Trouble at Mill

Your post makes it sound as though getting a loan to setup a new company is a bad thing. Most of the public companies that trade on major Stock Market exchanges around the world carry some debt, and these are the long established companies. The startups almost universally carry debt. Often their biggest problem is that no one will lend them the funds needed.

As long as there are good assets, including a viable business to more than balance out the debt, it is not a problem.

The fact that some financial institution or sophisticated investor was willing to commit a seven figure amount toward the setup of this business actually speaks for the potential strength of it. Before making such an investment, the lender will have scrutinized every part of this new business and identified all strengths and weaknesses. If the business requiring the loan (Norton) was in near bankruptcy, as some have suggested, what bank or savvy business person would pour money into it without due diligence?

Glen
 
I have spoken to several people who, in the course of the last 25 years, poured money into Norton factories/companies, sometimes millions, BELIEVING it was a good idea. I have yet to meet somebody who proves it was. These people often did what they thought was due diligence, but the success of any venture depends on many factors and often coincidences that the management can rarely influence.

The "Norton" name blocks the warning lights out for many people, who would dearly love to see it succeed.

No investor in any given start-up company should ever fool himself he can predict the outcome, as rosy as the prospects seem to be.
 
My point is that receiving a large loan is a normal thing for a startup, not a negative. If Norton had been seeking a loan and was unable to get financing, in other words, the opposite outcome ocurred, then that would have been very negative for the future of Norton.

Glen
 
I fully understand the anger that people who put down deposit money must feel towards Norton when they got very poor communication and long delivery delays.

Clearly, this was very badly handled by Norton, and my guess is they regret that in their private board meetings.

However, and putting that aside, the future seems very good for Norton in that they have quite strong demand for their bikes, they have the money to operate, and the early reviews by the media testers are favorable.

Like I did with the new Triumph company early days in the late 90s, I wish only great success for Norton.

And almost best of all, the new Norton company is employing more and more craftsmen and suppliers in England!

What's not to like about Norton's future?

Again, I would be one pissed off customer if I was made promises that were broken, as it appears many have.
 
L.A.B. said:
Contact your nearest dealer or call in and visit us at the factory for a test ride, spec your bike, choose a colour, place your order
Click to expand...

They left out "Ride away happy"...
 
grandpaul said:
L.A.B. said:
Contact your nearest dealer or call in and visit us at the factory for a test ride, spec your bike, choose a colour, place your order
Click to expand...

They left out "Ride away happy"...
Click to expand...

"All good things come to he who waits." :D
 
We're not fools, those aren't real motorcycles in the photo, it's all a computer trick! Same thing with the test rides on offer, Im sure the testers will be blindfolded the led into some kind of 961 flight Simulator. :D

Still seems to be quite a long waiting list for the bikes tho, surely this is a sign of the impending bankruptcy that so many seem to hope for?
Yet others such as CNW, Partick Godet of Godet Egli Vincent (or me, when I was in business) point to a long wait list for their services as a positive thing.

Glen
 
Latest pic of 4 customers spec Bikes from their Facebook page. Interesting that theres two different Ohlins front ends? Calls for different calipers/front fenders too. I'd take that Silver one in a heartbeat, Gorgeous!
Trouble at Mill
 
Matt Spencer said:
Anywone got one working on a wace twack properly yet :?:
Click to expand...
There is one being raced in NZ, i don't know how he is doing but the rumour is that the owner has tweaked 20+ extra hp out of the engine - still not massive power for a race bike.
 
As someone who has lurked around this thread since it started, I tend to look at this project somewhat objectively. The few reports of actual owners seem to intimate a lack of perfection in their product (changing seats; a less than silky smooth engine;changing suspensions etc). Now realizing that this is a new venture, is there anything driving this scheme except for the Norton Commando name and will people continue to shell out the money when there are, in the market, other makes/models which over the years have achieved some degree of breeding and improvement? After all, this isn't a cheap product and it's buyer scope is limited. It's said that John Bloor of Triumph put it 70 to 100 million pounds into his venture 'til it broke even. An article from 2 years ago estimated a $20,000 price tag in the USA. He called it the "best retro bike in the world"; in that price range, there's a LOT of competition.
 
Latest news from The Mill :D

http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/news/


15th November 2012 – Donington Park, UK – Norton Motorcycles reached its’ most important U.S. milestone this week with receipt of the EPA’s Certificate of Conformity for its’ model year 2013 Commando 961 series of motorcycles. With the approval in hand, the EPA’s certification process for the U.S. of the Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer, 961 Sport and 961 SE models is complete.

In September Norton announced the successful durability testing carried out by its’ laboratory in the U.S. to ensure compliance with EPA and CARB exhaust, noise and evaporative emissions. The issuance of the EPA Certificate of Conformity confirms federal emission standards compliance and testing approval.

Whilst this news may seem a little boring and technical in nature, it is a major hurdle for a small specialty manufacturer, and the first approval sought by the new Norton Motorcycles for the USA.

Finally, and critically important to Norton is the California Air Resources Board review and approval, which typically follows EPA certification by two or three few months.

The factory, located within the Donington Park Racing Circuit is ready to begin production of U.S. and Canadian 2013 models for these key markets. Visit http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com for all the latest news.

Norton Motorcycles designs, engineers and manufactures premium large displacement road-going motorcycles, proudly made in England by British hands for markets around the world. Norton motorcycles are characterized by superior quality with a focus on confident road holding and pleasing road manners, styled in the Café Racer and British Roadster tradition.

Contacts

USA

dan.vanepps@nortonmotorcycles.com

Norton Motorcycles USA

P.O. Box 185

Beacon Falls, CT 06403
Click to expand...
 
I'm going to be honest and say that I actually like them. I know a lot on here do not. There is no way I would put a down payment on one though. I'd have to see one in the flesh first and possibly require a test ride to confirm that I do in fact like it enough to drop that kind of money on one....
 

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