The NEW Norton Motorcycles from England

Well all, what do you really think about it?

What are they, about $18-20,000?

The new Norton company is making a real effort, the tank, timing cover, mufflers are a pretty good attempt to mirror our "real" Commandos.

And they ARE air cooled(mostly) twins with good power, handling, looks, from what I hear.

I really hope this effort to resurrect the great name of Norton is a success. I wished the same for Kenny Dreer's effort and was sorry it ultimately failed.

What, only ONE US distributor so far, in California, and how long does it take from ordering to actual delivery, a very long time.

But, I am excited about the Norton name being once again in the news, and the road tests should be fun to read.

I really hope they make it big financially, make good, reliable bikes. All this can only keep the Norton name alive, and our bike's resale value!

Anyone expect, or would like to see this effort fail?

I really don't care one way or the other. I don't regard it as a 'proper' Norton any more than the BSA rotaries were. The last Nortons that interest me were produced in the mid 1970s. Putting the Norton name on the tank is just a marketing exercise that I don't understand. If it's really that good, they could call it an XYZ Whizbang and it would still sell.

I haven't really followed things but I can't see what they've done in the UK that Kenny Dreer, who knew them better than anyone, had decided couldn't realistically be achieved. The design must've needed more than just tweaking.

Having watched while various senior officers of the Norton Owners Club pressed their noses into the bum cracks of the Le Rouxs followed by the Skalbanias and now this lot, my feeling is really one of 'here we go again'.

As for values, I rather hope that Norton values do fall because I quite fancy a '53 Dominator and a flat tanker before I get too old.

This is the umpteenth thread on this topic, ON THIS FORUM, along the lines of "here we go again".

Someone from the "inside" had stated that they (Garner's group) had to "totally re-design" the engine from Kenny's pre-production prototypes; I believe this to be an exaggeration, but that's just an OPINION. Sure looks identical to me, must be miniscule re-designs; then again, a couple thousandths of an inch can mean a lot...

It's obvious from the press releases such as the link that was posted in the "wheelie" thread, that they've nearly build a bunch of bikes, and some runners are on display here and there. I don't believe we've heard a first-hand account from buyer #1 yet, but it's pretty much old news that an actual bike was delivered to an actual buyer; so those are at least a couple of major steps beyond what Kenny was able to do.

This new Norton Commando is ALMOST every bit as much a modern Norton Commando as the original new Triumph Bonneville was. The new Bonnie being a significantly more modern engine design with DOHC and the new Norton retaining the pushrod form being the major difference. That fact being understood, the new Commando is actually more of a transitional bike "new model" than the new Bonnie was; perhaps in it's next life, the new Commando will sport OHC in some form.

There is no way the price will come down to the entry level on this bike 'till the new factory's start-up cost is recouped to a significant extent; don't count on that happening for a while...

The same ones putting down this new Norton were probably bitching and moaning that Norton did not come up with a new motor in the seventies when the Norton name was last seen on a new bike. I was one of the bitcher in the seventies and I welcome a try at keeping the Norton name alive in years to come. While a multicylinder bike would not fit the Norton tradition, it would be as much an evolution as the twin was to the single in the fifties and a new Norton does not take anything away from a classic Commando.

Jean

Jeandr said:

The same ones putting down this new Norton were probably bitching and moaning that Norton did not come up with a new motor in the seventies when the Norton name was last seen on a new bike. I was one of the bitcher in the seventies and I welcome a try at keeping the Norton name alive in years to come. While a multicylinder bike would not fit the Norton tradition, it would be as much an evolution as the twin was to the single in the fifties and a new Norton does not take anything away from a classic Commando.

Jean

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Britian really needs to get off its arse, and get back to manufacturing , I served my time building 200 Ton power press's that made Morris Cars....Now then..The New Morris! the New Austin...The New Mini.....ok the Germans have done that :!: ..why didn't we?....Mr Bleedin Brown!!!!!

it would be as much an evolution as the twin was to the single in the fifties

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In the late forties Joe Craige had a Norton four cylinder on the cards and the spec wasn't too far away from modern fours.

Cash

my 961 is due next week and after a factory tour by the man himself ( stuart (norton) garner ) i can assure you its the real deal ,the bike in the flesh is awesome to look at , very high spec, beutifully put together and a true joy to behold,
this achievement can not be overestimated and deserves all the accolades, i had a new interstate 36 years ago and it was crap i sold it and bought a750 honda four, the new norton however ( originaly kennys design ) has been reworked to a tee.
i have some photos and a short video on my iphone of the factory outside and inside if anybody wants to see them.
i would need a email address to send them to as i have no idea how to post them on this site despite reading the intructions.

Richard Barks said:

i would need a email address to send them to as i have no idea how to post them on this site despite reading the intructions.

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Richard,

If you e-mail them to me, I can upload them to my own Photobucket album, add then them to your message if you like?

If so, please let me know, and I will send you a PM containing my e-mail address?

send me your email

mine is richard@nortonbike.com

john robert bould said:

Britian really needs to get off its arse, and get back to manufacturing , I served my time building 200 Ton power press's that made Morris Cars....Now then..The New Morris! the New Austin...The New Mini.....ok the Germans have done that :!: ..why didn't we?....Mr Bleedin Brown!!!!!

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The U.S. is the same.Everything has been outsourced to serve the bottom line.

"Electonic wealth" (the stock market) produces NOTHING. All it does is shovel great loads of cash out of many people's hands into the hands of a few.

Don't get me started on British Manufacturing!

I've also experienced first-hand how US manufacturers are obliged to outsource - It certainly keeps the 'planes flying...with all the people travelling around in a frantic bid to keep the outsourced goods to spec!

Anyway...Motorbikes, wasn't it?

Right.

I got to see the new Commandos in the flesh at the Stafford show a couple of weeks ago, and although I'm not in the market for a new bike, I though they looked pretty good.

Judging by the interest they were generating (lots more than the Triumph stand), they've certainly got the attention of the UK biking public.

If I had a reservation it's that I'm not totally sure who they're targetting...

They're set up to be more of a street bike than a mile muncher - I'd suspect the target audience (based on the show crowd) would be more interested in a sports-tourer.

A lot of the cost seems to be in the blingy wheels and suspension; more attractive to the 'Ducati Corse' brigade than the Brit Biker I would have thought.

Just My Humble Opinion, but I do get some funny ideas sometimes

If I had a reservation it's that I'm not totally sure who they're targetting...

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I'm certain any of us old coot Norton owners would buy one of the new Nortons if we hadn't already blown a king's ransom on restoring and upgrading our old Nortons. I wonder about the appeal to the younger biker. If I were a young man with $15,000 plus to spend, I'd probably be pouring over the specs of the latest offerings from Japan or Italy. I do think the introduction of the new Norton may cause CNW to restructure their price of a CNW Norton.

JimC said:

I do think the introduction of the new Norton may cause CNW to restructure their price of a CNW Norton.

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Astute observation.

I myself have been wondering if I'll net a thin dime off the money and efforts I've poured into the Silver monoshocker...

Here are Richard's iPhone photos and videos:

grandpaul said:

JimC said:

I do think the introduction of the new Norton may cause CNW to restructure their price of a CNW Norton.

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Astute observation.

I myself have been wondering if I'll net a thin dime off the money and efforts I've poured into the Silver monoshocker...

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I think it's going to just crowd the market for a Norton. But this will be short term. As they build more of the new Nortons the value will go down (which means used ones will depreciate) . But they will never build more old Nortons so their value will go up.

And the attention drawn to the new bikes may actually have a positive impact on the old ones.

Note that the value of the old Triumphs has done nothing but go up since the introduction of the new ones.

I myself have been wondering if I'll net a thin dime off the money and efforts I've poured into the Silver monoshocker...

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Grand Paul,

Not that I was thinking so when I posted, but It's possible the new Norton may have a positive effect the price of old Nortons, as Dave suggested. In your case, you've got a pretty rare bird. I'd think it's worth premium money.

JimC said:

If I had a reservation it's that I'm not totally sure who they're targetting...

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I'm certain any of us old coot Norton owners would buy one of the new Nortons if we hadn't already blown a king's ransom on restoring and upgrading our old Nortons. I wonder about the appeal to the younger biker. If I were a young man with $15,000 plus to spend, I'd probably be pouring over the specs of the latest offerings from Japan or Italy. I do think the introduction of the new Norton may cause CNW to restructure their price of a CNW Norton.

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May sound a bit daft,But their launch timing is spot on..Right in the middle of a recession...Bike price's are going through the roof in the Uk,,,with cash accounts giving sod all interest.
But i think the price of these "Near clones" is allso through the roof! A really well sorted "Real "Commando is 1/2 the cost.. and through my rosy specs the original looks better .

I have to admit I'm also confused at to whom they are marketing. It sort of looks like a sport bike but is not on the same performance planet as a Ducati twin. So it seems to me that sportbikers are going to go with the ducs or Jap bikes that have the performance to back up the look; people who are interested in the classic british twin look are either going to buy a new Bonneville or an old brittbike. Sure they'll sell some but I can't see how there would be much general demand for them from other than those of us who "remember" Nortons. The young folks, who buy most of the world's bikes, are not interested just because "Norton" used to be famous, especially since that era was long before they were born.

I would have preferred to see them remake the classic Commando in the way Triumph re-did the Bonneville OR make a serious stab at a performance twin that could stay with a current Duc of the same displacement. But what they did, at the price they are asking, seems aimed at a market that cannot result in demand for very many bikes. But maybe that's their intent.

swooshdave said:

Note that the value of the old Triumphs has done nothing but go up since the introduction of the new ones.

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Ahem; I beg to differ with you on that point...

mike996 said:

I have to admit I'm also confused at to whom they are marketing. It sort of looks like a sport bike but is not on the same performance planet as a Ducati twin. So it seems to me that sportbikers are going to go with the ducs or Jap bikes that have the performance to back up the look; people who are interested in the classic british twin look are either going to buy a new Bonneville or an old brittbike. Sure they'll sell some but I can't see how there would be much general demand for them from other than those of us who "remember" Nortons. The young folks, who buy most of the world's bikes, are not interested just because "Norton" used to be famous, especially since that era was long before they were born... But what they did, at the price they are asking, seems aimed at a market that cannot result in demand for very many bikes. But maybe that's their intent.

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Hence the modest-sized steel shed assembly building, instead of a full-blown modern FACTORY a la J.Bloor Meriden Triumph.

It'll be a niche market for them; but my understanding of the deal they made with Dreer, and thier visible new facilities, mean that the investement shouldn't take TOO long to recoup (as long as Garner's pockets still have a jingle in them).