Hail the new Norton

For those that haven't seen the new Norton Commando, here it iz.
My 1974 MK 2 Norton Commando might just be sharing the shed soon




www.nortonmotorcycles.com/company/team.asp

 

WELCOME TO LAST MONTH.....

 

All those chain drive bikes look the same to me.

Gary

 

80hp, near enough to 1000cc pushrod twin.

210kmh maybe, roughly the same as an R1150R. No sportsbike, thats for sure.


Al

 

....and if the thing's as slow as their website, it's bye bye Norton.
pete

 

In fact if you look at engine and weight, you'd be better off putting a
set of modern brakes, monoshock and swingarm, and rims on a original
Norton - you'd be no slower, cost you half as much AND you get to upset
the purists !

JL

 

Here we go with the numbers again. We don't need no stinkin' numbers! They
matter diddlysquat in real life. It does need a fuckin' rear mudguard tho'!
That's one ugly arse end.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 24 Dec 2005 04:53:03 GMT

Isn't it!

Too much space in front of the rear tyre, it looks unfinished. It needs some
kind of sidecover or other fill.

Zebee

 

Numbers ? Naah just making the point it doesn't seem to be much better
than the original...

JL

 

And with nothing to sell except the name, it will be pretty hard to get it
off the ground, many have tried. An American Norton, what's the point? Has
even less relevance than an Indian lookalike with a Harley engine. The
original Nortons sold on the basis of their competition image/heritage.
This thing is nothing but a show pony.

Al

 

Ummm, like a monoshock, maybe?

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 24 Dec 2005 18:08:53 +1100

Worked for me!

Zebee

 

Hmmm, a diff and another wheel perhaps!

 

Far from a show pony in my books Al! But then I don't see it as a claimed
sportsbike, sports tourer or any other silly tag. Ditto with the yank bit
but I s'pose it's good to see someone having a go. I fear it's doomed to
failure too.

 

Get off my bloody computer you gun toting hippy!

 

Aye yup, I'd rather get a real Norton and modify it a bit.

I quite like the real Norton's but you can't just put a badge on
something and claim the heritage, there's got to be some sort of
relationship or tie, otherwise it has to stand on it's own right. That
thing just doesn't - the Thruxton is a way cooler retro (with better
performance too I suspect),or the new retro Ducatis and it's got nothing
going for it against modern bikes. There's better twins retro or new
available.

JL

 

Fair enough, so what do you see it as ? To me it goes up against a
Thruxton and doesn't beat it on looks (maybe it'll go better but I doubt
it, and for a retro that's relatively unimportant anyway). If we just
consider it as a naked twin, then there's far better options in terms of
handling, power and useability (and yes I'm making assumptions based on
the specs but I'll be staggered if that bike will outhandle something
with modern suspension setup (50mm usd marzocchis seem a long way from
the stock stuff to me).

Well it seems to have no connection with the original other than the
name, I can go buy a real norton for under 10K, why would I buy a fake
for 20K ? If I went and bought the old BSA or Ariel name and set up in
Oz would it really be a BSA ? It's an issue the current Triumph suffered
from initially, they answered it by having products that stood up in
their own right - they make good bikes, ones I've seriously considered
buying on several occasions, do I consider them to be related to the
original Trumpys ? No, not really. However they've kept many of the old
company's values alive which is good enough to not knock them as wannabes.

Bottom line the bike has to stand alone and earn the right to wear the
Norton name, there seems to be little correlation to the original
company's values and heritage, hence it comes down to - "is this a
product I'd buy as it stands ignoring the name" and the answer is no. I
can't see that it fits into a new niche and in either of the retro or
naked twin niches I can see bikes that seem better bangs for bucks,
maybe a test ride might change my mind, but... it ain't pretty and it
doesn't look on paper like it's going to be quick, the only option left
is "fun"...

 

Man I gotta say, if I was ever going to have a trike, that'd be the
front half of it !

JL
(or a Valkyrie)

 

At a stretch Tim, but six is way too many!

 

I don't see it as _up_ against anything, John. There's more to a bike than
stats and perceived market rivals and comparisons (Breva/Blast type shit).
They'll not sell me one but I wouldn't begrudge anyone with more money and
sense following their heart and indulging. To each his own, good luck to
them. If the major manufactureres had it their way we wouldn't have a
choice. It's nice to have choices. It's still got an ugly arse end tho'!