Would you buy one again

And Aprilia (you always forget to mention Aprilia :p ), with the Tuono V4 1100 Factory considered the best super naked bike by many. And the RSVP very competitive in pure sport bikes
Lol. You’re right I forgot again lol.
 
For me, this is the case.
I feel they TVS is already behind the game. Their V4CR and V4SV are already missing the performance mark.
The weight
The power
The timing and availability are already off.
The ship has sailed and their luggage missed the boat.

Ducati, KTM, BMW, MV Agusta, and the Japanese already have the market covered. I’m aware that the Norton is a boutique model, but by the time it’s available, if it ever is available it’ll be dated.
I might have this wrong, but I don't see that the V4CR/SV adds anything to the brand's value. I think the V4 is more dead than the 961.

When TVS bought Norton it was a bargain. To have that amount of "brand" for that little money is, to me, astounding. The V4cr/sv isn't a Commando, a Dominator or anything with a link or heritage really that will hold brand value.

Look at Mini, look at Triumph. Look at how brand value has been extracted. I believe that's the way they will head. Not to build the fastest or best bike, but to extract value from nostalgia of the brand.
 
I might have this wrong, but I don't see that the V4CR/SV adds anything to the brand's value. I think the V4 is more dead than the 961.

When TVS bought Norton it was a bargain. To have that amount of "brand" for that little money is, to me, astounding. The V4cr/sv isn't a Commando, a Dominator or anything with a link or heritage really that will hold brand value.

Look at Mini, look at Triumph. Look at how brand value has been extracted. I believe that's the way they will head. Not to build the fastest or best bike, but to extract value from nostalgia of the brand.
Spot on. Surely they must lean on their heritage as well. That’s where the 961, if it had been fully developed could have been an absolute winner - if possible with a lower price tag. Norton heritage, looks, low tech but capable. A traditionally configured, air cooled, parallel twin motorcycle; ‘new old school’ if that makes any sense.

The Triumph retros, although awesome machines, I see as modern bikes dressed up as retros. Water cooled pretending to be air cooled, fuel injection pretending to be carbureted. That said, look at what Triumph has achieved! And to completely contradict myself I would really love to add a Thruxton R TFC to my garage, but that would be my only choice from their stable. To double contradict myself, I also like the look of the V4CR. Nothing stopping Norton going retro and super modern of course.

1F73318F-B2AC-4E0C-9E64-05061CF8356F.jpeg
 
I might have this wrong, but I don't see that the V4CR/SV adds anything to the brand's value. I think the V4 is more dead than the 961.

When TVS bought Norton it was a bargain. To have that amount of "brand" for that little money is, to me, astounding. The V4cr/sv isn't a Commando, a Dominator or anything with a link or heritage really that will hold brand value.

Look at Mini, look at Triumph. Look at how brand value has been extracted. I believe that's the way they will head. Not to build the fastest or best bike, but to extract value from nostalgia of the brand.
I’m not talking about being the fastest bike. It’s never going to be the fastest bike if they keep it the way it is. But performance sells.
My point is, the market is already flooded with the same type of line ups that Norton has on display but can’t even bring to market.

How many people are going to buy a bike that’s way more expensive based on looks, that makes less power, that has less modern computer technology , that has not even close to the dealer network as the brands I’ve mentioned before?

Many younger people don’t know who Norton is and the middle and older crowd won’t be buying many sport or street fighter cafe bikes. Especially when it’s much more expensive. It’s truly a boutique brand. So how will TVS survive? Garner couldn’t do it. That’s why he did the crimes he did. He needed the money to try and keep the business going.

He started with a bike that the consumer wanted and with a market that was just getting back into. Retro and nostalgia sells. And Nortons history is known by the age group that bought the 961.

How many people under the age of 30 know who Norton is today? How well do you think the new BSA is going to sell compared to Triumph or Royal Endfield ?
Do you think with the two bikes that TVS shown on their website is enough to keep them in business? Bikes they don’t even offer to purchase yet?

How are they even keeping the lights on now since they can’t even sell us spare parts?
 
Spot on. Surely they must lean on their heritage as well. That’s where the 961, if it had been fully developed could have been an absolute winner - if possible with a lower price tag. Norton heritage, looks, low tech but capable. A traditionally configured, air cooled, parallel twin motorcycle; ‘new old school’ if that makes any sense.

The Triumph retros, although awesome machines, I see as modern bikes dressed up as retros. Water cooled pretending to be air cooled, fuel injection pretending to be carbureted. That said, look at what Triumph has achieved! And to completely contradict myself I would really love to add a Thruxton R TFC to my garage, but that would be my only choice from their stable. To double contradict myself, I also like the look of the V4CR. Nothing stopping Norton going retro and super modern of course.

View attachment 85500
Agree 100%
SG had the right plan on the brands bike line up, it’s just a shame that he did what he did. I just don’t see how TSV is going to keep the Norton brand going with two models that are hardly known or even available. Time will tell.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MAK
"It was good. but it was just another bike."

View attachment 85505
Just another bike?! Aside from weaker styling (in my opinion at least) this bike is everything the 961 is (was) not. Neither model fits seamlessly into the "retro" category, anyway. Yes, the Thruxton's faux carbs was huge turn-off for me. But, eventually I could overlook the cosmetic faults in exchange for a modern, quiet, powerful water-cooled twin that proved to be very reliable.

Maybe I'm at the age where I just don't relish hours of tinkering just to gain confidence whenever I planned to ride. The down time with my 961 cut into my take-a-ride-when-I-feel-like-it riding schedule in a major way.
 
Last edited:
People make so much out of the throttle body covers. I see them as a bit of humour or whimsy on Triumph's part. Perhaps some just don't get it.
No one actually thinks they are real Amal carbs do they?
It's like the entire bike, at first glance it looks a lot like an old cafe racer'd Brit bike from the sixties, except it goes like a rocket, doesn't shake itself &the rider to bits and will run forever on just maintenance. Most buyers understand that this is a thoroughly modern machine styled to look like a bike from the past.

I count five 1200s now in my group of friends. We all know what the bikes are and aren't, no confusion there.
If you really hate the Amal shaped covers, make some acceptable ones and slap them on. It's a lot easier than repairing a ring gear, fixing a broken front end or splitting an engine to straighten and rebalance the crank!
 
"If you really hate the Amal shaped covers, make some acceptable ones and slap them on. It's a lot easier than repairing a ring gear, fixing a broken front end or splitting an engine to straighten and rebalance the crank!"
Glenn, have you seen the post by a guy on the RAT forum who actually made his own covers? I might convince him to sell me a pair just to ease my weary mind. ;)
 
If you really hate the Amal shaped covers, make some acceptable ones and slap them on. It's a lot easier than repairing a ring gear, fixing a broken front end or splitting an engine to straighten and rebalance the crank!
It's kind of funny, but the Speed Twin doesn't have the faux Amal covers.
But Thaiumph has created a kit for Speed Twin owners to retro fit the covers to their bikes, because so many owners have requested it.
Go figure.
I guess, one man's trash, really is another man's treasure.:p
 
It's kind of funny, but the Speed Twin doesn't have the faux Amal covers.
But Thaiumph has created a kit for Speed Twin owners to retro fit the covers to their bikes, because so many owners have requested it.
Go figure.
I guess, one man's trash, really is another man's treasure.:p
Hi Brit Twit , Can you post a picture of your new bike ?
 
It's kind of funny, but the Speed Twin doesn't have the faux Amal covers.
But Thaiumph has created a kit for Speed Twin owners to retro fit the covers to their bikes, because so many owners have requested it.
Go figure.
I guess, one man's trash, really is another man's treasure.:p
That is funny. After selling off my 961 I was seriously looking at the Street Cup as a replacement because it did NOT have the faux carbs! What turned me off about that model was the single rotor front disc brake.
 
That is funny. After selling off my 961 I was seriously looking at the Street Cup as a replacement because it did NOT have the faux carbs! What turned me off about that model was the single rotor front disc brake.
Yeah, I really don't understand why Triumph doesn't put caliper flanges on the other fork leg, and sell an optional dual disc kit for the bike. Back in 1975 that's exactly what Kawasaki did on the 903 Z1. Honestly, not having dual discs on my T100 was one reason for me trading up to the Speed Twin. A lot of folks with single disc Triumphs feel the same way. For me dual disc setup is not a cool, or sexy issue, it's a safety issue for bikes over 400 ibs, plain and simple.
 
Glenn, have you seen the post by a guy on the RAT forum who actually made his own covers? I might convince him to sell me a pair just to ease my weary mind. ;)
Haven't seen that, but with it just being a cosmetic item it should be fairly easy.
Another thought is to remove the cover and look at the throttle bodies instead. I'm not sure what that entails.
I suspect Triumph just said " We need a cover, let's make it look like an Amal monobloc for fun"
 
Yes, these were the stock mag wheels for the 2020 model.
Triumph changed the design for 2022, I actually prefer those, but I got a great deal on the 2020.
I wish Triumph would stop the "black-out" motor finish, I prefer the traditional grey-aluminum finish.
 
Another thought is to remove the cover and look at the throttle bodies instead. I'm not sure what that entails.
Apparently there is some circuitry that needs to be covered. The guy that posted his makeover stated he had to replicate the inside of the cover to keep things in order.
 
Back
Top