Norton actually has new motorcycles in the USA

[City Garage]

Yes, as the title states, they have bikes here (AIMExpo in Anaheim), and, according to the people I talked with, they are working on CARB approval and "taking meetings" with prospective dealers. Asked some questions, and it seems like they are going to try to have bikes here next year (2027). Said getting CARB shouldn't be an issue, but they were having "other" issues.

I will give you my personal opinion now that I have seen them in person...they are ugly and cheap-looking in person . The Atlas looks uncomfortable to ride, and the styling was horrible to see in person again looks like an 80's sci-fi movie bike.. The components are cheap knock-offs along with base model Brembo brakes. Even the V4 had no name shocks on it. Just my opinion. And as a side note, there were 10 different "knock off" motorcycle entities showing bikes that had a lot better styling. Lost track of the different names these companies had, but some of them clearly reverse-engineered OEM bikes. It was interesting to see.

Anyway, here are some pictures.

 

[BritTwit]

I will give you my personal opinion now that I have seen them in person...they are ugly and cheap-looking in person .

Does that apply to the Manx and Manx R too, or just the adventure bikes?

 

[City Garage]

Does that apply to the Manx and Manx R too, or just the adventure bikes?

Honestly, they all look ridiculous but the Atlas was the worst. Again, my opinion. They all just look like cheap and plastic. My son said it looks like a TEMU bike.

 

[Lippo]

Yes, as the title states, they have bikes here (AIMExpo in Anaheim), and, according to the people I talked with, they are working on CARB approval and "taking meetings" with prospective dealers. Asked some questions, and it seems like they are going to try to have bikes here next year (2027). Said getting CARB shouldn't be an issue, but they were having "other" issues.

I will give you my personal opinion now that I have seen them in person...they are ugly and cheap-looking in person . The Atlas looks uncomfortable to ride, and the styling was horrible to see in person again looks like an 80's sci-fi movie bike.. The components are cheap knock-offs along with base model Brembo brakes. Even the V4 had no name shocks on it. Just my opinion. And as a side note, there were 10 different "knock off" motorcycle entities showing bikes that had a lot better styling. Lost track of the different names these companies had, but some of them clearly reverse-engineered OEM bikes. It was interesting to see.

Anyway, here are some pictures.

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The new Nortons have had a mixed response here in the UK as well. As an owner of a 2024 961SP Commando, I certainly don’t feel inspired to want one of the new ones.

 

[City Garage]

When your knock-off looks worse than the other knock-offs, it's going to be a hard sell. I tried hard to look at them objectively, but when your 20-something-old son says they look bad, and you want to target a certain market, that tells you all you need to know.

 

[marshg246]

I'm sure I'm in the minority, but a motorcycle has to look like one for me to like it. Most modern bikes look like bugs and (apparently) are designed to look like race bikes (big gonads anyone?) and who gives a crap about street rideability. So, when you don't show anything but plastic - not for me - a motorcycle is supposed to have an engine!

When you look at the Triumph classic series bikes or most Harley's you know you are looking at a motorcycle. I am not a Harley fan but since they and the Triumphs are actual motorcycles (in my book) and cost less.....

 

[BritTwit]

I too got a similar impression from the videos and photos, but I wanted to wait and hear from someone on the forum who has actually seen them up close. I'm not an adventure bike guy, so couldn't care less about them, but I was hoping the Manx's would be better done than they appeared to be.
Looks like I'll have to wait for Norton retro, or modern classic model.
Lord knows when that will be, or if it will ever be.

 

[NPeteN]

The atlas looks like a plastic walrus.

 

[BritTwit]

I'm sure I'm in the minority, but a motorcycle has to look like one for me to like it. Most modern bikes look like bugs and (apparently) are designed to look like race bikes (big gonads anyone?) and who gives a crap about street rideability. So, when you don't show anything but plastic - not for me - a motorcycle is supposed to have an engine!

When you look at the Triumph classic series bikes or most Harley's you know you are looking at a motorcycle. I am not a Harley fan but since they and the Triumphs are actual motorcycles (in my book) and cost less.....

Exactly.
OK, I'm a geezer, but I like the classic look. The engine should be the clear centerpiece of the motorcycle.
It should be visible, with as few hoses, tubes, wires, etc.. as possible.
I bought a 2020 Triumph SpeedTwin for this reason, although, I don't like the "blacked-out" engine style.
The motor should be aluminum colored so that it can show off its visual appeal.
Blacked out engines are fine for the crotch rocket set, but not the modern classic.
HD do a great job of displaying their engines for visual appeal. If nothing else, they sure got that down.
End of geezer rant.

 

[City Garage]

I'm sure I'm in the minority, but a motorcycle has to look like one for me to like it. Most modern bikes look like bugs and (apparently) are designed to look like race bikes (big gonads anyone?) and who gives a crap about street rideability. So, when you don't show anything but plastic - not for me - a motorcycle is supposed to have an engine!

When you look at the Triumph classic series bikes or most Harley's you know you are looking at a motorcycle. I am not a Harley fan but since they and the Triumphs are actual motorcycles (in my book) and cost less.....

The Triumph bikes they displayed are fantastic. Even the bobber, which I'm not a fan of, looked really fun to ride. All the bikes that showed looked very clean and modern

 

[City Garage]

Just saying...

 

[marshg246]

The Triumph bikes they displayed are fantastic. Even the bobber, which I'm not a fan of, looked really fun to ride. All the bikes that showed looked very clean and modern

Even the modern looking Triumphs do not hid that they are a motorcycle I don't like the bug or race bike looks on those either but at least it's clear that they have an engine, frame, front forks, and rear end. It's, IMHO, smart that they offer "something for everyone". Biggest engine, modern bikes, modern classics (with modern tech), and now the 400cc bikes with modern tech.

I wanted to know if others are like us old people so I tried to find Triumph model sale data - Triumph does not release it, so these are estimates from various sources for worldwide sales:

Total 2025 Triumph Sales: ~140,000 units
400cc Platform Share: ~45% of all Triumph sales (~63,000 units)

Model Estimates:
Speed 400: ~40,000 units
Scrambler 400 X: ~23,000 units
Trident 660: ~12,000 units
Tiger Sport 660: ~8,000 units
Tiger 900: ~10,000 units
Tiger 1200: ~4,000 units
Modern Classics 900/1200: ~18,000 units
Other Models Combined: ~25,000 units

Here it is for US, Canada, and UK

Total 2025 Triumph Sales (Global): ~140,000 units; Estimated Regional Share:
United States + Canada: ~12% (~16,800 units)
United Kingdom: ~7% (~9,800 units)

Combined Regional Total (US + Canada + UK): ~26,600 units

Model Estimates (US + Canada + UK Combined):
- Speed 400: ~7,000 units
- Scrambler 400 X: ~4,000 units (Strong in the UK but weak in the US and Canada)
- Trident 660: ~4,200 units
- Tiger Sport 660: ~2,200 units
- Tiger 900: ~3,000 units
- Tiger 1200: ~1,200 units
- Modern Classics 900/1200: ~3,800 units
- Other Models Combined: ~1,200 units

No definitive answer but the Modern Classics are holding their own in the US and Canada.

BTW, I read that 2024 was the first time in Triumph's history that they sold over 100k motorcycles in one year and that in the Americas, they were up 44% in 2024 over 2023 and it was 18% in the UK - strong! Love or hate Triumph, they have a working formula.

 

[Stephen_Spencer]

To say the Manx R/Manx look cheap is a big disappointment - gonna wait until I see it wth my own ‘beedy peepers’ though I think. Feedback from EICMA seemed to reflect differently, but looks are
subjective - that said we’re certainly not the most receptive audience for a modern, modern Norton.

Full carbon bodywork, tank and wheels, billet all over the place, titanium Akrapovic exhaust, Marzocchie semi active suspension, Brembo Hypure calipers, all the tech and a TV sized TFT…….! You’d have to work pretty hard to make that look cheap - unless it’s more about the styling.

Clearly they’ll be looking for volume out of the Atlas as a more budget offering - my guess that it is aimed predominantly at the Indian/Asian market. Not a big fan of the Walrus either though!

 

[NorTriDuc]

To say the Manx R/Manx look cheap is a big disappointment - gonna wait until I see it wth my own ‘beedy peepers’ though I think. Feedback from EICMA seemed to reflect differently, but looks are
subjective - that said we’re certainly not the most receptive audience for a modern, modern Norton.

Full carbon bodywork, tank and wheels, billet all over the place, titanium Akrapovic exhaust, Marzocchie semi active suspension, Brembo Hypure calipers, all the tech and a TV sized TFT…….! You’d have to work pretty hard to make that look cheap - unless it’s more about the styling.

Clearly they’ll be looking for volume out of the Atlas as a more budget offering - my guess that it is aimed predominantly at the Indian/Asian market. Not a big fan of the Walrus either though!

you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

 

[City Garage]

To say the Manx R/Manx look cheap is a big disappointment - gonna wait until I see it wth my own ‘beedy peepers’ though I think. Feedback from EICMA seemed to reflect differently, but looks are
subjective - that said we’re certainly not the most receptive audience for a modern, modern Norton.

Full carbon bodywork, tank and wheels, billet all over the place, titanium Akrapovic exhaust, Marzocchie semi active suspension, Brembo Hypure calipers, all the tech and a TV sized TFT…….! You’d have to work pretty hard to make that look cheap - unless it’s more about the styling.

Clearly they’ll be looking for volume out of the Atlas as a more budget offering - my guess that it is aimed predominantly at the Indian/Asian market. Not a big fan of the Walrus either though!

Hate to burst your bubble but the the Manx bodywork was mostly plastic. There wasn’t much billet that didn’t look like regular OEM production work and didn’t see anything like a MARZOCCHI on it. No wires coming from the fork tubes and the adjusters weren’t Marzocchi. The rear shock couldn’t see anything but it might be the active shock.

If you look at what was said from EICMA much of the same was said about the plastic etc. I saw and touched it. Plastic

I give them credit for trying but when you see it in person it’s a really bad mishmash of so many other bikes from the 1980,90’s and 2000

As for the Atlas. Yes I think the same but man they are going about it the wrong way especially for a USA market. KOVE actually has a better understanding and much better looking bike.

 

[Stephen_Spencer]

Hate to burst your bubble but the the Manx bodywork was mostly plastic. There wasn’t much billet that didn’t look like regular OEM production work and didn’t see anything like a MARZOCCHI on it. No wires coming from the fork tubes and the adjusters weren’t Marzocchi. The rear shock couldn’t see anything but it might be the active shock.

If you look at what was said from EICMA much of the same was said about the plastic etc. I saw and touched it. Plastic

I give them credit for trying but when you see it in person it’s a really bad mishmash of so many other bikes from the 1980,90’s and 2000

As for the Atlas. Yes I think the same but man they are going about it the wrong way especially for a USA market. KOVE actually has a better understanding and much better looking bike.

There were comment at EICMA about it being obvious that the Atlas had been built for the more budget market - don’t remember any similar comments about the Manx.

They are claiming full carbon bodywork and Semi Active Marzocchi’s - if that’s not the case it’ll become apparent pretty quickly. Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh myself.

 

[City Garage]

There were comment at EICMA about it being obvious that the Atlas had been built for the more budget market - don’t remember any similar comments about the Manx.

They are claiming full carbon bodywork and Semi Active Marzocchi’s - if that’s not the case it’ll become apparent pretty quickly.

And the exhaust is integrated, OEM system designed by Norton not Akrapovič or Yoshimura, etc according to the powers that be.

 

[City Garage]

They did want to make it very clear that the Manx was built in England, and was trying to distance it from a TVS India manufactured product. And when we discussed the Atlas being produced in India, the person I talked to was quick to jump in, “but we manufacture a BMW there too as well”.

 

[Stephen_Spencer]

And the exhaust is integrated, OEM system designed by Norton not Akrapovič or Yoshimura, etc according to the powers that be.

Maybe you were looking at what will be the base model CG? Doubt they are bullshitting about the spec of the First Edition model.

 

[BritTwit]

Maybe you were looking at what will be the base model CG? Doubt they are bullshitting about the spec of the First Edition model.

View attachment 123203

Maybe.
Perhaps the Manx R displayed was a mock-up to just show the basic design of the R.
Still a bit troubling though.
Why not just say that the R on display is the standard model, and have a picture of the First Edition on hand with the list of goodies it will have over the standard model.

Any way I'll assume that Norton is using artillery bracketing theory for their product line and the first round was long:
First round - long
Second round - short
Third round - on target.