TVS new owner

Time will tell

Now how about releasing the spare parts.

Looking at the picture, I don’t seem to notice the AOS and I like our machined caliper / wheel holder better. Looks like they are now cast and not machined?

Cant really tell on the fork bottoms from those pics. I know the old billet ones were bloody expensive from Ohlins....cost me £600 for a replacement on mine from a Ohlins service/repair agent.
I can see the Yamaha AOS on the Facebook picture....and what looks like an oil cooler bottom bracket/stay.
Exhaust system looks to have seen some hard dyno use....going by the heat discolouration all the way back to the silencers.

Stu Bodycote said:

Cant really tell on the fork bottoms from those pics. I know the old billet ones were bloody expensive from Ohlins....cost me £600 for a replacement on mine from a Ohlins service/repair agent.
I can see the Yamaha AOS on the Facebook picture....and what looks like an oil cooler bottom bracket/stay.
Exhaust system looks to have seen some hard dyno use....going by the heat discolouration all the way back to the silencers.

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The fork bottoms definitely are not billet.

You think the oil cooler has a bracket on the bottom as well as the top?

Yeah definitely mate. You can just make it out here, at the bottom. And the oil cooler is perfectly inline with the frame downtubes....along with the oil hoses not looking strained to hold the cooler back.

Yep, seems like they have paid attention to the detail - good news! Some interesting comments from Norton also, identifying this bike as one of the batch from previous orders and differentiating it from the new TVS Commando. Does that mean a new commando with even more changes but in the same form, or a completely new bike. Intriguing!

Either way, they are off and running!

Great news. I see this as a positive stage in the new dawn of Norton.

Come on Norton, reveal your secrets already!
Good grief, it's like a stripper playing coy.

Stu Bodycote said:

Yeah definitely mate. You can just make it out here, at the bottom. And the oil cooler is perfectly inline with the frame downtubes....along with the oil hoses not looking strained to hold the cooler back.

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I was going off this picture.

BritTwit said:

Come on Norton, reveal your secrets already!
Good grief, it's like a stripper playing coy.

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Gets the juices flowing though!
Anticipation

joinerjohn said:

Gets the juices flowing though!
Anticipation

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Well, so does self flagellation, but like everything else, there's a limit.
Norton has been bumping into that limit now for some time already.
Dr Bob, let's see the great NEW 961 reveal!
Tell us about the changes!
We're all ears.

Voodooo said:

I was going off this picture.

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Yeah that was an old picture mate....they must have posted that a good year or so ago.

BritTwit said:

Come on Norton, reveal your secrets already!
Good grief, it's like a stripper playing coy.

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It reminded me of Thunderbirds (the puppet series).... I can picture The Hood hanging round Solihull!

EstuaryBoy said:

It reminded me of Thunderbirds (the puppet series).... I can picture The Hood hanging round Solihull!

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Yeah, leaking Norton secrets news to the world in dribbles.
Or stealing Norton's 961 pushrod technology to sell to other motorcycle companies.

BritTwit said:

Well, so does self flagellation, but like everything else, there's a limit.
Norton has been bumping into that limit now for some time already.
Dr Bob, let's see the great NEW 961 reveal!
Tell us about the changes!
We're all ears.

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I agree , It would be a huge selling point if they would put the bike out in the public's eye . If they really fixed the 961 issues and made it smoother/quieter/reliable , this bike's going to sell boys !

TonyA said:

I agree , It would be a huge selling point if they would put the bike out in the public's eye . If they really fixed the 961 issues and made it smoother/quieter/reliable , this bike's going to sell boys !

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I think so.
They should just publish a photo of the new 961 with red dots on each "revised" component, and a line to the side for each to explain briefly how it has been improved.

i.e.
"New oil pump with improved integral one way valves to avoid oil in the sump"
"New improved one piece clutch hub/starter ring"
"New improved balancer shaft backlash intermediate gear"
"New optional supercharger"

TonyA said:

I agree , It would be a huge selling point if they would put the bike out in the public's eye . If they really fixed the 961 issues and made it smoother/quieter/reliable , this bike's going to sell boys !

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It’s not going to sell outside of Europe without a dealer network. Especially here in North America.
The last time on social media, TVS said no plans of a dealer network yet.

BritTwit said:

I think so.
They should just publish a photo of the new 961 with red dots on each "revised" component, and a line to the side for each to explain briefly how it has been improved.

i.e.
"New oil pump with improved integral one way valves to avoid oil in the sump"
"New improved one piece clutch hub/starter ring"
"New improved balancer shaft backlash intermediate gear"
"New optional supercharger"

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I’m with you 100%.

But I don’t see it happening. They didn’t even do this for the V4 and that was even after they did publish a long list of faults with the previous version. The least they should have done with that bike is confirm that all those problems have been fixed !

It’s a similar story with the 961 I guess, as there are a number of well known faults now, so explaining what they’ve done is a bleedin’ no brainer IMO.

They’ve given us fabulous details about the factory… and way too little about the products!

Personally, it’s getting quite frustrating. I was ‘hanging on’ hoping to be tempted by either a Superlight or naked V4 or 961. But I’m bored now…

I’m not some ‘arm chair warrior’ either, I’ve had one new Norton, had ordered another and am (or at least was) interested in more.

If they’ve managed to switch me off, I’m guessing I’m not the only one.

Stephen, before you start beating me up for being negative, I’m just being honest. Switching off customers like us (brand loyal, ready to spend) is a terrible indictment. They’re doing a terrible job with communications. They have GOT to get their act together if they want to sell premium motorcycles in this day and age…

What kind of advertisement does TVS do for their other motorcycles and scooters?

I only ask because until they bought the Norton brand, I never heard of TVS.

Voodooo said:

What kind of advertisement does TVS do for their other motorcycles and scooters?

I only ask because until they bought the Norton brand, I never heard of TVS.

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TVS sell mainly to the Asian market, mainly India (which is the worlds biggest motorcycle market).

So we aren’t familiar with them in the West.

It’s also a very different market, as in India motorcycles are still mainly used as transport, whereas Norton is squarely aimed at the luxury grown up toys market.

Fast Eddie said:

Personally, it’s getting quite frustrating. I was ‘hanging on’ hoping to be tempted by either a Superlight or naked V4 or 961. But I’m bored now…

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Right, I'm starting to loose a bit of interest myself.
This habit of keeping information to a minimum will be counter productive for Norton.
You can tease just so much, then folks are gonna move on.