Norton Motorcycles

[doodlebug]

Seems Norton Motorcycles has gone into administration. Such a shame.

 

[zagatoes30]

Not good, looks like the owner has a few issues as a couple of other of his businesses have gone into administration. Hopefully Norton can be saved but it is tough for these small niche brands

 

[Geo]

I’m not at all surprised. A friend’s son bought a new Norton and the quality was not good at all. He fought with them and eventually got most of his money back.

 

[StuartW]

Very sad, fairly local to me too. Hopefully they can survive

 

[philw696]

Sad times indeed for an Iconic brand.
Never had one as I was of the era that the Japanese bikes were King especially the big Kawasaki Z'S.

 

[Hawk13]

My mate has a couple of the new Nortons - personally I haven't been impressed and they are expensive IMO so no surprise they have gone out of business.

No doubt somebody will buy the name.

 

[philw696]

No doubt somebody will buy the name.
That's what happened in 2008.

 

[Bebs]

Sad. My dad had a Norton Dominator back in Denmark, before I was born.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Norton has never worked as a brand. I remember in the early 90's they were struggling with the rotary engine. It was the subject of a BBC programme, 'Troubleshooter' with John Harvey-Jones, in that it didn't make enough motorbikes to reduce costs and so with the high price it didn't sell many bikes. Granted they had Norton Commander police bikes but they still didn't make enough. The product was good with the 588 Wankel and it won the IOM TT with Steve Hislop and they should have diversified into drone technolgy as they supplied the engine to the US Military. (Still do in fact with ROTRON, Norton backwards)
Yet everytime someone starts up a new 'Norton' motorcycle business, I think immediately that they are going to fail. You need to have the resources, patience and business plan of John Bloor, who rebuilt Triumph. From nothing in the 90's they are now a multinational brand, making many different products in different countries and are even engine suppliers for the Moto2 race series.

 

[atreyu1]

"Norton has never worked as a brand" How can you think that let alone say it. I assume you're referring to the post Bracebridge Street products. It's a wonder I didn't choke on my lunch when I read that. Norton was always a front runner and certainly from the 1930's almost dominated motorcycle racing at an international level. Even at club level Norton's were still competitive right up to the late 1960's. The modern replica Manx Norton's although not manufactured under the Norton name are still a force to be reckoned with and have given us a hard time on many occasions. It is a fact though that Norton's road bike sales were a reflection of their racing successes. The Norton name slowly died after Bracebridge Street closed and everything moved to Plumstead. Finally the modern Norton's you're referring to are not by any stretch of the imagination real Norton's at all are they? I've attached a pici of my real 500 Manx at East Fortune a couple of years ago.

 

[zagatoes30]

Nortons from the hey day of British Motorcycling were the pinnacle of what was possible even today the vintage bikes have a huge following. I used to work with a very strange IT Project Manager and everyone warned me about socialising with him but over dinner one night ew hit on the subject of Norton and it turns out he is the worlds biggest Norton Single Knocker nerd on the planet I learnt so much about Nortons over that dinner any many subsequent ones.

 

[midlifecrisis]

"Norton has never worked as a brand" How can you think that let alone say it. I assume you're referring to the post Bracebridge Street products. It's a wonder I didn't choke on my lunch when I read that. Norton was always a front runner and certainly from the 1930's almost dominated motorcycle racing at an international level. Even at club level Norton's were still competitive right up to the late 1960's. The modern replica Manx Norton's although not manufactured under the Norton name are still a force to be reckoned with and have given us a hard time on many occasions. It is a fact though that Norton's road bike sales were a reflection of their racing successes. The Norton name slowly died after Bracebridge Street closed and everything moved to Plumstead. Finally the modern Norton's you're referring to are not by any stretch of the imagination real Norton's at all are they? I've attached a pici of my real 500 Manx at East Fortune a couple of years ago.

Running Pre-war Singles in 500cc class against the multis in the 1950's relying on Geoff Duke and the Manx frame to win championships. The lack of investment should have raised alarm bells when the Japanese started to come to these shores with their 4 cylinder motorcycles. They first went bust shortly after being formed back in the early 1910's

 

[Wack61]

Sad. My dad had a Norton Dominator back in Denmark, before I was born.

They vibrated that much I'm surprised you were born at all.

 

[cheshiremaserati]

The British Bike died in the 70's.
The Suzuki Super Six, Hustler, Kawasaki triples, Yamaha T200 Invader, Honda cb250, the 4 pot 500 all saw off British vibrating, oil leaking wrecks. I had a pre-unit T120 cafe racer Bonneville by the way that I built myself - clip-ons, rear sets, E3134s, lightened polished and balanced crank and flywheel etc. But a Super Six would blow it into the weeds. The bike vibration was so bad, I'd lose rocker covers and wonder why my boots were covered in hot oil.

 

[Marco07]

Norton has never worked as a brand. I remember in the early 90's they were struggling with the rotary engine. It was the subject of a BBC programme, 'Troubleshooter' with John Harvey-Jones, in that it didn't make enough motorbikes to reduce costs and so with the high price it didn't sell many bikes. Granted they had Norton Commander police bikes but they still didn't make enough. The product was good with the 588 Wankel and it won the IOM TT with Steve Hislop and they should have diversified into drone technolgy as they supplied the engine to the US Military. (Still do in fact with ROTRON, Norton backwards)
Yet everytime someone starts up a new 'Norton' motorcycle business, I think immediately that they are going to fail. You need to have the resources, patience and business plan of John Bloor, who rebuilt Triumph. From nothing in the 90's they are now a multinational brand, making many different products in different countries and are even engine suppliers for the Moto2 race series.

ROTRON isn’t Norton backwards.

A real shame that Norton have gone again. Been a fan all my life. The rotaries were way ahead of everything else on the track at the time.

Here’s mine.

 

[Hawk13]

ROTRON isn’t Norton backwards.

A real shame that Norton have gone again. Been a fan all my life. The rotaries were way ahead of everything else on the track at the time.

Here’s mine.

View attachment 65065

That is a beautiful bike - have always wanted one after seeing Rymer, Nation & Haslam scream them around circuits.

 

[Needamaser]

Saw the rotaries on track at East Fortune a few years ago.
Been tempted with buying one of the new bikes but couldn't take the plunge.

 

[Lavazza]

I'm not a biker, but I do appreciate the engineering. Surprised about the news, I always saw Norton as a strong brand with great history and image... but then Aston Martin fits that description too. And Maserati???

 

[Marco07]

I agree. For me it’s Moto Guzzi and Norton, and Maserati and Aston Martin.

I’ve two of each.

 

[Lavazza]

I agree. For me it’s Moto Guzzi and Norton, and Maserati and Aston Martin.

I’ve two of each.

I'd 'like' that twice!
Any pics?