Norton published a drawing of its new 1200 cc V4 superbike yesterday (above), while stating the following on its Facebook page:
“Norton today unveil their all new V4 bike, featuring the new Norton 1200cc engine and tubular aluminium chassis, all bikes are to be hand built at the Donington Hall factory.
The bike will be publicly unveiled for the first time at the UK’s NEC Motorcycle Live show in Nov. 2016. With deliveries expected in mid 2017.
Norton are now taking enquiries for the V4 which will launch with a 200 limited edition model. To place your interest please follow the link to the Norton website below; http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/.”
This is really all the information available on the 1200, but a lengthy interview in Cycle News contains comments by Simon Skinner, Executive Director and Head of Design at Norton, concerning a supercharged 650cc parallel twin bike currently under development by the firm. Skinner foresees a somewhat unrealistic power-to-weight ratio when he states “A bike weighing 150 kg (330 lb.) with 170 bhp from a supercharged 650 twin would go like stink as well as being environmentally friendly, and better on fuel and emissions.”
Cycle News concludes that a “huge range of upcoming models for Norton” will follow the V4 1200. We would love to see it.
Why all the negative crap? Lets see what its like when its released. Isnt any new Motorcycle exciting? It has two wheels so that’s a good thing right?
It is downright Beautiful
If Norton were still leaving the research and development to Brian Crighton I’d be excited. As it is, not so much. http://www.crightonracing.com/index.htm
Anyone remembers Norton Nemesis? Different entrepreneurs, true, however same b$&@it is my prediction. They did not manage to build a simple engine themselves, let alone a complex v4…….
“Skinner foresees a somewhat unrealistic power-to-weight ratio when he states “A bike weighing 150 kg (330 lb.) with 170 bhp from a supercharged 650 twin would go like stink as well as being environmentally friendly, and better on fuel and emissions.”
The dude is quite skilled at one thing at least: world-class hyperbole.
MCN here in the UK says 100hp / 100kgs.
Just what the world needs, another overpowered, overpriced, and ridiculously complex sportbike.
If you’re just going to follow the competition Norton, why bother? If I was dying for a 1200 V4, I’d get a Honda with proven reliability long before paying more for a faux Norton.
How about a new 850 Interstate with gobs of torque and reliability? Go with fuel injection and water cooling if you must, but keep it as simple, elemental and classic looking as possible. Most importantly, price it like a CB1100. Such a bike would carve it’s own niche.
Well, you know how it works… Win on Sunday sell on Monday…
They should prove they can beat the competition in the high performance end of the motorcycle spectrum in order to sell all the other genres…
Car manufacturers play by the same rules. Like the world needs another Ford GT or a mid-motor Corvette right?? 😉
Has anyone told Harley?
If you’d choose the VFR1200 over this, then you have your own questions to answer. It’s possibly the dullest ‘sport’ bike you could ever consider.
Oh yeah, so you want top spec and build quality at bargain-bin prices. Consider the second hand market, it’s right there looking at you.
Made me look at their Web site. I didn’t even know they were building. Really incredible looking bikes. Maybe the future of bikes is 2 wheeled suv’s with sawed down car engines. Direct injection vs superchargers getting 100 mpg instead of 200hp but they look good.
Norton has always built beautiful bikes, and this is no exception. They already have a line of retro styled Commando’s…would like to see a slightly modernized Atlas as well.
All the best for their success.
170bhp from. a supercharged 650 twin sounds like an overstressed motor, compared to the 200bhp from Kawi H2’s 1000cc four
I call total BS on those numbers. It would need race gas and probably nitrous. Also you won’t get 3,000 miles before it falls apart.
Oh, the places they won’t go. This has as much chance as I have of competing in the 2020 Olympics.
What event are you in Wendy?
Like Ralph Cramden used to say, “One of these days, Norton, one of these days…”
LOL!!
Excellent reference for all us old farts. Well played, sir.
Thanks!
Delivery should begin right after the first Elio’s are delivered.
Norton is a world-class leader in producing cutting edge motorcycle design renderings.
Hilarious.
What a waste of the legendary marque. I can’t even imagine the name going on something that doesn’t honor the past in some way. Yeah, it’s been tried and failed, but it should be tried again. This thing simply borrows styling ques from every where. And I think the ultra narrow niche/boutique bikes shouldn’t even be considered news.
I read everyone who orders in advance and puts down a deposit gets a new Skully Motorcycle Helmet
I laughed!
Must be a slow news week.
This kind of products can only be produced at stratospheric prices and the company has to be backed my strong sales or affordable (read profitable) products (Veyron by Volkswagen Golf made in Mexico, Valkyrie Rune by millions of CB125s sold in China, india and latin america).
Of course I could be wrong and this could happen to be just like that best seller and lovely Norton VR6… wait a sec…
I wonder if this will be as much of a failure as the commando was.
Norton joins the twentyfirst century. Welcome to the future.
Well, they better do something fast, with the sales pummeling I’m sure the Thruxton is delivering to the 961. I wonder if Garner and Bloor still are on talking terms?
I sounds interesting. But Norton and almost happened but not quite are somewhat synonymous.
Till proven otherwise I presume the reliability of this announcement, and the quality of the bike itself, shall be less than the quality of the above marketing drivel. (Note: This is solely a critique of Norton’s marketing text and unrelated to MCD.)
“Norton today unveil their all new V4 bike, featuring the new Norton 1200cc engine and tubular aluminium chassis, all bikes are to be hand built at the Donington Hall factory…”
See note below Re. “unveil.” Let me see…the bike shows in three months, but no photos available today, only renderings. Right. The author types a comma where belongs a period? Really?
“…The bike will be publicly unveiled for the first time at the UK’s NEC Motorcycle Live show in Nov. 2016. With deliveries expected in mid 2017…”
I just read Norton “today unveil.” Is it November already? Calendar impaired, much? Best wishes if you “expect” more than more renderings “mid 2017.” I doubt the last sentence is one.
“…Norton are now taking enquiries for the V4 which will launch with a 200 limited edition model. To place your interest please follow the link to the Norton website below; http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/…”
Translation: Naive and/or stupid persons w/more money than brains, please apply. The more of both qualities, the better.
While we traipse down this path: I wish Suzuki would release that sweet six-cylinder concept bike circa 2010.
OK, I lied above. Dirck, beyond a certain point of ridiculousness, are you not obligated to read the supplied text and RTS unpublished? The only exception would appear to be to lay naked Norton’s utter imbecility, a task certainly fulfilled.
I will say this: MyBalogna here’s posts have improved markedly last couple of days. I’m curious as to why –
a) Finally got laid? (No offense, I can relate)
b) Took LSD
HMMMMMMMM
It’s the audio track on the videos… remember the high performance headphones dammit!!.
Maybe get a day job to afford headphones that did not come free in your Cocoa Puffs box.
Great reading your comments on subjects about which you know nothing and have no experience. “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt.”
Most of the grammar crap you are on about is the difference between English English and American English. Don’t let it get under your skin buddy.
Don’t let it get under your skin that you failed fourth grade British grammar. Get your GED and learn a new phrase: “run-on sentence.”
Grammar check is your friend.
don’t feed the trolls