This new Norton machine has been on the development workshop floor for quite a few years now. When it was first launched at the NEC I remember thinking that it was one of the most exciting things at the show. You could put your deposit down and get in line and the bikes looked very resolved and sorted.
Then there was some 'road test' around Donnington done by a biking journo on a 'pre-production machine' that was posted up on YouTube and he was putting a positive slant on everything but even he couldn't hide the fact that the engine clearly needed more work, throwing up a few doubts to those with aspirations to purchase at that time, I shouldn't wonder.
From what I understand, it's been a tough journey for the new owners. This bike has cost far more to get to the showroom floors that was expected because although the new engine and much of the bike was already modelled up and simulated in the cad system at the time that the company was formed, the actual work to build, test, develop and productionise was far more complicated and drawn out in practice. Work that had been done had to be virtually completely done again. Hence all the delays, very limited supply of bikes and extra input from outside investors.
So, I deduce from the fact that more money is being pumped into the company that the product is much more fit for purpose and profitable in production than in the last few years and that therefore, Norton might just be turned a significant corner in the latest company history.
Good luck to them, I say...and stay British!
