Return of Norton?

[daveuprite]

If you wanted a very good sporty V4 Superbike, then you'd buy an Aprilia.

Slightly off topic, but... I really like Aprilias. From the magical RS250 to the V4. and the under-rated Shiver. But still my favourite is the RSV v-twin, whether it's in a Falco, a Tuono or an RSVR - that's a great engine. I took part in the Mille Challenge Cup and loved it, but when I took one of the (then brand new) V4s round Brands at an Aprilia day I didn't like it as much. A beautiful howl and very nice to ride it certainly was, but there's something special about the RSV. And every time I met a V4 owner at a track day, they always had the bike plugged into a laptop trying to sort out ECU / fuelling issues.

[Hugh]

Greetings,

In view of some of the past comments I have added an extra very big angry sex crazed dog to sleep next to my Mk111

TTFN

Hugh.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

If you wanted a very good sporty V4 Superbike, then you'd buy an Aprilia.

Slightly off topic, but... I really like Aprilias. From the magical RS250 to the V4. and the under-rated Shiver. But still my favourite is the RSV v-twin, whether it's in a Falco, a Tuono or an RSVR - that's a great engine. I took part in the Mille Challenge Cup and loved it, but when I took one of the (then brand new) V4s round Brands at an Aprilia day I didn't like it as much. A beautiful howl and very nice to ride it certainly was, but there's something special about the RSV. And every time I met a V4 owner at a track day, they always had the bike plugged into a laptop trying to sort out ECU / fuelling issues.

Me too...the most 'grin on the face' bike I ever rode was the 450 V-twin enduro...not sure that ownership would be quite so good though.

But, yes, I've never ridden a bad aprilia...and my 650 Pegaso was super-reliable too. Owned from new for 10 years, and the only unscheduled parts needed were 2x front brake light switches, and 2 x sidestand bolts.

Got a Gen 1 Mille in the garage and keep looking at the new 660 videos...When you take the bodywork off the Mille you see how beautifully-built they are.

KTM poached the designer of the Mille engine off Rotax to design the 950...and I've got one of those in the garage too (KTM originally wanted to use the Mille engine, but Aprilia said 'no').

[daveuprite]

Do you happen to know the story of how Stuart Garner persuaded Aprilia to release their V4 for use in the Norton ?

I was surprised when it happened. I suppose the new Norton Ltd was never going to be any kind of threat to Aprilia so they had might as well, just as BMW allowed Bimota to use their S1000RR in the BB2 - if you're only making 26 of 'em it's hardly an issue...).

[Crossrutted]

Me too...the most 'grin on the face' bike I ever rode was the 450 V-twin enduro...not sure that ownership would be quite so good though.

I had a Aprilia RXV 550 Enduro for a couple of years - loved it(mostly).

It was well built, with quality components and the engine was fantastic. And being Italian it looked and sounded great.
It had the single Arrow can exhaust fitted and amusingly emitted flames several feet long upon start up under some conditions, looked great in poor light!!

It's only fault was that it hated UK winters, so refused to start from cold reliably in winter. If it didn't start within about the first 2 -3 cranks you were
in trouble. (No problems in summer or once warm).
My solution was to remove and warm the rear plug but who wants to do that for an early Sunday morning ride ?

Wish I still had it though.

[chrisjk]

I always have difficulty in understanding why people seem so keen to take over "names from the past". Whatever the new owner comes up with, it isn't going to be what the name was known for, so why bother? If you want to make fancy machines, do so and call them whatever you like.

I can see of course that there will be a lingering brand value attched to some brands but if all you are buying is a name, it seems a probably expensive way of advertising given that you are then somewhat committed to maintaining those attributes that made the brand famous in the first place.

As a potential customer I only ever consider the product and the way the seller/manufacturer deals with customers, I couldn't care less about the name on the tank or the back of the car etc. So if Norton MkIV or whatever the product is, is a great machine etc. etc. I might well buy it but not because it's called a Norton.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

I'd say that's a very sensible response, but also a minority one for the motorcycle market.
Manufacturers work very hard to build and maintain a 'brand heritage' by racing and other activities and those that don't struggle.

The American company Polaris struggled against Harley-Davidson because their invented brand Victory meant nothing to anyone. so they shut down Victory and buy the Indian name, selling a revised product into exactly the same market and bingo!, H-D is struggling. they also had the wit to take the Indian name racing again.

If modern Triumph wasn't Triumph, what would it be...an obscure brand making under-rated motorcycles in Thailand.

KTM keeps buying rivals, and dumping the product but keeping the brand. The acquisition of Husqvarna was driven not by the quality of the product (which was frankly shocking) but by the heritage and brand recognition it had in the crucial US market.

There's an interesting article in the current issue of RUST where the 690 KTM is pitched against the 701 Husky, and the testers riding both back to back struggle to find a definable substantive difference between the two. Do you prefer white and blue, or orange and white? There will no doubt be a GasGas in the mix shortly, for folk who like red bikes.