Norton Motorcycles, the famous British brand and a name synonymous with the British sport motorcycling culture, is back in the USA and announced the appointment of industry veteran Dan Van Epps to head-up its operations The first Norton motorcycle, the ‘Engerette’, rolled out of its Birmingham England factory in 1902. The company has been producing the new 961 Commandos for almost two years, and the orders have been well beyond expectations. We’ve had to ramp-up production much earlier than anticipated to grow on pace with our customer’s requests”. Dan Van Epps the new CEO of Norton Motorcycles USA and was formally CEO of Ducati North America.
Starting in May 2011, Norton will begin deliveries in the United States of the famed Norton Commando series of sport road bikes. Models include the traditional Commando 961 Sport, the striking 961 Café Racer and the ultimate performance 961 SE. All models feature a 961cc computer controlled, fuel injected, counter balanced, parallel twin engine, complimented by the world’s finest components like Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes. To add to the good news, yesterday at the 8-day long Carole Nash Show opening in Birmingham, England Norton unveiled 3 new versions of the Commando, including one with dual seat option. This version required changes to the chassis and the subframe to enable the bike to safely take a pillion. Cafe-Racing is no more exclusively a ride alone sport. At unveiling Norton owner Stuart Garner declared that “his company is working frantically to meet brimming order books”. Norton Motorcycles USA. P.O. Box 185. Beacon Falls, CT 06403
Those are bad ass! Prolly expensive but really cool !!!
They should make one with the Featherbed frame!
Wish Dan much success and I sure would love to be puttin around on one of those.
WOW! Finally stateside. Good looking machine. What is the cost gonna be?
Overpriced bikes with more effort being put into Tee’s and monogrammed toilet seats. Will fail big time. Sad Face.
Great bikes for uder $20,000. They will succeed.
Indian, Excelsior-Henderson, Crocker, Norton died. remakes don’t cut it.
I agree with Karl, especially with those designs…….they would do great if they brought back the ORIGINAL models.
Remakes don’t cut it? Indian died? When? Have the folks at Kings Mountain been told?
My Excelsior is just fine.
MAN those are bad to the bone cool very cool
Best cafe racers of all time….
Japanese for speed…. long live british.
Some of my best rides ever, I had an Atlas and a Commando..
Damn! I wish there was an address, other than a PO Box. I’d take a ride over there and check it out…
A thing of beauty and joy forever………. 🙂
-nicker-
It is interesting but the pictures (for me at least) pose many questions . What is the transmission–is it some type of new casting that also holds the swing arm pivot ? Does the transmission somehow attached to the engine is a type of semi unit design like a Confederate ? Is the long and thin rear trellis part of the frame sufficiently rigid ? Look at the head and the valve covers –they are very reminiscent of the Westlake (nee Israeli) 4 valve heads ??
Incredible motorcycle, very nice look, love it.
Yeah Keith from what I found on their website, these bikes will run around $17,000.000 It seems a little pricey but when you consider the market for a performance bike 900cc or higher it seems to be in line.
Miami Chopper Shop, The one that I would like to bring back , I think is the John Player Special 750 Commando. I think that was a cool bike.
Back in my day the Norton Commando 750 and 850 cafe racers where the bike. If you remember the cafe style racers where the prelude to what we now have as the fast and furious Sport Bikes…. Best Of Luck!
this is great news
great design and affordable
wish them the best
something Indian and Confederate just
will not accept
sadly
The buyers for stuff like this have gotten some sense or are dead