The collapse of Norton Motorcycles

I hope someone buys Norton .
Surely someone will see the potential that's been squandered. Took mine out yesterday, cold, sunny but dry day, coastal twisties out and over the moors back, rides like a dream. Here's hoping someone rescues the brand for the next generation of bikers.
 
I fear Norton’s gonna become a badge on Chinese bikes, new competition for AJS...

I hope not, but given the state of manufacturing in the world, seems the most likely.

Which sounds best:

NORTON by zongshen
NORTON by mahindra
NORTON by MacDonald's
NORTON by Pampers.
.......
 
It might be a good deal for Andover!...^^ And why not?...

I doubt that they have the capital for a new startup of Norton.
Plus, sure that they wouldn't want the headaches associated to the manufacturing side of the business.
 
It might be a good deal for Andover!...^^ And why not?...
Joe used to own the TM for EU & Canada, but decided to go down the parts route.
Realistically, it needs to go to someone with over 100 million in the bank, and an existing production line.
Making motorcycles is not that viable these days. Even the big 4 are struggling to make any real profit from it these days.
Owning a TM is not that easy, use it or lose it, and if it is not making money chances are that it is costing money protecting it.
 
In depth ?

Whitewash more like, no mention of the ripped off pensioners, customers, suppliers until the end.

Complete miss on the Fraudulent rip off of Spondon and the use of a mortgage on their assets to fund it from the start using the other director's forged signature to get the mortgage.
 
Alan Cathcart is a lovely bloke, and IMHO does a great road or track test review, especially of classic race bikes.

But when it comes to this, he’s a tad guilty of, shall we say, skirting the salient issues...
 
Admittedly, he doesn't point any fingers, but I liked him putting the background and history bits together in a sort of chronology. I'd enjoy something like it, but with more details on the history of Kenny Dreer and Norton America, but you only get so much space in a weekly publication like Cycle World. Maybe someone will put a book together on the details sometime in the future.

As far as placing the blame for the collapse, we've already got plenty of links here to much more critical articles, with a lot more discussion of the financial finagles, for those who are interested.

And as Nigel said, Alan is quite a nice bloke in person. I've met him several times at race meets over the years, and even raced with him one or two times, and he's always seemed like a pleasant sort.

Ken
 
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