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What killed off the Commandos? Euro-5

Submitted by michael_coare on Tue, 10/11/2020
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Modern Nortons

Well it's official now, the 961 Commando range has 2021 as a year of grace before it's forced to  permanently hang up it's boots (tyres?). From what I gather, its not feasible to make it Euro-5 compliant, so thats the end of the road quite literally for big air-cooled twins like these.

I found an article that explains the whole Euro story, its an American website but still makes a good read.

I shall miss Internal Combustion engines when they go (assuming I live that long), I've loved and tinkered with them for 50 years. An electrical whirring sound doesnt have any appeal to me whatsoever...

https://www.motorcycle.com/features/what-you-need-to-know-about-euro-5-emission-standards-for-motorcycles.html

 

Submitted by john_holmes on Tue, 10/11/2020

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It was a dead engine to TVS anyway, manufacturing rights sold off by Garner to China in the last few days before the end. Euro 5 would have killed it but it was dead already.

Submitted by michael_coare on Tue, 10/11/2020

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John, I'm not sure thats entirely the case. Obviously more stuff about Garner's activities has yet to come out of the woodwork, but as far as I recall, the deal he did with Zongshen only gave them certain intellectual rights to the 650 engine, and a joint partnership in terms of it's manufacture.

Their rights only extended to China, with Norton (Garner) retaining UK/RoW rights. I'm not sure of a 961 connection, but nevertheless, that may have soured the well sufficiently for TVS to wipe their hands of it.

No doubt we will know more in the months to come. A sad end, as I'm sure there was still potential in a properly sorted Commando, and there seemed enough demand with buyers putting down their money.

Submitted by john_holmes on Tue, 10/11/2020

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961 rights went to another Chinese company, he also sent a letter to 961 suppliers telling them who how had the rights and they had to deal with the new rights owners.

Submitted by michael_coare on Tue, 10/11/2020

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Thanks for that detail John, a sad and unneccesary end. Time will tell what the next iteration of the Commando name will be, but it's unlikely to resemble anything that came from Andover.

Submitted by tim_harrison on Tue, 10/11/2020

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If you look at the video on the News Board you will see that Norton intend to fulfill orders for 961's and who knows a few may be for sale additionally. The 961 cannot meet euro5 regs and therefore production must cease. The partnership with the Chinese firm concerns the 650 twin engine and was agreed well before the company went into administration. John Russell confirms in the video that this partnership continues.

Submitted by john_holmes on Tue, 10/11/2020

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There is a partnership for the 650 engines which has a future, but also a separate sale to a different Chinese company of the 961 engine manufacturing rights, this is not a partnership but a full sale so kills the 961 engine. 2 transactions 2 different results.

Submitted by mark_woodward on Wed, 11/11/2020

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I suppose you could say that the 2010 - 2020 961 Commando lasted about as long as the first incarnation (1967 - 77) - 10 years, so not bad - not as many made however - 961 - ??? against the first  - circa 55,000.

Mark, you make an interesting comparison there- although I doubt the 961 could scoop MCN Bike of the Year for 5 straight years! I think thats a unique achievement.

I suppose at some point in the future, Garner's version of events will emerge, but that remains to be seen. I think he's still in legal do-do over the pension scam, and rightly so, so keeping his head down is his only option for now.

 

 


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