Norton goes into administration

[The Shaggy D.A.]

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/jan/29/norton-motorcycles-goes-into-administration

Don't think I'll be losing any sleep over it.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Howling Terror]

Rips off the pension fund.
Flat-out lies to customers.
Sends out shoddy bikes with cracks in engine casings.
Locks down his social media account.


50% sale on Norton Clothing.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Don't worry, give it a couple of years and you'll be able to buy a Chinkee YBR clone with a Norton badge.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Howling Terror]

Ahh The Norton Atlas...yeah well Mr Garner has to be kept in the manner he has slimed himself into.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[linuxyeti]

[pepperami]

[Polarbear]

Whatever the faults, this was one of the most beautiful bikes ever to come out of any factory in the world.

https://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/homepage-sport.jpg
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Howling Terror]

[Shaft]

[JackButler]

It has always been a house of cards.

SG needs both a good kicking & a few years jail, along with one or two that greased the slimy path.

I'm not sure if it has all gone tits up, this might still be part of a strategy to part the taxpayer with another few £millions.

If anyone loses £money as a customer, tough shit, you were warned.
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I clean my guns with the tears of the snivelling, left wing scum.

[Polarbear]

How many were actually sold then, anyone know?
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Sister Sledge]

Gorgeous bike that. With the casing cracks could you not caulk it like a ships timbers and continue to ride..
(whole saga sounds incredibly suspicious)
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CCM 404 DS

[wr6133]

Can't say I care.

£15000 for a 79BHP, Pushrod parallel twin? Agreed it is gorgeous but £15k?!?!?!?!

Still give it 6 months and there will be a Chinese version with a 650 twin, cheaper brakes and springs and costing £7k....... this will be a far more economically viable option.

[linuxyeti]

[UnknownStuntm...]

Never understood / understand the fascination with Norton. Pretty bikes? Really? Ok, so beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I'm willing to say it could look pretty. Nitride fat forks and Brembos look ok, but would on any bike (provemewrongkids)...

But that engine is guff, looks like it belongs behind glass in a war museum. And the frame looks to be made out of Wetherspoon straws. Tank looks like a 1972 CB350F.

Rotary engine, or whatever they were doing a while back sounded interesting - but that's about it.

I just don't get it.

[Easy-X]

What's the USP? Quick word association game:

"Triumph" - triple
"Enfield" - bullet
"Higher" - busa
"Kawasaki" - ninja

"Norton" - ....
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Polarbear]

[linuxyeti]

[pepperami]

[steve the grease]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[yen_powell]

[Bhud]

There was a Twitter account associated with an exasperated Norton employee that's now defunct. The allegations made via that account were interesting, and appeared to be supported by photographic evidence. Apparently, Norton engine cases were prone to crack and leak due to manufacturing defects (they got them made in China and then shipped over here). Therefore every engine they made was defective, allegedly. Also, that there was a huge backlog of unfulfilled orders, where some sizeable deposits were put down years ago for bikes that still hadn't been made. Also, that the plant wasn't really producing any new bikes, but trying to keep up with repairs on the ones they had already sold. As if that weren't enough, the plant's machines, tooling staff and materials were completely diverted to servicing, modifying and respraying the CEO's 4 Aston Martins, all the while the CEO had been badgering the govt for another bailout. Interesting.

I've always been tempted by Nortons. Clarks Norton in size 9 to be specific. Sure isn't the high tech sports bike company of 1987, is it. But the branded boots are remarkable.