Norton pull plug on the Atlas range

[The Spin Doctor]

Despite being shown to MCN as a 'pre-production model' back in October 2019 in the Stuart Garner era, the Zongshen 650 engined pair of Norton Altas machines, the Ranger and Nomad, have been cancelled, at least for the time being.

Norton CEO Dr Robert Hentschel said in a statement "Over the last two years, our passion and focus has been to develop a new range of Norton motorcycles that will deliver the brand into the modern era.”

“As such, we have now confirmed that there are no plans to produce the Atlas range in the near future.”

You'll recall that Norton was bought out by Indian firm TVS Motors, who have reengineered the V4 SV superbike and got that back on the market, but the backstory on the engine is interesting, since the motor was actually developed by Norton and engineering specialists Ricardo as a Norton engine.

It was planned to use the engine built by Norton in the Atlas, which was billed to be an affordable motorcycle. A deal was done back in 2017 to allow the motor to be produced in China under a ‘Design and Licence’ deal with Zongshen that would have allowed the Chinese manufacturer to locally produce and use the engines in its motorcycles.

As Norton ran into deeper and deeper financial trouble, the entire design was sold off to Zhongshen.

Under the new Indian owners, the plan was to have Zhongshen built the motors and supply them to Norton.

Why that's fallen through is open to a bit of speculation. If you want my guesses, I'd suspect it's one or more of the following:

:: that the requirement to start developing an all-electric motorcycle has become a bigger priority

:: Zhongshen are asking too much for the motor

:: the 'premium' Norton brand doesn't want to be associated with a budget 'made in China' engine even if it's their own design

:: they want to source a motor from India

Any thoughts?

[JackyJoll]

I think I got bored of it 25 years ago.

[A_morti]

They have been beaten to the punch anyway.
If someone wanted a heritage-branded scrambler with a Chinese engine, they could buy this. The Norton would have cost £12k according to MCN, this is £8k.


https://www.visordown.com/news/new-bike ... -scrambler

[Bustaspoke]

Norton? do they make bikes?
I thought it was the name of a soap opera

[Supermofo]

Given Triumph, BSA, Norton etc were all wayyyyyy before my time none of the names really mean anything to me.

But Triumph did it right and are successful in their own right enough that they can get away with harking back to their heyday and it works.

Norton are just a mess and really are just a massive Indian firm looking to cash in on a name sullied by a chancer who was also looking to cash in on the name. It'd be nice if they make a success of it but really I don't care much. Plus you feel like they've missed the boat. Triumph have made a killing off the retro market and that'll die to a large extent once petrol power is canned, which will be just as Norton really enter the market.

Royal Enfield works as they haven't really changed. They are retro without needing to try.

BSA. Not sure, looks like another cash in job.

The other elephant in the room is that only 1 is still British if that matters, which given the PR it seems to. BSA, RE, Norton are like new Mini's.

[A_morti]

that'll die to a large extent once petrol power is canned

Sure? For every super modern Sondors, there's a retro electric bike already:

[Skub]

When the new Commando came out a while back I thought it was a good looking stand alone motorcycle,but I personally feel no nostalgia for British marques as I never owned,or wanted any. When I started in 1972,the young me lusted after Jap bikes.

Some random businessman failing to stick another mudplugging,ugly adv bike on the market means nothing at all to me,regardless of which badge he has bought to sell it.

All the folk who rode Nortons in their callow youth are now fading from the scene and as such are no longer potential customers,but I suppose the hipster,retro vibe still attaches itself to certain brand names.

Anyway,I'm mostly underwhelmed by the whole affair.

[Supermofo]

that'll die to a large extent once petrol power is canned

Sure? For every super modern Sondors, there's a retro electric bike already:

I guess here I'm talking things like Triumph making FI look like carbs, the engine cases look like old Bonnies etc. Sure you can make the silhouette retro but really it's the engine and tank the designers go for. I'm sure things will change but having been to the Triumph factory and seeing the effort they go to in styling things to look 60s a leccy bike just doesn't cut it in the same way.

[Horse]

The other elephant in the room is that only 1 is still British if that matters, which given the PR it seems to. BSA, RE, Norton are like new Mini's.

And MGs!

[Mr. Dazzle]

that'll die to a large extent once petrol power is canned

Sure? For every super modern Sondors, there's a retro electric bike already:

yeah they've really nailed the styling there

[A_morti]

yeah they've really nailed the styling there

Not easy to convince the eye there's not a big square battery behind those plastic bits.
They're still working on it. The new one is a bit more flowing.

[Bigjawa]

All the folk who rode Nortons in their callow youth are now fading from the scene and as such are no longer potential customers,but I suppose the hipster,retro vibe still attaches itself to certain brand names.

Anyway,I'm mostly underwhelmed by the whole affair.

Hipster types are going to be after old shit like Superdreams and Bandits to fix up as they're plentiful and still relatively cheap. I don't know anybody who has bought a new bike lately apart from an old chap of 77 who bought a brand new 125. Any man bun wearers won't be forking out 8k plus ona new bike when they can get something that does the same job for less than half that.