What is it about the Norton that gets you hook, line and sinker?

Martin, that's a similar result. We were on long runs, but with lots of throttle on throttle off.
I'm sure it would do 70 mpg Imperial on a turnpike cruise, however I hope to never do a turnpike/motorway cruise!!

Glen
 
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worntorn said:
Tony, I can tell you what the Thrux R gets as 2 buddies & I just completed 3900 kms of spectacular mountain road riding.
The digital readout for the trip says 4.4 litres per 100 kms which is 65 mpg Imperial or 54 mpg US gallon.
I was happy with that as the speeds were quite high, about 1.2 Harley speed.
We rode in 5 states plus the home province of BC.
BC has some great roads but I think Idaho has us beat.
One day of riding was taken up on 330 miles of twisty Idaho road. You would think one would get weary of the hundreds of corners but it doesn't seem to go that way!


Glen
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That's as good as my Norton 961 !
 
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I loved my 961 but could never put in to words why! In a three bike garage it was always the first choice for a ride out, then after four years (8500 miles) of ownership and some long standing issues (oil in airbox anyone lol?) I rang the factory and spoke to a brick wall. Next time I was in my garage I looked at the Norton and for the first time I saw it for what it really was. Three weeks later it was part exchanged. That was 18 months ago, I ride now more than ever but more importantly to me I have never once missed my Norton.
 
Der, the lack of Factory support is a make or break for most. What did you replace the 961 with ?

I've just had the first issue with this Thruxton R. On the trip home from Utah it cut out twice when rolling the bike around a parking lot , bars to full left hand lock. Obviously a wiring harness problem.

It is two months out of the 24 month warranty, so Triumph can legally wash their hands of the problem if they wish.
Ill see if they offer help or if I am on my own with the problem.

Not expecting much as warranty period is over.

Glen
 
Glen,

I think I did read about a warranty harness replacement for the new 1200's on the Triumph Rat site.
Triumph should make good on it.
 
Brit,I believe that one is the fuel pump harness recall, which has already been done on this bike as a preventative measure.
The issue I'm having is probably related to the fairing. The fairing mounts the headlight about two inches further ahead which makes the main harness pretty snug.
When installing the fairing I remember thinking that the harness was really too short.

Glen
 
der said:
I loved my 961 but could never put in to words why! In a three bike garage it was always the first choice for a ride out, then after four years (8500 miles) of ownership and some long standing issues (oil in airbox anyone lol?) I rang the factory and spoke to a brick wall. Next time I was in my garage I looked at the Norton and for the first time I saw it for what it really was. Three weeks later it was part exchanged. That was 18 months ago, I ride now more than ever but more importantly to me I have never once missed my Norton.
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Can you tell us what it really was to you at that point ? Also , weren't you the one that out ran the 1997 Triumph Speed Triple (carbed version) with your 961 ? And what do you mean part exchanged ? Does that mean you traded your 961 in and got much less than you paid for it ? And you had a 1200 Explorer also at one point ? Maybe I am thinking of someone else .
 
worntorn said:
I've just had the first issue with this Thruxton R. On the trip home from Utah it cut out twice when rolling the bike around a parking lot , bars to full left hand lock. Obviously a wiring harness problem.
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Glen, a few owners of the R with fairing fitted have had the same problem... tight harness on left lock. Factory have replaced for those still in warranty, worth a shot.
 
I just heard back from the Dealer.
The problem with my bike is at the ignition switch. Apparently it has wires which connect internally, one of these was pulling away when the bars were turned.
Triumph is fixing it at no charge, new ignition set, new locking gas cap and new seat latch plus all labour.
Glad I don't have to pay, that would be a sizeable bill.
4 months out of Warranty.
The problem shouldnt have occurred but stuff happens and the response is better than I expected.

Glen
 
Glen one thing about Triumph they do care about their owners and if there was a problem that they know about they will fix it even if the warranty has run out, one of the reasons people go back to them and up grade to newer models, here in Australia Norton is only a small market not enough dealers and if you want the model you want and its not in stock the wait can be way to long, where you go to a Triumph dealer there is always one in stock but if you want a colour choose and it not at the dealers they can have one shipped up pretty quickly from Triumph Australia or sorce it from another dealer, it happened when I ordered my 2013 Thruxton as I wanted the Brooklands Green model and it was shipped up from Melbourne with in a few days, my local Triumph dealer are very helpfull and the service deptment I can't complain its like a family adttude and one of the reasons I upgraded to the 1200 Thruxton and got a great deal from them.

Ashley
 
ashman said:
Glen one thing about Triumph they do care about their owners and if there was a problem that they know about they will fix it even if the warranty has run out,
Ashley
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Generally speaking, I would agree with this.
However, there are situations where Triumph have refused to honor valid warranty claims from owners.

Two cases that are notorious to owners of the air cooled twins:
1. failure of the starter intermediate gear boss that damages the crankcases
2. footpeg mounting bolt/plate failure when owner puts pressure on the peg

In case 1 the failure damages the crankcase and required either very careful and problematic aluminum welding or replacement of the cases. New case are $3,000+. This was definitely the result of a poorly designed undersized bearing boss. In spite of this Triumph refused to address the issue if the bike was out of warranty even by 1 year. in 2005 Triumph quietly redesigned the boss to make it thicker which ended the problem.

in case 2 this is still ongoing. some owners petitioned the consumer products agency in the US to get Triumph to admit the design weakness and have it get addressed. Some owners have had their pegs snap off when they stand on the pegs while going over bumps. No one has been killed yet, but a number have lost control and crashed as a result.
 
2005 is along time ago and things have improved over time I am sure, my 2013 Thruxton only had one problem under warranty that was a oil cooler senser that failed a $45 part, I have had it for over 5 years now and over 40k on it, without any other problems and a lot of travels all over my great state and before I travel I just do the routine maintenance before leaving, but since I brought my new 1200 Thruxton its only been out once in 6 months but after charging the battery up I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a long ride tomorrow.
My 1200 will be the same I am sure of that and has already proven itself with my first fully loaded trip away and there will be a lot more to come.
I would love a new Norton but they are way over priced here, parts are hard to get and really are they that reliable, where Triumph have already proven themselfs, have the back up needed, they are a long life motorcycle, my old Thruxton is as good and goes as good as the first day I brought it new and I do ride it hard with full mods to the suspension, I think the water cooled model will be even longer lasting, a friend of mine has a 2006 model Bonnie that he brought new with well over 130k on it and hasn't touched it except for nomal maintenance and he flogs the shit out of it runs it down the drag strip and is alway in front of the pack when out riding with the mates, he would have more miles on it but he owns a few bike now but the Bonnie is his most used one, I have 3 bikes on the road my old Norton and the 2 Thruxtons but now the 1200 is my every day ride, my old Norton was my everyday ride for over 38 years before I semi retired it for the 2013 Thruxton and now the new one is my everyday ride.
Anyone interested in a 2013 Thruxton???

Ashley
 
worntorn said:
The problem shouldnt have occurred but stuff happens and the response is better than I expected.
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Very true Glen. In the automotive world in particular, it’s well recognised that most consumers are far less put off by having issues, than they are with how they are handled.

Of course, this kinda reverses if issues are numerous or repetitive.

Fair play to a Triumph for sorting you out with this. They could easily have said no.
 
Yes, it was a pleasant surprise that they will take care of it.
My last attempt to get even partial warranty coverage after the warranty period was with Samsung. I had one of their expensive sixty inch LED TVs and it blew up two weeks after the 1 year warranty expired. The first response was
" Why are you calling us? The Warranty period is over"
Second response was " We have many great new models to choose from" ( at full MSRP!)

Glen
 
Honda is fantastic! I had until a month ago (Tony was in it- now have a BMW530i) a 2007 civic coupe. The paint started coming off the hood and fenders in 2013. I heard about someone taking in a 2006 for the same issue and Honda paid to have it painted. Sure enough that happened to me too. Then in 2015 my sun visor wouldn’t stay up anymore. I tried fixing it but it didn’t work. So I called tje dealer to order a visor. The lady tells me there was a recall on those and asks for my VIN. Sure enough i got two free visors. Drivers and passengers side. I put 225,000 km on that car and besides brakes, tires and oil, the only two parts I ever replaced was the thermostat and the starter solenoid.

Now that is why you see so many Hondas on the road.
 
To get this thread back on track !!! Summer of 76. KH250, a few months old and outside Horsemans kawasaki in liverpool, I came out, "Paddy Hopkirk Agordo" Ashman Boots And "Leatherette" Brando Jacket, turned the ignition on and kicked. Nothing. Must have kicked it 50 times, helmet off then jacket off (it was a hot summer from memory) still nothing. A few yards away, an old bloke (probably late 20s) long hair, beard,Tee shirt, open face with shades sitting on a Black Interstate got off his bike, sauntered over and turned my Kill Switch to on, walked back to his Commando, 1 Kick and roared off.
42 years later There are several Court orders banning the Fat Ugly Bloke on the Norton 961 from all Kawasaki dealers in the North West.
The last bit may be artistic license, but it always stuck with me. I've lusted after a 961 since they first emerged, and last year I had the opportunity to buy a virtually unused Sf at what I could afford so I flogged my longstanding Guzzi for a really good profit, and parted with a 9 month old R nine T Racer S for a massive loss.
Any regrets ?, Lots. But not enough to part with it. I am lucky enough to have a few bikes, and apart from 2 up riding, I have clocked 1800 miles this year on the SF and don't even look at the other bikes. and as soon as the Mrs goes to work, I'm out in the Garage with a brew just staring at it.Thats not happened since I bought a 916 20 years ago.
 
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