean. i was thinking on the same lines as soon as i saw this post,but he,s not talking cnw, its the new factory at donnington in uk,i think i read a post a while back singing the praises of dreers 880 and being the only one in europe and he was selling it, seems like he,s hoping to cash in on the first one off the line ,if i was in charge and reading that post i would,nt sell him one either

Scooter62 · May 27, 2009

I can think of quite a few bikes available in the US that will blister the new Norton's arse for a lot less than $25,000. I mean get real, anyone that s going to buy the new bike is a collector or investor planning to turn a bob or two on it. Your not going to buy one to scare a squid on a new GSXR 1000.
I would like to see the company succeed but in these economic times it's going to be tough to make it economically viable. I guess the question is; if Kenny couldn't make it fly what makes the new owners think they can? If I had that much money to blow I'd get a CNW bike and ride the p*** out of it.
Come on Mates, lighten up on Uncle Barks, he's in it for the money. I mean thats the free enterprise system and thats what made him wealthy enough to buy one of the new Nortons. I'm sure the new owners are counting on a lot more blokes like him to put up the dosh to calm the investors nerves. Capitalism; you've got to love it.

Scooter

Jeandr · May 28, 2009

I'd buy a Norton over a Harley any day, bound to be more exclusive (the new one) and even the old ones are too. My purchase would be more for the love of a different motorcycle rather than an investment or a bike that can ride rings around anything else.

Jean

rbt11548 · May 28, 2009

These 916's sound really rare, will the 961's be more common?

In all seriousness that is some price to pay for a bike that is untried in public ownership, no matter what the reasons for buying it. I know all the R&D tests will have been done etc. but it is usually when they go into the public domain with everyday usage that certain faults are highlighted. To be honest I was considering one myself but when reading various mag and paper reports believed the price to be a good bit lower. If I could pay that kind of cash I think I would have a look at a CNW machine.
As for the Monster , I have a wee soft spot for the machine, I think it looks good and it is a bit distinctive like a Commando.
As we so often say in this forum "it's your bike", and I wish Richard all the best to ride it.

mcmarvelous · May 28, 2009

£16000.....

I was expecting £10,000 to be in line with a base Harley. £16k is a lot to ask for an unproven bike with not much performance and I am going to Donington to have a look myself in June as i was interested.
i did a quick comparison with the GT1000 against the spec on the norton wesite and the spec sheets read very similar except in the engine dept, similar suspension etc but lower power.

I wish them well, but that's 3 good original Commandos worth and I am not sure about it.

Does it have a 'base' model or is that it?

mcmarvelous · May 28, 2009

I forgot, the Monster, lovely looking bike but the Wedding tackle was in mortal peril when i rode one of the first 900s a few years ago and i have never looked at them since.
i am tall so the riding position on Buels was bad for me as well, bought a Big CB Honda which was superbly built but so bland. Not had an Aprilia yet and they seem popular.
Next new bike will be a big KTM, marvellous!

And carbon wheels, on a roadster. What's the point and how much did they add to the price?

grandpaul · May 28, 2009

The biggest difference in the New Norton and just about everything it will be stacked up against, is that it looks like a classic moorcycle should (more or less).

I really dislike the tail-in-the-air look, and/or the plastic fantastic stuff.

I think there are very few people who will seriously consider the new Norton, that have any delusions of power.

Supposedly, this guy Gardner has deep pockets like Bloor, that's the ticket to making this work. A one-shot deal with a single model is not a successful business plan for any organization involving investors and/or shareholders.

NEW 916 COMMANDO

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