Latest email from Factory !!!!

TonyA said:
Its like Tesla . You are buying from TESLA directly so to speak. They will deliver your car to you and all service is done at the customer center in your region. I said earlier that the USA would need 4 centers Chicago , LA , Dallas , Newark for example. A 500 mile radius circle will touch or overlap in many areas. Or in the case of Norton their large panel trucks will be a rolling service and delivery center which will report to their region .
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Yes..... Had they dropped: 'Overseas' or: 'International' into that sentence it might have helped, knee jerk reaction (or just plain: 'jerk?') was that he was alluding to more Customer Centres in the UK apart from Birmingham...
 
EstuaryBoy said:
Yes..... Had they dropped: 'Overseas' or: 'International' into that sentence it might have helped, knee jerk reaction (or just plain: 'jerk?') was that he was alluding to more Customer Centres in the UK apart from Birmingham...
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They have to start somewhere , let's hope they get going soon.
 
Just received an email reply from Norton in answer to me enquiry ref spares availability and I read it as, spares wil be available shortly for their 961 Classic but they can't guarantee compatibility.
Good news considering I've just run up my 961 in readiness for putting back on the road. Incidentally, been sat for 5 months, battery at 12.1V so on charge for an hour or 2 and in to life she sprang .
 
Vernon240 said:
So I think that parts will be sold, but simply no guarantee they will fit non 961 classics. I wonder what that mans for the future of the 961? Seems a little OTT for just 20 odd bikes, so perhaps this is good news? My glass will remain at half full for now!
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Yes, I think this is just legal-eeze for: The parts will be available but they may be slightly different than the ones designed for the SG 961s. The parts may have to be "hand fitted" to pre-TVS 961's. I doubt that TVS is spending any serious funds to perform re-design work to internal engine components. Major engine parts will probably be unchanged, but we will have to wait and see.
 
BritTwit said:
Yes, I think this is just legal-eeze for: The parts will be available but they may be slightly different than the ones designed for the SG 961s. The parts may have to be "hand fitted" to pre-TVS 961's. I doubt that TVS is spending any serious funds to perform re-design work to internal engine components. Major engine parts will probably be unchanged, but we will have to wait and see.
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What I fear is the these TVS Norton 961 Classic-qualified parts are going to be out of this world expensive. But if they work good quality are fit for purpose maybe worth the money ?
 
Vernon240 said:
So I think that parts will be sold, but simply no guarantee they will fit non 961 classics. I wonder what that mans for the future of the 961? Seems a little OTT for just 20 odd bikes, so perhaps this is good news? My glass will remain at half full for now!
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Thanks for that Vernon - good news. I’m in the ‘glass half full club’ - let’s keep it there until Birmingham Norton have had the opportunity to show their worth. We may find that in the coming months that they can meet the majority of our spares needs.

Beats me also though why veiled speech is used to a direct question, when he could have given a direct response and said exactly the same thing.
 
BritTwit said:
Yes, I think this is just legal-eeze for: The parts will be available but they may be slightly different than the ones designed for the SG 961s. The parts may have to be "hand fitted" to pre-TVS 961's. I doubt that TVS is spending any serious funds to perform re-design work to internal engine components. Major engine parts will probably be unchanged, but we will have to wait and see.
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And how much money are they going to spend on "preventing" people purchasing them, because that is quite literally the situation they will be in.

At each email, I just continue to thank them for their response and ask them to update me when the new parts are available for me to purchase.
 
My expectations are low, my glass is half full. I’ll take the good news as it comes, lament the frustrations.....for god sakes, stop dancing around the subject, Norton. It just seems to be carefully measured, nebulous responses. I’m an engineer. I like black and white, 1’s and 0’s. This is all kinds of shades of grey.....I may or may not have had too many beers tonight though!;);)
 
Vernon240 said:
My expectations are low, my glass is half full. I’ll take the good news as it comes, lament the frustrations.....for god sakes, stop dancing around the subject, Norton. It just seems to be carefully measured, nebulous responses. I’m an engineer. I like black and white, 1’s and 0’s. This is all kinds of shades of grey.....I may or may not have had too many beers tonight though!;);)
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Hic! o_O
 
kommando said:
Please, any one who lives in Solihull does not want to be associated with working class Brum ;) .

Parent's in Solihull's worst nightmare is their kid coming home from school and talking with a Brummie accent. They paid all that extra money for the house to get away from Brum.
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I’m from Accrington mate, always thought that the Brummie accent was quite exotic - ok, that’s a lie but characterful at the very least!

So guys what are we calling TVS Norton? I’ve heard at least five names so far. Do we want to settle it once and for all? In the email that started this thread the author from Norton calls his organisation ‘Norton Birmingham’. All sarcastic, serious, sensational and/or aspirational options accepted! For me, I’d rather not use TVS Norton for obvious reasons. Norton Birmingham or Norton Solihull would get my vote.

Did’nt Pa Norton originally start up in Birmingham?

Latest email from Factory !!!!
 
As I Silhillian I claim Norton as ours! Solihull owns an area which includes the National Exhibition Centre, National Motorcycle Museum and the main airport. They all tend to refer to themselves as Birmingham so considering Old Old Norton's links with Brum I could just about tolerate Norton,Birmingham. There is talk of BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) returning to the area. Can't remember exactly but there were something like a couple of hundred bike manufacturers in the Birmingham/ Coventry area.

On my daily (Norton) commute I pass by Bradford Street and very close to Bracebridge Street.
Latest email from Factory !!!!
 
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Clive said:
As I Silhillian I claim Norton as ours! Solihull owns an area which includes the National Exhibition Centre, National Motorcycle Museum and the main airport. They all tend to refer to themselves as Birmingham so considering Old Old Norton's links with Brum I could just about tolerate Norton,Birmingham. There is talk of BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) returning to the area. Can't remember exactly but there were something like a couple of hundred bike manufacturers in the Birmingham/ Coventry area.

On my daily (Norton) commute I pass by Bradford Street and very close to Bracebridge Street.
View attachment 95427
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A time when we made the best bikes in the world - it’s a long way back from there! Norton Birmingham seems to be what they are calling themselves. Works for me, with those amazing historical links

For our American friends:

B7A6B4AA-0E80-4BB4-A903-CB3FE33CC5B2.jpeg
 
City Garage said:
Where is the money in that? Not enough demand for parts as is.
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Yeah, unfortunately, I agree.
As Boomers continue aging, and transition from their Nortons to Rascals, the market for classic parts will wane, and vanish.
Classic bikes to many younger bikers (40ish) are 80's Japanese early EFI bikes.
There are so few 961s out there that I doubt any company can make money producing replacement parts for them.
If TVS decides not to produce 961s, and Jinlang never begins production, I think the 961 becomes a footnote in M/C history.
:(
 
What was the whole purpose of Jinlang purchasing the rights to the 961 if they’re not going to manufacture it?
 
Voodooo said:
What was the whole purpose of Jinlang purchasing the rights to the 961 if they’re not going to manufacture it?
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Well, that's really the $64,000 question isn't it?

When SG signed the deal with Jinlang, he wasn't thinking that his operation would shortly be wrapped up by the authorities.
So, what was he thinking?

Maybe, dramatically reduce Norton expenses by having the engine assembly/production in China. Many of the engine components already originate in Taiwan. Possibly, but then how does he continue to advertise the 961 as a mostly British motorcycle? Or, would he be willing to sacrifice this important distinction, now that much of the focus had switched to his second act, the V4SS.

The V4SS was Norton's future, also the 650's. They were modern DOHC, liquid cooled, 4 valve machines. They would appeal to a broader market and younger riders. This market had the promise of much brighter fortunes for the company, and SG. The V4SS was a prestige bike, plain and clear. You had to be well off to afford it. It was British, and an indication that Norton, in the hands of SG now, was back! I think the 961 was in SG's rear view mirror, when the curtain came down on Norton, again.

Let's hope TVS has a second act for the 961.
 

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