Skip to main content
English French German Italian Spanish

Norton in trouble

The rumors are getting out of hand, in fact they don't seem to be rumors any more. Check out Brian Crichtons comments at the bottom of the page.

http://www.bikerglory.com/2012/08/the-norton-saga/

Permalink

Well, Brian's comments are not the latest newsbut surprise no-one who has takenany interest in the start-up. Then again, I was surprised how open Brian speaks.I respect him for it.

Permalink

I think Brians comments are from a man that has been there, done that, got the T-shirt and ridden the bike. It is a pity that he has been caught up in what looks like bit of a sham.

But, every cloud and all that. What about one of your companies getting involved in a buy out, it isn't a bad product and I am sure with the right management and funding it could have a profitable place in the market. By some of the positive comments from their customers it looks like the front of house staff have the right attitude.

Permalink

Ralph, Been there, done that. Don't want to get involved. Two reasons:

- Been in the industry- and in Nortons- for 35 years, so I KNOW WHAT IT COSTS. Wouldn't start such an undertaking without having 2-figure millions backing me and the realistichope for three-figure millions later on. That is what is needed to first put the manufacture of the 961 on sound financial footing and then to progress to amore contemporary and exciting model range.

- Plus, as you may have gathered from my remark above, I do consider the 961 neither contemporary, nor exciting. Spoke with Kenny Dreer at length how it was "designed", and in fact it wasn't. It was development of the original Commando, a bike perceived as "vintage" by most in the 1970s, gone haywire and ending up with something else. Not the "white piece of paper, let's design a modern bike" kind of story sold to the public later on.

By now the 961 design is already a decade old. Not something I would want to build Norton's future on, and I said exactly that when Kenny Dreer visited me in late 2002 (!)and showed me the CAD files on his laptop.

Permalink

<!-- /* Font Definitions */@font-face{font-family:"ï?ï?? ææ";panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;mso-font-charset:128;mso-generic-font-family:roman;mso-font-format:other;mso-font-pitch:fixed;mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face{font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face{font-family:Cambria;panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"ï?ï?? ææ";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}a:link, span.MsoHyperlink{mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;color:blue;text-decoration:underline;text-underline:single;}a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed{mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;color:purple;mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;text-decoration:underline;text-underline:single;}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"ï?ï?? ææ";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}@page WordSection1{size:8.5in 11.0in;margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;mso-header-margin:.5in;mso-footer-margin:.5in;mso-paper-source:0;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}-->

Before you believe that the posting byNick on the bikerglory blog is the gospel on Norton, you should take a look atthe following interview conducted by respected industry insider, ToddHalterman.http://www.motorcycleinsurance.com/inte... ortongate/It appears that Nick, the writer of the Biker Glory piece was wrong and judgingby his comments, I'm starting to believe his sole intent is to slander Nortonrather than to provide an objective perspective. Stuart Garner clearly answeredhis allegations regarding delayed delivery times, problems with suppliers andprevious employees of Norton. The simple fact is that his op-ed (must refer toit as a heavily slanted editorial piece) only references the opinions ofdisgruntled former suppliers and employees, as well as customers that chose toget refunds rather than wait for their bike. Mr. Garner clearly expressed his remorsefor the mistakes the company has made in the article with Todd. As a privatecompany, Norton is under no obligation to talk about current financialsalthough Mr. Garner did indicate that the company is well-positioned tocontinue growing. I hardly think that a reputable company such as Santanderwould partner with Norton as a racing sponsor if the company were in financialdifficulty. Nick can continue to publish the accounts of the disenchanted, andpretend they are news, but what he's really doing in attempting to tarnishNorton is losing his own credibility and making those the perpetuate hisignorant rant, equally disdained.

Permalink

Come on you lot, stop slandering an effort to make Norton work!, I,ve got one , had to wait nov2009 till march 2011, had a few teething troubles, all put

right very quickly, now done over 3,000 miles, going better all the time! Fly the flag praise Stuart Garner for what he is trying to do, help sell them, not break

the business!

Clive Willis

Permalink

"Over 3000 miles" - I've done that in a month on an old-type Commando. How times and expectations have changed !

Permalink

Previously wrote:

"Over 3000 miles" - I've done that in a month on an old-type Commando. How times and expectations have changed !

cheer up, you will break them yet, take the blinkers off!

Permalink

Previously wrote:

Before you believe that the posting by Nick on the bikerglory blog is the gospel on Norton, you should take a look at the following interview conducted by respected industry insider, Todd Halterman.http://www.motorcycleinsurance.com/inte ... ortongate/It appears that Nick, the writer of the Biker Glory piece was wrong and judging by his comments, I'm starting to believe his sole intent is to slander Norton rather than to provide an objective perspective. Stuart Garner clearly answered his allegations regarding delayed delivery times, problems with suppliers and previous employees of Norton. The simple fact is that his op-ed (must refer to it as a heavily slanted editorial piece) only references the opinions of disgruntled former suppliers and employees, as well as customers that chose to get refunds rather than wait for their bike. Mr. Garner clearly expressed his remorse for the mistakes the company has made in the article with Todd. As a private company, Norton is under no obligation to talk about current financials although Mr. Garner did indicate that the company is well-positioned to continue growing. I hardly think that a reputable company such as Santander would partner with Norton as a racing sponsor if the company were in financial difficulty. Nick can continue to publish the accounts of the disenchanted, and pretend they are news, but what he's really doing in attempting to tarnish Norton is losing his own credibility and making those the perpetuate his ignorant rant, equally disdained.

Hello, Its the same old story , witch I herd it all before somewhere , they just like hiding the truth, we do not need to dish the Norton mark They can do that bit a by them selfs ,by not getting bikes to there costumers on time, I can see it all hitting a brick wall before too long , It was a very brave attempt but Norton not going to go far with the model they are building , something new as to come out of Norton's Dodington park workshops and sooner than later . So they need to think out side the box on this one , Yours Anna J

 


Norton Owners Club Website by White-Hot Design