New Norton facilities in Solihull

You’re letting us down here Clive.

Kinda thought you’d have got a job there by now and would be ‘our man on the inside‘ !
 
Hello all,

I'm new to the forum (and Norton) but already like the forum's engineering content.

My story goes ...

I saw a Norton Commando 750 in a dealer's window while visiting Oxford (UK) back in the summer of 1969. That's the year of the Apollo 11 moon landing, for younger members... so it's a while back.

Promised myself that 'one day' I'll have one of those....

... well, it's been a (long!) while since then.

My Triumph's, BSA's, Honda's and Yamaha's have all come and gone.

But so too have my family responsibilities. Our three sons all have their own families and my wife, Janis, has found zen in our grandchildren to the art of gardening and her new house ...

Early in December gone, I caught sight of an article about Norton restarting.

Amazed, I read on. As much because I wasn't even aware that Norton was still a going concern. As I read, I learned about the dreadful demise of the brand, the horrific problems Norton stall and Owners have had ...

... so, without hesitation, I decided I wanted to support Norton's revival under TVS and got in touch with Ray Baldy in sales.

As an engineer and entrepreneur, I readily appreciate the mountain of work needed to startup a new business and a factory at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic!

To my delight, I've found Ray, Kate and the new Norton Motorcycles team to be amazingly helpful, so I'm now very much looking forward to be coming a Norton owner and being able to ride 'my Norton'. Albeit 52 years later than I promised myself the ride. ;-)

Bottom line, I hope we can all forget the dark period of Norton's past ... and get behind it's future.

Michael
 
wildcat said:
Hello all,

I'm new to the forum (and Norton) but already like the forum's engineering content.

My story goes ...

I saw a Norton Commando 750 in a dealer's window while visiting Oxford (UK) back in the summer of 1969. That's the year of the Apollo 11 moon landing, for younger members... so it's a while back.

Promised myself that 'one day' I'll have one of those....

... well, it's been a (long!) while since then.

My Triumph's, BSA's, Honda's and Yamaha's have all come and gone.

But so too have my family responsibilities. Our three sons all have their own families and my wife, Janis, has found zen in our grandchildren to the art of gardening and her new house ...

Early in December gone, I caught sight of an article about Norton restarting.

Amazed, I read on. As much because I wasn't even aware that Norton was still a going concern. As I read, I learned about the dreadful demise of the brand, the horrific problems Norton stall and Owners have had ...

... so, without hesitation, I decided I wanted to support Norton's revival under TVS and got in touch with Ray Baldy in sales.

As an engineer and entrepreneur, I readily appreciate the mountain of work needed to startup a new business and a factory at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic!

To my delight, I've found Ray, Kate and the new Norton Motorcycles team to be amazingly helpful, so I'm now very much looking forward to be coming a Norton owner and being able to ride 'my Norton'. Albeit 52 years later than I promised myself the ride. ;-)

Bottom line, I hope we can all forget the dark period of Norton's past ... and get behind it's future.

Michael
Click to expand...
Michael I’m afraid that post simply won’t do. You haven’t told us what you’ve ordered, specs, ETA, blah, blah. Come on... more info please...!
 
Fast Eddie said:
Michael I’m afraid that post simply won’t do. You haven’t told us what you’ve ordered, specs, ETA, blah, blah. Come on... more info please...!
Click to expand...
Eddie:

To be quite honest, it was a rare 'emotional moment' for me ...

As a skydiver, skiier, scuba diver ... I usually analyse every option before making a decision ... but this time my decision was 'instant'.

After a quick draw of breath my deposit was on the table in seconds ... at that instant I can 'honestly' say the bike model, it's specification unseen & delivery date unknown... I was buying a Norton... that's all I needed to know.

All hush hush, none of my family know.

To be honest, I've no idea if my wife is Janis, will divorce me ... or want to go pillion again.

Promise to post a photo when it get delivered.

Michael
 
Even that's possible.

She took a liking to a little Yamaha 2 stroke I owned when we were a flirting couple in Zambia.

We were on a journey heading out of town one day when it broke down ... miles from anywhere....

but ... guess who was in the first car that came towards us?

... my future father in law!!!

Talk about having some explaining to do!!!

M
 
Sounds like you have ordered one of the new classic 961's wildcat. Looking forward to the Solihull plant opening up and hope they will carry on with the friday tours. Better still, if they have a showroom, could be a place to meet up, assuming they allow a bacon butty van to park up. Things are looking up. My is awaiting an MOT and tax at the moment, that'll probably be March time before I sort it. Meanwhile 510hp is keeping me entertained in the alfa
 
wildcat said:
Eddie:

To be quite honest, it was a rare 'emotional moment' for me ...

As a skydiver, skiier, scuba diver ... I usually analyse every option before making a decision ... but this time my decision was 'instant'.

After a quick draw of breath my deposit was on the table in seconds ... at that instant I can 'honestly' say the bike model, it's specification unseen & delivery date unknown... I was buying a Norton... that's all I needed to know.

All hush hush, none of my family know.

To be honest, I've no idea if my wife is Janis, will divorce me ... or want to go pillion again.

Promise to post a photo when it get delivered.

Michael
Click to expand...

I doubt your better half monitors this forum so I think you’re safe with us. Anyway, your post made me think of this:

80B1F521-856A-4AF2-B164-C8EF4C96135B.jpeg
 
Last edited:
TonyA said:
Hey Guy's this may be the best Norton 961 yet they are making ! Lets hope .
Click to expand...
Yes, it's a 961 'Classic' Tony.
One of of those in the final production run, is my understanding.

I'm betting the new Norton TVS team will use the run to prove to everyone just how well they can make a Norton bike.
 
Michael, I think we’re all pleased to have a future owner of one of the final 961s on the site. It will be very interesting to see how successful TVS are at ironing out the known issues.

By the way, you have a PM...
 
Last edited:

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