USA 961 Sales.. (2011)

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I just recieved an email from an inquiry I made to the UK about 10 months ago. Here is the reply that I got from their designated "South Eastern" Dealer:

Hi Jeff,

My name is Tom Fiegener. I am the Sales and Marketing guy at RPM Cycle, Norton Motorcycles official dealer for Texas and the Southern U.S. region. The guys at Norton recently sent me your contact information and told me that you were interested in the new 961 Commando. I would like to let you know that we are currently taking deposits on 961 Commandos!

A deposit will insure that you get first shot on the exact bike you are looking for! It is our hope that production will allow us to have enough bikes for our showroom and demo units for the first year. At this time it is too early to tell if that will be possible or if only those bikes with deposits will arrive.

We here at RPM are very excited and honored to carry this iconic brand! We our currently in the process of planning an unveiling of the 961's! I will keep you posted as we get more concrete plans. If you have any questions on price, deposits, the bike, or just any ideas you want to send our way please let me know.

Thank you for your time!

Tom Fiegener - Sales & Marketing
# 1 Triumph, KTM,
Aprilia and Moto Guzzi
Dealer in Dallas.

972-620-3883
www.rpmcycletx.com

We Know Why You Ride!
 
Hey Jeff, thanks for posting. I too really like the "new 961 Norton" as well. However, their continued delay of delivery ... where the &^%#$ are the bikes anyway ???

Back in the late 90s, I lusted and waited, and waited, and waited, for Triumph to come out with a "modernized" Bonneville. So ... I could buy one; it would be my second "new" bike ever . Then I just got sick of waiting, and bought a brand new Buell Cyclone in 1999 ! (still have it too.) Then, Triumph comes out with the Bonneville in 2000 ?!?!?! (though I like it, I've yet to buy one)

Anyway, sure hope Norton gets off their "duffus" and makes these bikes available. (when ???) Or, a buyer like me will be too discouraged and NEVER buy one then. Anyone else out there ... er ... discouraged about this ??? :(
 
I like how often and eager the word "deposit" was used. Makes me a little leery.
 
Well, clearly Norton cannot "readily" meet very strong demand for their bikes.

They ARE building them as fast as they can and delivering them.

Not fast enough for waiting buyers.

But what a great position to be in for any business, demand outweighs supply.

I sure would not want to see Norton have too many bikes and too poor demand for them.

Eventually, maybe a few years or more from now, they will be able to stock their dealers with bikes for sale.

In the meantime, Norton is hiring, expanding, and well, doing the best they can.

Congratulations Norton for resurrecting a great name in motorcycling, and for building bikes that clearly are in very high demand.

......a business model many businesses would die for.

Good for Norton! Things will only get better and better for them over time as they ramp up production.

I am sure all of us here on this Norton forum realize the growing pains of this new enterprise and wish Norton only the very best.
 
Yes I'll second that. Well said.
I guess we all would be concerned if it took 10 months for a return correspondence, when the
Company is asking for deposits with each order.
What goes on over there in England,? Why does it seem to be so hard for these ventures to get up and going .
Is it the Government, or Unions, or wages.
I was happy to see the B.S.A. B50 go ahead in the early seventies, when Allen Clews resurrected them into something special,
but he too seem to have a hard time of it. Even with those, quality assurance was an issue.
AC.
 
1up3down said:
Well, clearly Norton cannot "readily" meet very strong demand for their bikes.

They ARE building them as fast as they can and delivering them.

Not fast enough for waiting buyers.

But what a great position to be in for any business, demand outweighs supply.

I sure would not want to see Norton have too many bikes and too poor demand for them.

Eventually, maybe a few years or more from now, they will be able to stock their dealers with bikes for sale.

In the meantime, Norton is hiring, expanding, and well, doing the best they can.

Congratulations Norton for resurrecting a great name in motorcycling, and for building bikes that clearly are in very high demand.

......a business model many businesses would die for.

Good for Norton! Things will only get better and better for them over time as they ramp up production.

I am sure all of us here on this Norton forum realize the growing pains of this new enterprise and wish Norton only the very best.

easily said i guess if your not one of the ones who deposit has been held way passed promised delivery (repeatedly)

that being said - i wish them the same best wishes of any new enterprise - but i don't make the assumption that these new bikes are "nortons" any more than the new triumphs are "triumphs" or new mini's are "mini's" (though they may be superior etc)
 
1up3down said:
.

Eventually, maybe a few years or more from now, they will be able to stock their dealers with bikes for sale.


I wouldn
' hold my breah. I do want to see the Norton brand succeed, but thus far IMO the company registers in at an epic fail . They've taken peoples money promising to deliver and have failed. No not just a little back logged 'because of demand', but because they can't build the machines they've promised. A few months is OK, years of delay is unacceptable. And the company has the gall to ask for more deposits when they've failed to deliver on those made years ago?

A piss poor business model IMO.

RSR
 
i was thinking about getting one. i think they'll show up someday. hope they don't turn into something the the indian motorcycle act.
i would guess another 2 years. noit sure how well they are selling outside the u.k. like in the rest of europe.
anybody know?
thx,
goo
 
goo said:
i was thinking about getting one. i think they'll show up someday. hope they don't turn into something the the indian motorcycle act.
i would guess another 2 years. noit sure how well they are selling outside the u.k. like in the rest of europe.
anybody know?

Here's something Hegel posted in another thread, and the article is worth reading (pages 58-64):
http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111011#pg59
 
FWIW, I was told by the west coast distributer that EPA was still holding the bikes hostage. So. Bay Cycle reportedly has bikes in boxes waiting for the go ahead from EPA and/or DOT. I also found So. Bay Cycle does not seem to care about relating to owners of older Nortons, they just want your deposit.
 
calbigbird said:
FWIW, I was told by the west coast distributer that EPA was still holding the bikes hostage. So. Bay Cycle reportedly has bikes in boxes waiting for the go ahead from EPA and/or DOT. I also found So. Bay Cycle does not seem to care about relating to owners of older Nortons, they just want your deposit.

i guess the EPA must be holding bikes for the UK customers that have been wait'in for their bikes for a LONG time too then :roll:
 
mikegray660 said:
[... i don't make the assumption that these new bikes are "nortons" any more than the new triumphs are "triumphs" ...

So, what is it you'd LIKE to see in the new Norton to make it a "real Norton"? The isolastic system? Chain drive primary? Skinny tires?

How about the new Triumphs? Pushrods? (Norton is doing that) Lucas alternators?

I sincerely argue that the new Nortons are pretty much what they would have become in the natural evolution alongside thier contemporaries (with a bit of bodywork styling input from Kenny Dreer); Triumph MORE so, being they are mostly water cooled & DOHC.

I'm suprised we haven't heard ANOTHER U.S. release date that they'll almost certainly miss; perhaps they've FINALLY figured out that was bad for the deposit flow.

As far as Triumph, check out Ian Chadwick's Triumph history page then try to argue against the fact that Triumph has been a continuously producting motorcycle manufacturer since 1902. New Triumphs are DEFINITELY Triumphs.
 
grandpaul said:
mikegray660 said:
[... i don't make the assumption that these new bikes are "nortons" any more than the new triumphs are "triumphs" ...

So, what is it you'd LIKE to see in the new Norton to make it a "real Norton"? The isolastic system? Chain drive primary? Skinny tires?

How about the new Triumphs? Pushrods? (Norton is doing that) Lucas alternators?

I sincerely argue that the new Nortons are pretty much what they would have become in the natural evolution alongside thier contemporaries (with a bit of bodywork styling input from Kenny Dreer); Triumph MORE so, being they are mostly water cooled & DOHC.

I'm suprised we haven't heard ANOTHER U.S. release date that they'll almost certainly miss; perhaps they've FINALLY figured out that was bad for the deposit flow.

As far as Triumph, check out Ian Chadwick's Triumph history page then try to argue against the fact that Triumph has been a continuously producting motorcycle manufacturer since 1902. New Triumphs are DEFINITELY Triumphs.

hahhaha hahhahaa

yeah right, don't you have some snake oil to sell somewhere
 
grandpaul said:
As far as Triumph, check out Ian Chadwick's Triumph history page then try to argue against the fact that Triumph has been a continuously producting motorcycle manufacturer since 1902.

Continuous production..that is, except for the Meriden sit-in, and a period of several months between Meriden closing and the start of Harris Bonnevile production, the year-or-so gap (1989) between the end of Harris production and the Hinckley factory starting up.
 
I have talked to the guys at RPM Cycles several times and they are excited to be part of the Norton Resurrection. Plus these guys sell KTM, Guzzi and Triumphs so they are not some fly by night dealer. I have no doubt that they are being honest and upfront with you concerning the whole "deposit" request. That said, the history of the Norton revival is one of cash deposits and long disappointing waits. Unless you feel the need to be the first kid on your block with a brand new Norton and don't mind having your assets tied up, I think I would keep my money in my pocket.

A business with a product, that demand is far outstripping capacity, has a huge problem. It is one thing to manage production levels to keep prices high (Like Harley used to do) It is quite another to not be able to fill a customer's order within a year or two. The marketing has been generating excitement for the New Norton for years, people have been clamoring for them for years and yet we still have no actual bikes being delivered. The 961 Nortons are becoming like the mythical Unicorn, always rumored but never actually seen. If you can't sell and actual product you can't make any money.
 
[quote="grandpaul
SNIP
So, what is it you'd LIKE to see in the new Norton to make it a "real Norton"? .[/quote]

I would consider buying a Norton, not a "Dreer". When they make the rotary, I would then consider it a Norton.
To me, the 961 is not a MKIV Commando despite what they call it.
The last Commando model was 1975 (yes with some late releases).

obviously others will disagree, but that's OK
 
huh?

My understanding is that new 961s ARE being delivered to their new owners, and have been for a number of months now.

Geez guys, ok so Norton "blew it" when they told customers approximately when they could expect delivery.

And they were wrong to be too optimistic in their production projections.

Bottom line, they are building and delivering 961s, as fast as they can, and Norton is going to be around a long time!

They are doing great!
 
1up3down said:
huh?

.....
Bottom line, they are building and delivering 961s, as fast as they can, and Norton is going to be around a long time!

They are doing great!


Mr 1 up, do you have a vested interest in norton ( though i'd be alarmed if i did) - or have you been sniffing glue this morning :shock: :mrgreen:
 
2 other companies run by the owner of the new Norton firm have recently gone bankrupt, and UK buyers who have paid deposits a long while ago have not got bikes, and only had deposits returned after they threatened legal action. Unless you can afford to lose the money, its a very bad idea to pay anything towards a 961, as it seems pretty much like a De-Lorean type operation..............
 
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