Norton in administration

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Tax due Jan 31?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51303905

I bet HMRC treat them worse than they do Amazon...

[garyboy]

I was shocked to read the headlines on TV …
even tho I dont know anything about it all.
reading the reactions on fb .. people seem to think the owner was a bit of a sharp character, that this is a` tactical` move .. and that the bikes were changed too much, while the competition, Triumph, had the retro thing `nailed`?

Personally, I always lusted after a Norton Commando .. my mate had one in the seventies, I think …. its power seemed awesome, delivered in a different way to modern screemers.
But the last image of the new ones seemed stupidly ugly, to me .. just my personal opinion.

It seems that an iconic bike brand was badly managed, to me .. ?
perhaps it needed some genuine bike enthusiasts to manage it???? … dunno?

[lancashirelad]

On the BBC it said two hotels he also owns had gone into administration also?

[paul_tim2000]

I looked at this a couple of months ago and it seemed that there was a lot of smoke and mirrors going on in the finances. Very difficult to get an accurate picture from the publicly available information but I wouldn't have put the pension investments into it.

Maybe someone with (very) deep pockets will finance it but I have doubts as the business model doesn't really look sustainable.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Did Norton ever deliver any of the 'lightweight' twins (Dominators?) that were going to open up markets beyond the premium/collector types?

I do hope Triumph doesn't get tangled up in a 'rescue'

[daveuprite]

I do hope Triumph doesn't get tangled up in a 'rescue'

I dunno, is that really such a bad idea? Triumph has shown exactly how to resurrect an old brand and make it into a successful modern marque with a strong image, decent quality standards and a wide range of bikes for all kinds of buyers.

I could see them as a logical buyer for Norton, which would feel cheap to a business the current size of Triumph. The brand names sit together very well historically speaking. Maybe they could use the Norton badge for a range of premium top-end 'specials'. Something like the way they market the Thruxton 'R' right now, or in the way that MV sells much higher-priced special versions of their standard bikes with exotic parts/materials.

Or do the opposite, and make Norton the plodder range. Simpler, cheaper bikes, along the lines of what Royal Enfield now offer.

Not sure, just ideas, but it's a shame to see it disappear completely. I can't believe that no-one would buy the name at least, for later use. It's a lot easier to launch a completely new bike when it has a name that's familiar to people.

Personally if I were John Bloor I'd acquire Norton and attach the name to a new range of performance electric road and sports bikes. Something completely different, in touch with the times and the future, but wrapped around a reassuringly well-known name.

[Asgard]

The latest stuff though beautifull was for a niche market , I believe more were bought by collectors and ocd bike polishers than to actually be ridden

[Helicoptermanr22]

Very sad for an iconic brand!

NORTON MOTORCYCLES (UK) LIMITED
DONINGTON HALL CASTLE DONINGTON, DERBY, DERBYSHIRE, DE74 2SG
ACTIVE 06718623
Cash: £58.1k Net Worth: £-4,786,507
Assets: £4.1M Liabilities: £7.5M

[Slowboy]

It looks like Norton has had more that it's fair share of chancers and under-talented over-sellers these last many years. Maybe it's time to let it go, so we can remember the company with fondness rather than disappointment.

They only sold under-developed overpriced shiny things for the terminally optimistic. Now it looks like there was potentially serious malpractice and tax issues. Time will tell.

How may paid deposits on the Atlas that never was when they could have bought a Benelli?

Looks like Spondon will have gone down with the sinking ship to.

A company which reportedly had significantly (very significantly) more liabilities than assets.

Who knew snake oil could come in a motorcycle shaped bottle.

[garyboy]

Or do the opposite, and make Norton the plodder range. Simpler, cheaper bikes, along the lines of what Royal Enfield now offer.

Personally if I were John Bloor I'd acquire Norton and attach the name to a new range of performance electric road and sports bikes. Something completely different, in touch with the times and the future, but wrapped around a reassuringly well-known name.

I would like to see Norton resurrected as bike range that emulated the Commando …. but more of a low torque plodder with plenty of power .. air cooled injected, low revving power … like the original but better suspension and no-vibe twin. …. a bit like the new commando was but more retro and lower torque, looking and feeling more like the original.

(it was a bit like .. do you prefer the Beatles or the Stones .. int old days … comparing Nortons with Triumphs ?)