Picking up my 961 tomorrow-It’s back and I’m Smiling

I know what you mean about the smile whilst riding it, especially when you get the pipes, decat and can get above the first stage of run in and take it to 4500 revs, the burbling and popping is addictive. But if you ride with an open face, the smile or open mouth soon stops when you hit the bugs/midgeys at 80mph unless you move to a full face lid or full visor. The other week, I hot something big, and the green sludge is still on my flyscreen and I felt it splatter all over my chin.
 
Issue due to relays, not sure whether they were replaced or reconnected. I’ll get a firm answer tomorrow, so happy just to get it back, I know that he wanted to be sure before returning it and not have the fault reoccurring. Didn’t think to get a definitive answer but will do so.
Hi Gary
Do you know now what it was exactly?
 
I know what you mean about the smile whilst riding it, especially when you get the pipes, decat and can get above the first stage of run in and take it to 4500 revs, the burbling and popping is addictive. But if you ride with an open face, the smile or open mouth soon stops when you hit the bugs/midgeys at 80mph unless you move to a full face lid or full visor. The other week, I hot something big, and the green sludge is still on my flyscreen and I felt it splatter all over my chin.
I’ll move to a full face as the weather changes, just use a neck tube for now.
 
Hi Gary,
Had the same issue with an Anniversary 961 I collected from the factory on 6th July, managed 70 miles before ECU light came on and another 70 before it just died leaving me stranded at the side of the A507 in Baldock. Norton have it back....
From other forums it seems that this issue is commonplace with new 961’s and as others have said, for a new motorcycle, straight out of the factory, this is not acceptable.
 
Hi Gary,
Had the same issue with an Anniversary 961 I collected from the factory on 6th July, managed 70 miles before ECU light came on and another 70 before it just died leaving me stranded at the side of the A507 in Baldock. Norton have it back....
From other forums it seems that this issue is commonplace with new 961’s and as others have said, for a new motorcycle, straight out of the factory, this is not acceptable.
So how things now with the bike & what was the prob? Can’t imagine ur frustration,but stick with it
 
So how things now with the bike & what was the prob? Can’t imagine ur frustration,but stick with it
Hi Blightybrit, the bike is running perfectly, better than I expected, I think I read too much and lowered my expectations. The 961 is just fantastic, wherever I’ve taken it people want to look and ask about it.
Put just over 80 on it, 50 Saturday. I just can’t stop smiling, I was never going to give up on it. The Dealer was on the case, I know he spoke with Norton, they had read the thread.
 
Hi Gary,
Had the same issue with an Anniversary 961 I collected from the factory on 6th July, managed 70 miles before ECU light came on and another 70 before it just died leaving me stranded at the side of the A507 in Baldock. Norton have it back....
From other forums it seems that this issue is commonplace with new 961’s and as others have said, for a new motorcycle, straight out of the factory, this is not acceptable.

Hi, I believe I have read your post on NOC, very unfortunate, your not wrong in the sense that they shouldn’t leave the factory like that, but I don’t believe they do on purpose. They are hand built and sometimes things slip through the system. I was lucky, the Dealer I used was excellent and I can’t fault the attention I received following my incident. I had always wanted a 961 from when I first viewed a picture, I saved and now I have it. I couldn’t get something else.
We each make our choices, mine was to stick with it, the breakdown was something I didn’t expected to happen on day one, but I was willing to put it into the learning curve of owning something very special.
 
Hi Gary,
Took the option to reject the bike for two reasons - firstly I did not want to wait weeks (months) for a resolution - I know you, like me, had already waited months for delivery! Secondly, I wanted to push them to take the initiative and contact me - as they promised many many times between order and delivery/breakdown and collection. I agree, they don’t deliberately leave the factory with faults but if one becomes evident then a reassurance that they are working to resolve it would help. Communication with customers is not good - common theme on here and NOC - would love to have it back with assurance it will work and get me from A to B reliably.
John
 
Having some assurance it will get you from A to B reliably doesn’t sound too much to ask for a brand new, high cost, motorcycle really now does it ?!?

Why aren’t these bugs being found before delivery? Mine was road tested by the factory before delivery. Have they stopped road testing them?

Whatever the reasons, it’s a shame to see this kind of stuff reach public discussion. Again!

I think it was Crosby who said “Good quality is free”.

What he meant was, whatever it costs to get the quality ‘right first time’ will always be less than the total cost of failures when repairs, warranty claims, damage to brand image, lost sales, etc, etc is all properly taken into account.
 
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Hi Gary,
Took the option to reject the bike for two reasons - firstly I did not want to wait weeks (months) for a resolution - I know you, like me, had already waited months for delivery! Secondly, I wanted to push them to take the initiative and contact me - as they promised many many times between order and delivery/breakdown and collection. I agree, they don’t deliberately leave the factory with faults but if one becomes evident then a reassurance that they are working to resolve it would help. Communication with customers is not good - common theme on here and NOC - would love to have it back with assurance it will work and get me from A to B reliably.
John
Hi John, I am in full agreement with you, I suppose I was lucky and the Dealer was excellent. I do feel your pain, I was there last week. Hope and the fact I didn’t want anything else played a part. My wait whilst painful was quite short.
It is a sorry state of affairs that Norton allow bikes out and they fail. I do hope they contact you and put things right, it’s not a lot too ask for, it is a high priced motorcycle and as a customer there are high expectations. Which aren’t unreasonable.

I wish you all the best,

Gary
 
Yesterday I learned on FB that another new 961 owner has decided to move on from the trouble and strife. A few of us have met Chris at Krazy Horse and the NOC Welland mtg, and on both occasions he had tales about his non-running history to share.

For me the crazy thing is it was Chris's white Sport that I saw in the Donington showroom and it was this very bike that made me desire a 961 so much.... and it had to be white. My bike has given me so much pleasure that I wouldn't hesitate in recommending one to others who might be sitting on the fence, and yet pretty much the same bike off the assembly line just a few months earlier and is bad enough for it's owner to want to walk away and not look back!
 
Thanks Gary,
Had a very positive and constructive conversation earlier today with Rob, warranty manager at Norton, with a positive outcome - bike being returned to me later this week. Problem was a poorly fitting spade connector causing the bike to cut out, as many have said - 50p problem.
Looking forward to joining the mad grinning crew!
John
 
Thanks Gary,
Had a very positive and constructive conversation earlier today with Rob, warranty manager at Norton, with a positive outcome - bike being returned to me later this week. Problem was a poorly fitting spade connector causing the bike to cut out, as many have said - 50p problem.
Looking forward to joining the mad grinning crew!
John
V Glad it's resolved....please see my post on this thread dated 12 July.....Steve
 
Having some assurance it will get you from A to B reliably doesn’t sound too much to ask for a brand new, high cost, motorcycle really now does it ?!?

Why aren’t these bugs being found before delivery? Mine was road tested by the factory before delivery. Have they stopped road testing them?

Whatever the reasons, it’s a shame to see this kind of stuff reach public discussion. Again!

I think it was Crosby who said “Good quality is free”.

What he meant was, whatever it costs to get the quality ‘right first time’ will always be less than the total cost of failures when repairs, warranty claims, damage to brand image, lost sales, etc, etc is all properly taken into account.

After following these bikes closely for 8 years and counting, I wonder if the neverending issues are a Country of Origin problem or a Company problem?



Glen
 
Company I would say.
Careful QC/QA for parts, and final assembly road test would eliminate delivery issues, but increase cost per unit.
One could argue though - how much does it cost ($$/reputation) the factory to resolve owner issues.
 
Based on my own limited experience, I tend to agree. I have a Brit built modern Triumph and a Thai built.
No issues with the one assembled by Brits, one small issue with the Thai built bike, but the British engineers screwed up on that one.

So it seems the Brits can assemble motorcycles that rival the Asians for quality.

I think there are some cultural differences that make for less deviation from a predetermined standard in Asian factories vs British or North American factories.

Glen
 
Thanks Gary,
Had a very positive and constructive conversation earlier today with Rob, warranty manager at Norton, with a positive outcome - bike being returned to me later this week. Problem was a poorly fitting spade connector causing the bike to cut out, as many have said - 50p problem.
Looking forward to joining the mad grinning crew!
John

I should (hopefully) be picking my new California up from the factory very soon. I reckon as soon as I get it home I'll be checking every connection I can see, and then take the tank off and check under there. If I want to break down I've got other bikes very capable of it :)
sam
 
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