Norton Nemesis rebuild

What I have come to dislike about this thing is tge use of the Norton branding. Most folks will not take the time to learn the history, and come to see there is virtually no association of what was the Norton Motorcycle Company with this contraption. The legacy of the brand suffers for it.

Tornado said:

What I have come to dislike about this thing is tge use of the Norton branding. Most folks will not take the time to learn the history, and come to see there is virtually no association of what was the Norton Motorcycle Company with this contraption. The legacy of the brand suffers for it.

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That never crossed my mind. Only thing that ever crossed my mind is there is no way that thing will make two 4 mile passes at Bonneville WOT. Although it is in much better shape now than it would have been if restored to the original flawed spec.

Hurting the Norton brand won't matter much to the people still buying and restoring Nortons. People that know the history of Norton pretty much ignore it and keep feeding their inner nostalgia child, or they like racing the old things. As far as kids go on the west coat of the USA... Kids are much smarter today than they were in the 1960's. Most wouldn't buy an old bike regardless of the history.

Comments I've gotten while out on my Norton. "That is the coolest bike I've ever seen!" "What's a Norton?" "How far can you ride that before it breaks down?"

Schwany said:

That never crossed my mind. Only thing that ever crossed my mind is there is no way that thing will make two 4 mile passes at Bonneville WOT. Although it is in much better shape now than it would have been if restored to the original flawed spec.

Hurting the Norton brand won't matter much to the people still buying and restoring Nortons. People that know the history of Norton pretty much ignore it and keep feeding their inner nostalgia child, or they like racing the old things. As far as kids go on the west coat of the USA... Kids are much smarter today than they were in the 1960's. Most wouldn't buy an old bike regardless of the history.

Comments I've gotten while out on my Norton. "That is the coolest bike I've ever seen!" "What's a Norton?" "How far can you ride that before it breaks down?"

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There are also the detractors of Millyard's work on this machine...changing quite few items to more modern tech design rather than restore as close to original spec. The original single tube type throttle controls, though working, now replaced with butterfly valves and manifold.

Its unclear if this bike is to a museum piece or a speed record attempter and if Millyard has a free hand to what he is doing with it.

I've been following Millyard's restoration too and I think it's for the museum and will be going back to them, I also think his modifications improve things with bike and don't seem them as a negative. Cj

Well it is a one of a kind bike, a piece of history. Modifications do change that fact, for better or worse.

I think some of y’all are over thinking this…

The Nemesis was nothing more than a concept bike. Unlike most concept bikes (or cars) they went the extra mile to make it run. The intent IMO being simply to allow some noise generation at showings, and allow the briefest of rides for photo opportunities etc.

It’s not a production bike. It’s not even a prototype. It’s a concept. You’re not even allowed to sit on or get up close to most most concept bikes, let alone run them or ride them.

OF COURSE it would have needed a ton of work, and a lot of changes, before it was production ready. But I, for one, think it’s a great shame this never happened.

I have the original paperwork telling us about the launch of the Nemesis at a hotel in Central London. I thought it was stunning & although I knew it was out of my price league I would have loved to have seen it built. Just stunning but!
In someways its the same as the Gardner V4.
Again I thought it was stunning, again out of my price league. I was delighted to see 'some' people get their bike! However if it hadn't got past prototype & was given to Alan to look at how different are they? Some of the faults on the Gardner v4 were re engineered as were listed as a danger to life. Fly by wire? that might not shut off! Was it a 130 faults?
To add to the v4 post which one would you buy, Gardner or TVS v4. Gardener as a museum piece yes! to use? Definitely not. Alan would definitely have his work cut out to run a Gardner at Bonnieville.
The Nemesis did nothing to harm Nortons reputation. The reverse purchase of a 'screw company & the collapse of the company where enthusiast's had been encouraged to invest did that. The outright theft & fraud of Gardner did that (still hurts me what he did to Bob (Spondon) at the start & put me off anything to do with that company. Not knowing where the present company are going is doing that.
Bugger it I still would like any of them but could I live with the chrome finish or would I have to go black?
Nah for that much money I would have to have the bling!

Please don't associate me with overthinking. Standard low level gutter thinking is closer my pay grade.

I'd like to have the Ohlins pieces on a newer Norton, but that is about it.

If Norton would have built that Scrambler version and sold it for around $12K US I might have bitten. I'm sort of glad they didn't though. By the time it might need a part for it they would be out of business again. Not sure how one could hurt Norton's reputation any more than Norton does on its own. I've had one for more than half a century. It doesn't make me special. A little crazy maybe.

Fast Eddie said:

I think some of y’all are over thinking this…

The Nemesis was nothing more than a concept bike. Unlike most concept bikes (or cars) they went the extra mile to make it run. The intent IMO being simply to allow some noise generation at showings, and allow the briefest of rides for photo opportunities etc.

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I think another purpose is to test customers' reaction, including the price sensitivity, paving the way for a decision to mature the design and build real prototypes for evaluation.

- Knut