john robert bould said:
Perhaps they should approach John Bloor and use his expert staff :?:
Of course, it didn't hurt that Bloor's one of the richest men in the country and injected what, 80 to 100 million pounds, just to get Triumph to the point where it was
poised to be successful 15 years ago. Once he abandoned the modular idea (poor Hopwood must have spun in his grave) and stopped trying to make a Japanese 4, his company started making competitive and desirable machines. - especially the Speed Triple. Doesn't look anything like the twins I rode in the 60's but a fine bike in its own right. And, as an extension of a well thought out progression of models, as much a Triumph as any other.
The 961 is in the same boat - by extension it's a Norton. The company even mimics Norton's small size compared to the giant competitors it faced in years past - including Triumph. But it can't make it past cottage industry if it's going to hand build real expensive bikes which are only techno-mods of the originals. Park one alongside a black and gold 70's Roadster and IMHO the 961 comes off second best. Then take the same money needed to purchase one (if you can) and mod an original Commando to your heart's content with today's technology and compare the results, including ride and resale.
Now a devil's advocate would say: get mean and compare it to a new Triumph. (This, of course, is unfair). But a twin shock, 80 claimed HP, 414 pound dry, naked cafe racer for $18K? I agree with those who said ride a modern Thruxton for half the price and a dealer network or look farther from the cafe mold and ride a new Street Triple - thoroughly modern and smile-inducing in every way (well, maybe not the original seat!), 105 claimed HP from 675cc, 370 pounds dry, naked roadster, and a sound and 6 speed ratios to die for (yes, I own one). And all that for half price and it's a product of the
English Motorcycle Industry. I'll admit to the worst: for a quick go-get-something ride, I look lovingly at the Commando for a spell and then hop on the no fuss-no muss ST. Hey, I don't even have to move the oil back to where it belongs.
I hope there are enough well-off people who will look past all the obvious reasons not to buy one and do it anyway. I'd love to see Norton make it back too.