TVS Motor Company acquires Britain's 'Norton' sporting motorcycle

kommando said:
What does exist is digital drawings, CNC programs, lists of suppliers both current and past, the rest is a few welding jigs etc.

All easily transported. No need to move the CNC machines, sell them in the UK and just buy new ones locally.
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I even doubt if the CNC machines were paid for, most probably on tick.
 
jan nelder said:
wait and see... Be surprised if they start making 650s in the UK. Need a proper production space, which doesn’t exist at Donnington. Too much property there that doesn’t earn it’s keep, I think.
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Wouldn't it be quicker to build V4's? I mean SG was already turning them out right?
They should be ready for general production.
Some unfinished ones are resting quietly back at the "factory."
Some few have been placed in owner's hands already.
We don't know if the 650 design is actually ready for production.
Certainly, the 650 shares a great deal, design-wise, with the V4, but is just not as far along.

If this new corporate configuration for Norton works out, I hope a new Commando will be in the offing too.
 
BritTwit said:
Wouldn't it be quicker to build V4's? I mean SG was already turning them out right?
They should be ready for general production.
Some unfinished ones are resting quietly back at the "factory."
Some few have been placed in owner's hands already.
We don't know if the 650 design is actually ready for production.
Certainly, the 650 shares a great deal, design-wise, with the V4, but is just not as far along.

If this new corporate configuration for Norton works out, I hope a new Commando will be in the offing too.
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When the dust settles I wonder if the new company will honour existing warranty work?
Also some dealers would like return to selling Norton’s now that HE has gone.
 
BritTwit said:
Wouldn't it be quicker to build V4's? I mean SG was already turning them out right?
They should be ready for general production.
Some unfinished ones are resting quietly back at the "factory."
Some few have been placed in owner's hands already.
We don't know if the 650 design is actually ready for production.
Certainly, the 650 shares a great deal, design-wise, with the V4, but is just not as far along.

If this new corporate configuration for Norton works out, I hope a new Commando will be in the offing too.
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I get the impression the V4s were little more than hand built specials, each bike almost like a pre production prototype build with parts made as one offs, etc. I don’t believe there is a V4 ‘production line’ that can be switched back on.

If there was, there’d be more of them...
 
Dave_sheppard said:
Certainly the best news for a while I was embarrassed to be a Stuart Garner supporterI had no idea he was such a crook. I happily paid for my 961 in the hope of securing a small British built industry... not because I wanted another motorbike I just wanted to be able to participate in the resurrection of an industry. If I can help the new company in a small way, would need to trade in my 2012 sport to make room in the garage I would be pleased to do that. I would like to be forgiven by those who clearly understood what sort of a bloke that man is.
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Dave, don’t beat yourself up over SG. We all fell under the spell in our desire to be Norton owners and support a proper ‘British’ bike firm. I’ll still support the marque whoever owns it and particularly if it’s well run.
 
SG was trying to produce V4s, but ran out of money for v4 component parts.
He didn't have a "production line" for V4, but like the 961, Norton was turned them out for customers.
Has anyone heard complaints from V4 owners concerning reliability issues, or EFI Issues, or anything else?
This is why I would think starting V4 production would be a good way to bootstrap the new company back to life.

The 650's may have issues that have not been resolved as yet.
We just don't know because no samples have been produced yet.

And we all know the foibles of the 961.
The 961 if continued to be produced will requires considerable re-design to meet regulation.

Going first with a design that seems ready, and marketable, like the V4 would appear to be the least risky route.
 
MAK said:
When the dust settles I wonder if the new company will honour existing warranty work?
Also some dealers would like return to selling Norton’s now that HE has gone.
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Oh...I seriously doubt that would include the 961, considering there is zero mention of them acquiring or producing the 961. The Chinese bought the rights to the 961 engine, so I'm assuming at best, we can purchase post production parts. Maybe the maintenance bits.
 
would there be a market for 961s as a high end bike in markets that don't have to meet euro 5 requirements?
 
MAK said:
When the dust settles I wonder if the new company will honour existing warranty work?
Also some dealers would like return to selling Norton’s now that HE has gone.
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I think those "some dealers" would be very reluctant until they got paid from Norton the warranty work and spares that they didn't get paid for previously. . . . .
 
BritTwit said:
SG was trying to produce V4s, but ran out of money for v4 component parts.
He didn't have a "production line" for V4, but like the 961, Norton was turned them out for customers.
Has anyone heard complaints from V4 owners concerning reliability issues, or EFI Issues, or anything else?
e.
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Has anybody heard just how many V4s were sold from the factory that qualified for reliability issues?
 
Fast Eddie said:
There is no statement that any jobs saved are permanent and certainly no statement that the long term strategy is to build in the U.K.

Remember, Norton don’t really even have a ‘factory’ at least not in any conventional sense of the word. They have a fabrication shed, some machining cells (on lease, and no doubt already returned), and they assembled bikes in little more than an open plan office space! Even the so called ‘new factory’ for the 650s is really just an empty shell, AKA a barn.

What am I getting at? There is no real manufacturing infrastructure in the U.K. for TVS to ‘keep’. They will want more volume out of the Norton brand than SG was ever able to get. That means they’ll need proper manufacturing facilities.

They may build a new factory in the U.K. and I hope they do. But I’d be very surprised...

Even on this forum, most people state how they don’t care where their Thaiumphs are made, it’s not important to be made in Britain, etc...

If that’s the prevailing opinion of the market then TVS would be daft to start from scratch in U.K. Its just too expensive when compared to their other options.

My money is on them building bikes in the U.K. initially as it’ll be the quickest way to get things rolling again, and then they will migrate to the countries where they have experience, established supply chains, etc.
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I share your views on Norton and I agree that there are a sizeable number of people who don't care where their Triumphs are made, but I got the distinct impression that a majority of people on this forum do care where they are made - even buyers of Thai made machines.

As you know, it's not about patriotism it's to do with heritage. Moto Guzzi are still making bikes in the same factory in Italy (much expanded of course) where the first one was made in 1921. If they can do it why the hell can't Triumph?
 
It was reported at the start of this disaster that there were lots of V4's at the factory in various states of disassembly awaiting warranty work... doesn't sound like it had reliability going for it.
 
alwaysal said:
I share your views on Norton and I agree that there are a sizeable number of people who don't care where their Triumphs are made, but I got the distinct impression that a majority of people on this forum do care where they are made - even buyers of Thai made machines.

As you know, it's not about patriotism it's to do with heritage. Moto Guzzi are still making bikes in the same factory in Italy (much expanded of course) where the first one was made in 1921. If they can do it why the hell can't Triumph?
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Well, I wish you were right, but I fear you aren’t.

Personally, I’m staunchly on your side !

But I believe we are in a minority.
 
Let's hope they produce a bike so good we won't care where it comes from.
 
As with anybody, I can only speak for myself. My purchase was about patriotism and heritage, above all else. I suspect many others on this forum feel the same. The fact that it’s bloody gorgeous helps of course. I care where my bike was made and by whom it was made. Despite all that has occurred I am delighted that I have the (somewhat flawed) 961 in my garage and will be even more so if manufacture were to go overseas. Long live Norton.
 
Stephen_Spencer said:
As with anybody, I can only speak for myself. My purchase was about patriotism and heritage, above all else. I suspect many others on this forum feel the same. The fact that it’s bloody gorgeous helps of course. I care where my bike was made and by whom it was made. Despite all that has occurred I am delighted that I have the (somewhat flawed) 961 in my garage and will be even more so if manufacture were to go overseas. Long live Norton.
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Excuse my naievity but if SG sold the 961 to the Chinese & was it his to sell!
How can TVS hope to carry on with the 961?
Concerned owner who likes his 961 more than life itself !
 
Well sounds like good news to me, at least the new owners sound like they have the necessary will and push (money) to make a proper go of it, the principle company has been around for a long time from what I have read today.
Is it time for the 961 engine to be put to bed, I would think so, unless it was bought up to date to attract younger owners, those of us that are in the older age range will must likely not be around to buy it anyway to make the new company any money?
Trouble with patriotism and heritage is in these times it comes with a cost, and will most likely end up in the history bin instead of also being part of new history.
Burgs
 
alwaysal said:
I share your views on Norton and I agree that there are a sizeable number of people who don't care where their Triumphs are made, but I got the distinct impression that a majority of people on this forum do care where they are made - even buyers of Thai made machines.

As you know, it's not about patriotism it's to do with heritage. Moto Guzzi are still making bikes in the same factory in Italy (much expanded of course) where the first one was made in 1921. If they can do it why the hell can't Triumph?
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It's the same old story from country to county the government puts things like VAT on the value of a bike and its spares, the council's put up the rates on the factories, the landlord, unless the company actually owns the factory, puts up the rent, the poor minions (workers) want to be paid more to keep up with the cost of living, so they can buy a loaf of bread, the power companies keep putting up the cost of gas and electricity, the shareholders also want to have a dividend on their investment every year after all that it's a wonder anyone bothers making anything in the first place. No wonder why there are so many bike manufacturers who have gone out of business!
 
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