 NORTON??
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3 |
i am reading an article in the Jan. issue of cycle world and it sez that So.Cal has the rights for distributorship in the U.S.and have Nortons for sale now. the one they show in the book is a Kenny Dreer bike and it sez they will soon have other models. I understand it is a U.K. Co. but i was wondering if they are being built in the UK??? it sez they start at about 18k U.S. Nortons were always nice but Triumphs always seem to fit me better, the one Norton i had was to tall, had to tip toe at a stop. 
ENJOY!!!!! NEWT!!!!!
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2 |
Yeah newt, the new Nortons are being built at the Donnington Park racetrack outside of London.
A few months back I had the pleasure to talk with the new english owner of Norton, Stuart Garner, while he was in SoCal finishing up business related talks with Matt Capri, the owner of South Bay Triumph, and who will be Norton's distributor in the U.S.
Garner told me when he heard Kenny Dreer's operation was folding due to lack of future funding, he decided to try and purchase it and return it to England. Once he was able to do that, and indeed return Norton to its homeland, they took Dreer's basic design for the all new 961 Nortons and have been refining it, and do expect to have the first production models ready for Matt to start selling by March 2010.
Garner did send two 961 non-runners over to Matt a few weeks ago so he could show them at the Cycle World Int'l M/C Show in Long Beach CA, and according to Matt, they pre-sold 6 units at the show.
(and I have to admit that I would almost kill to own one of those bee-you-tee-ful babies TOO!!!)
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3 |
i've always thought it would have been cool if Mr Bloor had been able to get both and use the Norton line to build bikes like the Thruxton, Daytona, Tiger (crotch rocket bikes) and the like and use the Triumph name for the Bonneville and cruiser lines. Then to run the Nortons on the track would be right and the Triumps rule the cruiser and nastolgia world. but it is nice to see the name back where it belongs. i hope it works out for the brand this time, but if their are going to charge 18-20K, i think they are going to go the way of Indian again.(i hear they are haveing trouble again, shut down the clothing line soooo???
ENJOY!!!!! NEWT!!!!!
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 386
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 386 |
a link to their website: norton motorcycles
Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should just get used to that fact and relax
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,028 Likes: 8
New Tires
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New Tires
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,028 Likes: 8 |
Bloor didn't want to do the retro line. He was wrong. I've owned old Nortons and Triumphs, I prefer new Triumphs. For the $ of a new Norton I can have 2 tricked out new Triumphs.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2 |
Quote:
Bloor didn't want to do the retro line. He was wrong. I've owned old Nortons and Triumphs, I prefer new Triumphs. For the $ of a new Norton I can have 2 tricked out new Triumphs.
I beg to differ, Mac.
Let's say you purchase a new Bonnie T100 or Thruxton for around $8K which'll put out around 55bhp. Then, in order to match the new Norton's claimed output of 80bhp, you add a big bore kit and hotter cams to the Triumph(and let's say here that you have a shop and not yourself install it all) for an additional $1500. Then, in order for the bike to handle that additional power on the road, you add those Olin shocks and upgraded forks such as those already on the Norton for an additional $1000 to $1500. Then, in order to make it stop a little better, you add those Brembo brakes fore and aft, which once again, such as those on the Norton, for an additional $1000-$1200.
And so, once you're done making your modern Bonnie or Thruxton as powerful, and having as many high-end components attached to it as the Norton has stock, then you'd have an approximate total expenditure of around $13K, and that's still a rather conservative figure there.
And so, yes, that's still somewhere about $5K less than the new Norton, but by my calculations, two "tricked out new Triumphs" which would(or at least "theorically" would) match the performace of the new Nortons, would run ya somewhere around $26,000, and that's still about $8,000 more than the price of one Norton.
Now, my concern with this new Norton would be the issue that this is a totally new design, and you know what they say about staying away from any vehicle's first-year model run, due of course to possible "teething problems" that may surface in them.
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 95
Member
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Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 95 |
You are so right. You can not eat nostalgia.
2008 BA, Ageon Blue, roadster shield, light bar. tach, big bags, square engine guard, short sissy with rack. All Triumph parts. No mods.
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,616
Check Pants
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Check Pants
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,616 |
Heres the question...I wonder if their t-shirts run small like the Triumph ones? 
SOLD: 07 Black BA, 39mm FCRs, TPUSA stage 1 head, TPUSA 813 cams, TPUSA 10.8:1 pistons, TTP #3 igniter, Specialty Spares Long Cannons, Tsukayu Hard Bags. 82HP/55tq
NEW: 19 Goldwing Tour DCT
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Re: NORTON??
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354 |
Quote:
Heres the question...I wonder if their t-shirts run small like the Triumph ones?
Let's get Gordy to order one to find out...  
Cheers Gordy!! 
Blue/White 2007 TBA, Thruxton needles, Unifilter, AI removed, Polaris Bellmouth, Bubs, Nology Coils/wires, Lightbar, Ricor Intiminators, Hagon Nitros, Tall Sissy Bar w/luggage rack, Dart flyscreen & Lowers. 130 Mains, TrueGel Battery MG12-BS.
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