To keep or not

So what should the real sale price of a 961 be based on 1.5 bikes per week. Approx £16K perhaps was 50% of what it should have been. Have we got ourselves a british bargain?
Don't start spreading gossip like that else the taxman might come knocking expecting a 20% cut on the £16k 'gift' that Donington gave us :)
 
So about 450 to 600 Norton 961's made in the 9 years ? Is that what they are saying ? Yes , I would say a bargain , a real good bargain . Don't say that too loud they may want our bikes back to help pay off the debt . ! So the story about nearly 2000 made was a lie ? I think there are more out there than we are aware of , it just a gut feeling .
 
So about 450 to 600 Norton 961's made in the 9 years ? Is that what they are saying ? Yes , I would say a bargain , a real good bargain . Don't say that too loud they may want our bikes back to help pay off the debt . ! So the story about nearly 2000 made was a lie ? I think there are more out there than we are aware of , it just a gut feeling .
There are three types of mathematician, those who can count and those who can’t !
 
So what should the real sale price of a 961 be based on 1.5 bikes per week. Approx £16K perhaps was 50% of what it should have been. Have we got ourselves a british bargain?

That’s an interesting question. In the past I have done the maths on mass produced bikes and the sum of the parts far outweighs the cost of the bike. Clearly in these situations, buying volume/power, in house production and automation and efficiency drives down unit costs making it viable.

However, in Norton’s case they have neither the benefit of buying scale or production automation/efficiency. In the case of the 961 it was hand assembled in a bay by a couple of guys.

So when looking at the quality components, the cost of manufacturing bespoke parts, the hand assembly, i’d not be surprised if the actual cost was way over rrp.

Like I say, at the factory I was told the norton commando street made a loss for them on each bike. I mean a hand made in the UK aluminium tank and tail, then prepped and painted must have cost £3k plus alone. I don’t know what ohlins and Brembos cost but i expect £1000’s again, and then the frame and exhaust and engine production, the wheels, and all the hundreds of components.

I think they were a bargain yes, expensive yes, but good value too.
 
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