Norton News 201A - Flipbook - Page 14
C
hange
happens
whether we want it
to or not. Sure, we
can rebuild a bike and
make it pretty much like it
was before it wore out. But
that depends on having
the parts and skills
needed, and that changes
too. Over the past ten
years or so, several
valued
Norton
parts
stockists have retired or
passed on. Most of the
British
bike
repair
specialists in my area
have also retired, leaving
those of us with some
mechanical skill to carry
on and support our fellow
club members as best we
can. There is some good news in that Andover Norton, our
“of昀椀cial” source for vintage parts seems to be thriving with
new leadership and dedicated staff. They have even sent
representatives to recent INOA rallies, well received and
much appreciated by those present.
Another big change is the recent release of new bikes by
Norton Motors, now owned by TVS Motor Company (India).
These Nortons are being built in a brand new factory in
England, and look nothing like our classic bikes or the similar
961 modern variants. Even the classic Norton curly script
logo has been changed to a more modern angular font. They
are still trying to draw on their history, with the lead headline
on their web site - “Return of a Legend”. They go on to say
“A Norton has always been more than a motorcycle. Every
line, every curve and every detail is deliberate.” And yet, the
bikes have few curves, and look like most other modern
bikes. To be honest, for the new Norton Manx with its 206 hp
V4 motor, a classic chassis design and running gear would
just not work, and they deserve credit for bringing this
ambitious design into production.
Even the new two-cylinder 585 cc Atlas models look
Number 201
11
Norton News
