Another Norton twist

[rigga]

Those who were lucky to receive their v4's, have a big problem.....

https://www.superbike.co.uk/article/norton-v4ss-de...

[Krikkit]

Oh dear, that does sound like a pretty mess. I note quite a few aren't little niggles either, but engineering issues in the engine and gearbox.

[SAS Tom]

I always found it hard to believe that people bought these bikes. Ever since Garner took over all I ever heard about Norton was how dodgy it was and that people either paid and didn’t get bikes or paid and got a bike that wasn’t built properly.

[Birky_41]

Genuinely gutting to read. Some really beautiful bikes and I honestly hope every owner gets it to be the way it should of come off the production line

[Esceptico]

Ouch.

Media is complicit in having given Norton an easy time. I can understand wanting to support a British firm but they failed in their duty of care to bike buyers.

[underwhelmist]

Saw John Hogan's article about this via Twitter. He's done an outstanding job of covering the whole sorry story, I wish some other parts of our media were as rigorous. Hope V4 owners get some recompense.

[mike-v2tmf]

Reading the list of faults those bikes are just large paper weights , sad state of affairs for any owners

[Esceptico]

With that list, the bikes are now probably worth nothing (even if they did have a value beforehand). Except as ornaments I suppose.

[Muzzer79]

SAS Tom said:

I always found it hard to believe that people bought these bikes.

I was never in a position to buy a bike (thankfully) but I did visit the 'factory' at Donington Hall in a business capacity.

We were shown around the place, including Garner's 'car collection', consisting of about 3 Aston Martins IIRC, which were parked at the front of the house in a car-show-style semi-circle.

We were then taken to the 'factory' This was the old BMI office building, that was being used to make motorcycles.

Thing is, it just literally looked like someone had taken over an office, removed all the desks and chairs and moved their bike-building gear in. Carpet tiles were still there, ceiling tiles, passenger lifts, individual offices, etc.

How anyone could visit this place and then handover a significant sum for a motorcycle being built there is a mystery to me.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Wow, that's bordering on the point of criminal. I very much doubt anyone who bought one will see an compensation though.

[underwhelmist]

Muzzer79 said:

I was never in a position to buy a bike (thankfully) but I did visit the 'factory' at Donington Hall in a business capacity.

We were shown around the place, including Garner's 'car collection', consisting of about 3 Aston Martins IIRC, which were parked at the front of the house in a car-show-style semi-circle.

We were then taken to the 'factory' This was the old BMI office building, that was being used to make motorcycles.

Thing is, it just literally looked like someone had taken over an office, removed all the desks and chairs and moved their bike-building gear in. Carpet tiles were still there, ceiling tiles, passenger lifts, individual offices, etc.

How anyone could visit this place and then handover a significant sum for a motorcycle being built there is a mystery to me.

I did the tour and my impressions were similar. The shed where they were metal-bashing tanks was like something out of the industrial revolution. Amazing skill but probably not viable for any kind of volume manufacture.

[CQ8]

I wonder if it’s possible to switch the engine out for one from an RSV4? Didn’t they do that for the TT?

At least then you’d have something you can ride. The likelihood of getting any money back is pretty slim.

[rigga]

CQ8 said:

I wonder if it’s possible to switch the engine out for one from an RSV4? Didn’t they do that for the TT?

At least then you’d have something you can ride. The likelihood of getting any money back is pretty slim.

I think it was the other way round, for the bike to be eligible to compete at the TT, they had to fit a smaller capacity engine of their own making.

Edit ...nope got it wrong, their own engine was too big capacity wise to use at the TT, although Garner did try .... Aprilia lump installed for the race bike.

Edited by rigga on Sunday 23 May 12:48

[rigga]

Its also interesting Simon Skinner, head of design is part of the "new "Norton set up. For all the shenanigans that went on towards the end, with bikes being stripped of parts, to complete others, he would have had knowledge of that, and went with it .....or was it just a case of Garner says so?

[Fundoreen]

The fact they came out publicly to state they are taking on responsibility for something thats nothing to do with them probably means its about 2 bikes
and a minor outlay to fix. Non hi tensile bolts etc.
Also some nice publicity to get the old codgers buying thier appreciating asset front room ornaments again.
Yes I hate this brand. Every comeback has been some sort of airy fairy st or a fraud right back from the wankel.

[rigga]

Fundoreen said:

The fact they came out publicly to state they are taking on responsibility for something thats nothing to do with them probably means its about 2 bikes
and a minor outlay to fix. Non hi tensile bolts etc.
Also some nice publicity to get the old codgers buying thier appreciating asset front room ornaments again.
Yes I hate this brand. Every comeback has been some sort of airy fairy st or a fraud right back from the wankel.

Hating the brand from the outset, probably excuses the fact you've not even read the list of faults, or even the letter from the NEW norton, to realise ....
A not just a few bikes affected
B Not just minor faults, some are engine terminal
C New Norton are not taking responsibility for the old Norton fk ups, quite the opposite.

[Fundoreen]

rigga said:

Fundoreen said:

The fact they came out publicly to state they are taking on responsibility for something thats nothing to do with them probably means its about 2 bikes
and a minor outlay to fix. Non hi tensile bolts etc.
Also some nice publicity to get the old codgers buying thier appreciating asset front room ornaments again.
Yes I hate this brand. Every comeback has been some sort of airy fairy st or a fraud right back from the wankel.

Hating the brand from the outset, probably excuses the fact you've not even read the list of faults, or even the letter from the NEW norton, to realise ....
A not just a few bikes affected
B Not just minor faults, some are engine terminal
C New Norton are not taking responsibility for the old Norton fk ups, quite the opposite.

I see. Depressing really.

[graham22]

rigga said:

Fundoreen said:

The fact they came out publicly to state they are taking on responsibility for something thats nothing to do with them probably means its about 2 bikes
and a minor outlay to fix. Non hi tensile bolts etc.
Also some nice publicity to get the old codgers buying thier appreciating asset front room ornaments again.
Yes I hate this brand. Every comeback has been some sort of airy fairy st or a fraud right back from the wankel.

Hating the brand from the outset, probably excuses the fact you've not even read the list of faults, or even the letter from the NEW norton, to realise ....
A not just a few bikes affected
B Not just minor faults, some are engine terminal
C New Norton are not taking responsibility for the old Norton fk ups, quite the opposite.

But TVS Norton have committed to meet existing V4 orders and get to the 200 bikes originally planned - will these be as shonky as the Garner bikes or, being optimistic, the TVS bikes will be re-engineered and possibly be retrofitted (albeit seeing the list of faults, I guess unlikely).

[kevinon]

The only British brand I know is Norton.

I know you folks know all about the Garner 'management', but the report today shocked me. What a disgrace.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/24/mp...

[FlopperV60]

kevinon said:

The only British brand I know is Norton.

I know you folks know all about the Garner 'management', but the report today shocked me. What a disgrace.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/24/mp...

Quite staggering, that makes for some incredulous reading.