NORTON back in production

[BSAchop]

more folks is California looking to get fleeced ?

if a real deal like Dreer couldnt make a go of norton in good financial times, why would this new norton be a viable enterprise in bad times?

norton is dead. just like matchless and velocette and sunbeam and vincent and on and on.....

Grand Paul did right by building his own. Dreer should have stuck with norton rebuilds.

[grandpaul]

Stuart Gardner has deep pockets, and will probably make a profit earlier than John Bloor did with Triumph. Several reasons - less expensive buy-in, all the work done for him (short of production), WAY smaller ASSEMBLY facilities (have you seen pix? it's a pre-fab steel building, not a modern factory), vast majority of parts manufactured by others, ONLY ONE MODEL (basically), I could go on...

[Monkeyshines]

Actually those are very good points paul. To me the kicker will be price, I don't remember what the dreer bikes were going to be tagged as but I do remember thinking it was too high and exclusive.

Originally Posted by BSAchop

more folks is California looking to get fleeced ?

if a real deal like Dreer couldnt make a go of norton in good financial times, why would this new norton be a viable enterprise in bad times?

norton is dead. just like matchless and velocette and sunbeam and vincent and on and on.....

Grand Paul did right by building his own. Dreer should have stuck with norton rebuilds.

You're a genuine pessimistic buzzkill about 80% of the time you open your mouth.

[sdsailor]

Originally Posted by BSAchop

more folks is California looking to get fleeced ?

if a real deal like Dreer couldnt make a go of norton in good financial times, why would this new norton be a viable enterprise in bad times?

norton is dead. just like matchless and velocette and sunbeam and vincent and on and on.....

Grand Paul did right by building his own. Dreer should have stuck with norton rebuilds.

Several reasons why they should make it. First they had most of the development done by Dreer. Dreer only failed because the venture capitalists wanted a return faster than he could deliver.

Being the new company does not have to seek outside funding it is an entirely different ball game.

Oh and don't count out other Brit brands coming back, Bloor got the rights to BSA with the triumph marquee. I wouldn't be surprised to see some retro BSA's one day.

[Travman]

Just received an press release type email from South Bay Triumph about the new 961 Commando. I guess South Bay Triumph is the first U.S. dealership for the new Norton.

http://www.southbaynorton.com/Press.html

"The new 2010 Norton 961 SE Commando pricing has been announced:
MSRP $17,899 for the spoke wheeled 961 Commando SE!
MSRP $19,499 for the carbon fibre wheeled 961 Commando SE!"

[ArcherSix]

Little pricey, but it sure beats the hell outta 30 grand for a new Indian...

and aren't they supposed to be coming out with a cheaper model soon? Price it along the likes of a Duc Montser and I think it'll go well for the Brits.

[grandpaul]

The spoke-wheeled model IS the "cheaper" one!

[Travman]

I think Archer is correct. After these 200 Special Editions are built then the regular Commandos will be built & sold in the spring or next summer. According to their press release these SE versions are already sold. I assume these regular Commandos won't have the Ohlins suspension

"Next month, the company is expecting to boost its profile further when it unveils its 961 Commando and Cafe Racer Commando at the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show 2009 at Birmingham's NEC." These should be the cheaper versions.

[dcproofrock]

This guy Gardner can blow smoke with the best of them. Earlier press releases said that production bikes would be out at the beginning of the summer. Then it was to be the end of the summer (We'll sell no wine before it's time. Or some such nonsense)
Now he'll start to deliver 200 "Special Editions" in December. Yet somehow he is "ahead" of where his business plan predicted. This must be business plan "D" he is referring to.

It would be ok to say he bit off more than he could chew without any embarrasment provided he delivers a good bike eventually. It's not like he has to keep the stockholders on the hook while reality sets in.

I wish him luck. I hope he can bring to market a bike of the quality he has promised over the last year.