Can't be bothered to read all that, seeing as the opening was full of inaccuracies, and then the start of the interview was a lie, saying until TVS stepped in, there was no dealer network and people had to buy direct from the factory. Apparently they now have a 70-80% UK coverage......what dealers do they have in Wales and Scotland then? From what I can make out from the updates on their own website, they have lost some of the brands core dealers.....dealers that stuck with Donington Norton for the best part of a decade, Thor, KSM, they have nothing to do with them now. New to the brand, Motorcycle World ditched them after a few weeks too. They state that they're adhering to Nortons core values....I can only assume they've interpreted those core values a little differently to I, ie I see those values as being a company that supports its brands loyal customers and produces bikes for a nation. They seem to see it as an excuse to roll out the red carpet and crack open the champagne on mummy and daddy's (TVS, the parent company with the deep pockets) expense at any given opportunity, wining and dining journos, instead of knuckling down to connect with the biking community.
No doubt they'll have something new to show at the NEC this year, they literally can't go another year showing the same stuff that SG was showing in 2016 albeit with some new paint scheme ideas.....and if they've any sense, imo for what miniscule amount it matters, they'll release something to replace the Atlas/Ranger line up.....as that's clearly Nortons equivalent to Ducati's Monster and Porsche's Boxster....brand saviours to build upon.
Management needs a shake up, get a new team in there that are brand passionate and not just looking for a free ride and meal ticket.
Best regards,
Grumpy Stu
www.motorcycle.com
