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Old 18th November 2021, 15:57   #1
Dorset Bob
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Default Norton Motorcycles

The British motorcycle manufacture, Norton, are back in the West Midlands.

With massive investment from TVS a new, state of the art, plant has opened in Solihull.

I think these guys mean business.
Looking back at the Triumph story, with this facility and backing, I think the future looks good for the iconic Norton make.


https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocia...norton-factory
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Old 18th November 2021, 16:09   #2
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Best of luck to Norton. No matter how good their machines are, it will be a mighty task to knock the Japanese from their perch.
Todays Triumph and Norton may have the same badge but the engineering will be light years away from those 1960's machines.
In part this is a shame as there is little in the way of transformation.
I am almost of the opinion they are Japanese machines with a British name, as I think their engineering will be more akin to a Japanese bike then a 1960's original.
I miss the sound of those old bikes but I wish them luck as it would be nice to have something made in Britain.

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Old 18th November 2021, 16:29   #3
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As always in the world of biking, the success will be down to price and product, if Norton need to compete they will have to lower prices to match the Japanese, the UK bike industry has always failed to do this in years gone by.
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Old 18th November 2021, 16:50   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by macafee2 View Post
I miss the sound of those old bikes
I had a Norton, '72 750 Commando Roadster. The diameter at the end of the silencer was the same as the diameter at the cylinder head with very little inbetween, that was the standard system I couldn't start it in the (double) garage, it would trigger the alarm on my other bike and my father's car.
It was a brute of a bike, kickstart only and if you didn't do it right it would kick back, did that to me once and I couldn't walk on rough ground for a week.
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Old 18th November 2021, 16:59   #5
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I had a Norton, '72 750 Commando Roadster. The diameter at the end of the silencer was the same as the diameter at the cylinder head with very little inbetween, that was the standard system I couldn't start it in the (double) garage, it would trigger the alarm on my other bike and my father's car.
It was a brute of a bike, kickstart only and if you didn't do it right it would kick back, did that to me once and I couldn't walk on rough ground for a week.

Always have to turn the handle bars away was it to prevent the knee coming up an hitting the handle bar?

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Old 18th November 2021, 17:03   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by macafee2 View Post
Best of luck to Norton. No matter how good their machines are, it will be a mighty task to knock the Japanese from their perch.
Todays Triumph and Norton may have the same badge but the engineering will be light years away from those 1960's machines.
In part this is a shame as there is little in the way of transformation.
I am almost of the opinion they are Japanese machines with a British name, as I think their engineering will be more akin to a Japanese bike then a 1960's original.
I miss the sound of those old bikes but I wish them luck as it would be nice to have something made in Britain.

macafee2

Buy an Indian made Royal Enfield. The latest machines are designed in a purpose built centre in the UK.

They still sound like true British bikes!
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Old 18th November 2021, 17:17   #7
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Originally Posted by MSS View Post
Buy an Indian made Royal Enfield. The latest machines are designed in a purpose built centre in the UK.

They still sound like true British bikes!
I love the sound and feel of my 2017 RE GT535, but the new 'meteor' styling doesn't do it for me. Could be any cheap Chinese bike. The RE's up until a year or 2 ago still looked like classic bikes, but with modern additions of disc brakes, fuel injection, and indicators...

As for Norton, the last incarnation were stupidly priced (though I am out of touch, I couldn't believe the price of the new triumph thruxton!), and I believe they had many serious issues. I'm sure I read an article where owners were basically told their bikes weren't safe or fit for use, and couldn't be fixed, the best they could offer was a reduced price on a new bike!
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Old 18th November 2021, 18:28   #8
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Originally Posted by macafee2 View Post
Always have to turn the handle bars away was it to prevent the knee coming up an hitting the handle bar?

macafee2
The handlebars weren't the problem. Being a high compression twin you had to get the pistons in the right position (just on compression) before swinging the kickstart with all your might. If you got it wrong the pistons would hit compression and "bounce" off it smacking your instep with considerable force. As I said I only really got it wrong once, badly bruised my instep to the extent that I couldn't walk on uneven ground.

The kickstart on a Commando could hold 9 stone in weight without going over compression.
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Old 18th November 2021, 19:55   #9
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Originally Posted by stevestrat View Post
The handlebars weren't the problem. Being a high compression twin you had to get the pistons in the right position (just on compression) before swinging the kickstart with all your might. If you got it wrong the pistons would hit compression and "bounce" off it smacking your instep with considerable force. As I said I only really got it wrong once, badly bruised my instep to the extent that I couldn't walk on uneven ground.

The kickstart on a Commando could hold 9 stone in weight without going over compression.
I recall being told and I thought it was about Norton but could be wrong, to be careful when kicking it over. If the explosion was at the wrong time if would force the kick start lever back up up with ones foot on it and the knee went into the handlebar.

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Old 18th November 2021, 20:03   #10
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Interesting comments, may I remind you of kick starting a velocette.
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