Any Motörbike riders here?

p90fool

zedhex said:

Apologies if someone has already posted this but, speaking as someone who has been into bikes for over 30 years, why is it that everyone in TV/Movie/advertising land seems to think that all bikers like heavy metal music?

Our girly pop group struggles a bit with this, despite the fact that year in year out we prove it's not true. 

We've had bikers at our local big rally dancing on the tables to Blame it on the Boogie and hundreds of them singing their hearts out to I Will Survive, but the organisers still never give us a decent late night slot. 

They fail to realise that everyone wants a change after the sixth time of hearing the same AC/DC, Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy songs. 

Kittyfrisk

Very sad news, Norton goes into administration   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51303905

guitargeek62

So much for that single investor they just had! I thought that seemed a bit fishy though, the numbers didn't look attractive at all.

Shame that we won't get to see the new Atlas  models released, the formal hearing is in a couple of weeks so wait till then to be sure.

Nunogilberto

That is a shame about Norton. Loved the look of the V4SS. Funnily enough, John McGuiness tweeted something about their owner recently, along the lines of 'if you see him, tell him I'd like a word'...

Kittyfrisk

Yes, it isn't over quite yet, but doesn't look good.
Real pity, as their recent bikes have been really good looking & performing.

octatonic

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.
Making their own engine was the beginning of the downfall- they weren't established enough to do that.
They could have tweaked the Aprilia V4 they had been using. 

Kittyfrisk

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.

They just did. Start shopping for second hand models with unknown quantities of spares...

guitargeek62

Kittyfrisk said:

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.

They just did. Start shopping for second hand models with unknown quantities of spares...

Had they even hit the streets yet?!

octatonic

guitargeek62 said:

Kittyfrisk said:

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.

They just did. Start shopping for second hand models with unknown quantities of spares...

Had they even hit the streets yet?!

No.
MCN reviewed it back in October but it wasn't finished- it was a pre-production model.
It won't happen now, I guess.
Shame.

Anyone know the specifics of their pension fund issues?
I've heard stories from people in the trade but don't know the details.

fandango

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.
Making their own engine was the beginning of the downfall- they weren't established enough to do that.
They could have tweaked the Aprilia V4 they had been using. 

Hmmmmm ...... founded in 1898, and yet not established enough to make their own engines. It's not a pop at Octatonic, but I also read that somewhere else, and it's got me thinking.....

Apple weren't established as a mobile phone maker, and then suddenly in 2007 up popped the iPhone, and in the space of just a few months had created a brand new market in touch phones and went on to rule the roost for years. "Established" meant nothing to Apple.

I suspect that had Norton's engine production facility took off, they could have used the momentum of that internal innovation in other areas of engineering, both within and without Norton itself. For instance, it could have inspired a renaissance within Norton, or they could have gone on to make engines for other motorcycle firms. To take a leaf out of Honda's book: "Powered by Norton".

And they could have been another continuing British success story. Fair play to Norton for at least trying. After 122 years, it's sad to see them hit the wall.

RIP another world-renowned British company.

TheBigDipper

fandango said:

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.
Making their own engine was the beginning of the downfall- they weren't established enough to do that.
They could have tweaked the Aprilia V4 they had been using. 

Hmmmmm ...... founded in 1898, and yet not established enough to make their own engines. It's not a pop at Octatonic, but I also read that somewhere else, and it's got me thinking.....

Apple weren't established as a mobile phone maker, and then suddenly in 2007 up popped the iPhone, and in the space of just a few months had created a brand new market in touch phones and went on to rule the roost for years. "Established" meant nothing to Apple.

I suspect that had Norton's engine production facility took off, they could have used the momentum of that internal innovation in other areas of engineering, both within and without Norton itself. For instance, it could have inspired a renaissance within Norton, or they could have gone on to make engines for other motorcycle firms. To take a leaf out of Honda's book: "Powered by Norton".

And they could have been another continuing British success story. Fair play to Norton for at least trying. After 122 years, it's sad to see them hit the wall.

RIP another world-renowned British company.

The current user of the Norton name is not the same business in Birmingham that developed and built the Commando, using their own engines. There's no heritage or continuity there, other than having the rights to sell products using the Norton name.

One of their assets will be the rights to the Norton brand and someone, somewhere, will buy it. 

The original Norton firm hit the wall a long time ago. Because they no longer made motorcycles that they could sell, at a price people were willing to pay. The marketplace went elsewhere. 

The John Bloor-owned Triumph started off by licencing designs from Kawasaki to power their original portfolio of new bikes - whilst they developed their own engines. Engine design is not trivial, and it helps to have deep pockets or a revenue stream whilst you're doing it. 

octatonic

fandango said:

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.
Making their own engine was the beginning of the downfall- they weren't established enough to do that.
They could have tweaked the Aprilia V4 they had been using. 

Hmmmmm ...... founded in 1898, and yet not established enough to make their own engines. It's not a pop at Octatonic, but I also read that somewhere else, and it's got me thinking.....

Dirty pool, old man.

Really they were relaunched in 2008- they haven't been continuously operating since 1898.

cruxiform

rsvmark said:

Tour the world on a 998? Are you bonkers? Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.....

https://youtu.be/fgvzunWV740

I like his style! World tours have been done on GSXR's and R1s before. Also a Honda C90.  I've toured Europe numerous times on a Fireblade in the past. Great fun!

fandango

TheBigDipper said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

. 

The original Norton firm hit the wall a long time ago. Because they no longer made motorcycles that they could sell, at a price people were willing to pay. The marketplace went elsewhere. 

octatonic said:

fandango said:

octatonic said:

Norton needed to make a 10k retro bike- they would have sold shitloads.
Making their own engine was the beginning of the downfall- they weren't established enough to do that.
They could have tweaked the Aprilia V4 they had been using. 

Hmmmmm ...... founded in 1898, and yet not established enough to make their own engines. It's not a pop at Octatonic, but I also read that somewhere else, and it's got me thinking.....

Dirty pool, old man.

Really they were relaunched in 2008- they haven't been continuously operating since 1898.

@TheBigDipper @octatonic - Thanks for setting me straight.

Kittyfrisk

Curiouser & curiouser   https://www.visordown.com/news/general/details-emerge-over-norton-collapse-amid-brewing-pensions-scandal

grappagreen

I'm only 'allowed' to ride dirt bikes nowadays...

Took my bike from this to this last year..





At 53 it's still a buzz..

Still miss the Blade however..

Si

Dominic

If you miss the Blade can't you negotiate a compromise and get a Track Bike ....no lights or indicators ,set up on slicks 
Track days and training sessions are ballsy fun ..and probably safer than MX 
Old Tatty R6 would be perfect with a few trick bits .......you would have to be some hell of a good rider to put in faster lap times on anything bigger ........I had the most fun on an RC400 (mini-blade) and have never done better times ,splits or carried more corner speed .

octatonic

guitargeek62

guitargeek62 said:

guitargeek62 said:

I've just remembered that Ducati brought out an 1100 Scrambler too - I doubt it'll be what I'm after in terms of ergonomics, but I'll add it to the shortlist anyway!

1. Triumph Scrambler 1200 (XE, obviously!)
2. Triumph Speed Twin
3. BMW RnineT Scrambler
4. BMW RnineT Urban G/S
5. Ducati Scrambler 1100
6. KTM Super Adventure 1290 (probably out of budget)

Oddly I can't find anything out of Japan that fits the bill either. The closest would be the Yamaha XSR900 (I started with an XSR700), but I don't see it being much of an improvement in comfort over distance to what I've already got.

Bit of an update, we went to a Ducati dealer a couple of weeks ago - looks like the missus will be moving from a T100 to a Monster 797 shortly.

My shortlist now looks like:

1. HyperStrada 939 / 821
2. HyperMotard 939 / 821
3. MultiStrada 950
4. Scrambler 1100
5. BMW RnineT Urban G/S
6. Triumph Scrambler 1200
7. Triumph Speed Twin

I'm waiting for Croydon to get another Hyper in for me to try, but might make a decision fairly soon after that. I've also promised the missus that I'll finally re-do my (car) driving test before I switch bikes anyway, so that'll slow me down till March or so regardless.

Update number three!

After some more test rides my short list now looks like this:

1. Triumph Speed Twin
2. Triumph Speed Twin
3. Triumph Speed Twin
4. Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE (yet to ride!)

The ride on the ST was bloody lovely, it had only been added to my short-list last time because of on-paper comparisons - I didn’t really see why they’d produced it when they already have the T120 and Thruxton in the range, but for anyone interested in a retro roadster you have to try this bike!

The power delivery is incredibly smooth with a seemingly linear torque profile from 0-110+. The gearbox is smooth too, and the clutch is nice and light. Handling is a dream, flicks around beautifully on the road, and stops pretty damn well too.

I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort as well; being 6’3 means that most bikes aren’t ideally designed for someone like me, hence why I had to drop the RnineT and a few others off my radar. This one however doesn’t give me any of those instant aches in the hips or knees that most off-the-shelf bikes would. The riding position is a shade more aggressive than my T100, but a really good all-rounder. I do wonder if the seat might feel a bit firm after a hundred miles or so, but it was fine after almost an hour on the test ride.

I’m fairly sure this is the bike I’ll be buying, but just need to try the Scrambler 1200 now to rule it out. It’s likely a better tourer than the ST, but the extra width makes it less than ideal for my daily commute. That said, if the ride is anything like the ST then I’ll probably go for the 1200 as I suspect it’s better suited to my needs in the long-term.

octatonic

Scrambler is a great bike if you want to have a really hot leg in traffic.