What is it about the Norton that gets you hook, line and sinker?

MxMartin

MxMartin

Joined
Nov 13, 2017
Messages
1,240
Country flag
Today I rolled my Thruxton out of the dark, damp shed and gave it a thoroughly good clean and polish, I didn't want to, I would rather spend the time on my 961.

I am off to a local bike club this evening. I joined end of last year and not attended yet so thought better get around to it. The Thruxton looks good so I am going to ride that, I don't want to, I'd rather take the 961.

I know that it will be a reluctant ride, I will be thinking how nice it would be to be on the 961. I know when I get there we will talk bikes and no doubt someone will want to know all about the Thruxton, but I would rather tell them all about the 961. And then, when all the idle chit-chat is over I will have to ride home.

I can't pretend that the 961 is the only bike I own and neglect the others.... but the influence of the 961 sort of gets you that way. Oh well, such is life lol
 
MxMartin said:
Today I rolled my Thruxton out of the dark, damp shed and gave it a thoroughly good clean and polish, I didn't want to, I would rather spend the time on my 961.

I am off to a local bike club this evening. I joined end of last year and not attended yet so thought better get around to it. The Thruxton looks good so I am going to ride that, I don't want to, I'd rather take the 961.

I know that it will be a reluctant ride, I will be thinking how nice it would be to be on the 961. I know when I get there we will talk bikes and no doubt someone will want to know all about the Thruxton, but I would rather tell them all about the 961. And then, when all the idle chit-chat is over I will have to ride home.

I can't pretend that the 961 is the only bike I own and neglect the others.... but the influence of the 961 sort of gets you that way. Oh well, such is life lol
Click to expand...

Careful.
Don't let your Thrux know that you fantasize about your Norton.
 
I just not so long ago brought my new 1200 Thruxton at a good price, new Nortons cost to much here and getting a Thruxton for around $10k cheaper than a new Norton, I still have 2 old Nortons one I have owned new 43 years ago and one Manxman I am building, I love Nortons but the prices of the new ones are beyond what I can afford, but I do love my Thruxton 1200 its so much better than my 900 Thruxton but the 1200 feels and handle as good on the road as my hot 850 Featherbed Norton, here in Aussie land not many are selling new Nortons and parts are even harder to get, one of the reasons I went the Triumph way but I have owned a few Triumphs in the 45 years of riding, I just have a love of all British bikes.

Ashley
 
For me like a few of u, goes back to teenager days, my dad was a security guard on occasions at Brands Hatch Race track , I used to get in close up to Formula one stuff & the Lotus Car sponsored then by John Players Cigerettes was of course black & gold ! The Lotus 72 , Menacing & imposing look, so there how my fav colour combination started.
When interest in bikes started with my Suzuki AP50,I started drooling over the bigger 2 strokes , but caught sight of an 850 interstate that was always parked up in the same place,I stopped and stared at the bike for a couple years & actually watched it rust away, the guy never cleaned it or covered it up,I remember seeing large holes in the silencers.
There was also a local black 850 commando with a paint job on the tank of a graveyard/sunset mural, just like a rock band album cover of the day , I wondered where that ended up .
Then finally I saw that headline in MCN around 7/8 years ago “.
NORTON ARE BACK “,small pic of the kenny dreer bike I think , & that was the moment I had to have one , so it’s the retro look ,the black & gold colours & of course the noise .
 
My ride last night on the Thrux was an experience, an eye opener. Grunt... that's what the Norton has... Grunt! I found myself much higher in the rev band last night waiting for the grunt to kick in but it eluded me. The Thrux has plenty of power throughout the band but the delivery is smooth and you just don't get that kick... and boy did it feel nervous on the road and somewhat lacking in the suspension/comfort department. Character... that's also what the 961 has, she has a character and she thrives on a little love and attention, I find myself talking to her as I prep for each ride. The Thrux fired up first touch of the button after 5mth in shed, no charging of battery required, she settled into a smooth tickover and was ready to roll.... no love and attention needed. Now I am not knocking the Thrux at all and I'm certainly not attempting a comparison, the Thrux was the best bike that I had ever owned as at end of last year, she made me smile on every ride and still does but the 961 is just so much different. The only similarity the two might share is in the 'retro' category but I don't think the 961 sits well in that category either. I made the right choice, I just wish I could add an older 850 AND a Dominator! :)

Sorry guys, I didn't want to create a non-961 thread but just interested in what it is that makes the 961 so addictive and I think I found the answer last night.
 
Well, when I bought mine I was down to three very different bikes. Originally I wanted a Harley. Mind you, all I had my whole life was a Suzuki TS100, A Honda CT360, and since 1980, My 79 Bonnie T140D. So I wanted a big boy bike. Then, seeing all my old friend farts with their huge cruisers, small penises and and American Flags flying behind them.....I just wasn't ready to ride a Barker Lounger. It seemed quite boring. So the Thrux 900, the brand new Beemer NINET, The Ducati Monster 1200S. The Triumph I was told, not enough power, too soft on the suspension and the brakes. The Beemer, although really cool, too much use of plastics, looked complicated. If I can't get a rag in there to clean, I don't want it. The Ducati...rode one. Loved it. Really still wonder if I made the right choice, but aesthetically....meh. The Norton 961........This is what I know. Ballsy ass sounding air cooled twin with just enough power, Brembo brakes, Ohlins, wicked paint and striping, comfortable. Where's the plastic....oh....the turn indicators. Damn....this beast is sexy. First boatload isn't here yet. Wow. That's special. Be one of the first 10 in the US to have one. Really should purchase the first of anything. Haven't you learned that yet? But its 2014....what could go wrong?:eek: Ever time I start and ride that bike, I'm wondering what's going to go wrong. 80% of the time, nothing. That BWAAAAA when decelerating. Diving into a nice curve. A little bit of a rough rumble.....I love that. Right hand gets numb, but that part of what makes the rest of the bike so cool. I still may get a Road King, at least I can carry a few bottles of water, but the Norton will remain the favorite. Oh....And I would NEVER trust this bike on a 2600 mile run....regardless of the few of you that have.
 
Last edited:
MxMartin said:
Sorry guys, I didn't want to create a non-961 thread but just interested in what it is that makes the 961 so addictive and I think I found the answer last night.
Click to expand...

Not to worry.
If you're on this forum everyone knows that you're a Norton-o-phile

MxMartin said:
My ride last night on the Thrux was an experience, an eye opener. Grunt... that's what the Norton has... Grunt! I found myself much higher in the rev band last night waiting for the grunt to kick in but it eluded me. The Thrux has plenty of power throughout the band but the delivery is smooth and you just don't get that kick... and boy did it feel nervous on the road and somewhat lacking in the suspension/comfort department. Character... that's also what the 961 has, she has a character and she thrives on a little love and attention, I find myself talking to her as I prep for each ride. The Thrux fired up first touch of the button after 5mth in shed, no charging of battery required, she settled into a smooth tickover and was ready to roll.... no love and attention needed. Now I am not knocking the Thrux at all and I'm certainly not attempting a comparison, the Thrux was the best bike that I had ever owned as at end of last year, she made me smile on every ride and still does but the 961 is just so much different.
Click to expand...

The Thrux R’s chassis is well designed but it does carry more weight on the front end than the previous Gen1 (865) Thrux. I guess Triumph wanted the new Thrux to have a quicker turn-in, like a café, hotted up version. That is why it feels a bit nervous on the highway. You can change this by:

1. Set more sag (less spring preload) in the rear suspension. This will change the bike’s angle of attack and slow the steering a bit. If the current spring setting is already at the lowest setting then you will have to change the shocks out for slightly shorter units – 10-15mm shorter.

2. If the suspension is not comfortable you can try to set more front end sag. Check the current spring preload on the Showa USB forks, if the preload is not zeroed out then you can back it out to determine how many turns of preload are currently set. To reduce preload, just apply one turn less of preload, and then check the sag.

I liked the Thrux from the day I set eyes on it back in 2015. Triumph did a great job on it both from an engineering, and aesthetic perspective. I do prefer the standard Thrux with RWU forks and gaiters though. I’m still considering buying one. The bike’s only visual flaw is the front mounted radiator.

I agree with you about the linear power delivery of the Thrux. This is quite different from our 961's. The Norton has a noticeable powerband with a kick around 4500 RPM or so. The 961's pedigree character is pure retro classic, aesthetically, viscerally, essentially.

MxMartin said:
..... I just wish I could add an older 850 AND a Dominator! :)
Click to expand...

Be careful what you wish for. Real classics like the 750/850 Nortons have a way of consuming all of your free time in constant upgrade/maintenance/repair/leak hunting cycles. Modern classics like the 961 and Hinckley Triumphs provide the fun of a modern classic, without much of the frustration of the real classics.
 
I delivered my R nine T to the dealer who bought it from me today. Conversation went something like this:

“Well, I bet you’re sad to see her go, gonna miss her”?

“Not really”

“Oh, do you not like it... why are you selling it”?

“Well, I have other bikes and this one was always the one at the back of the queue. Then I bought a new Norton and it’s just not been used since”.

“Is the Norton that much better”.

“Eh? ... the R nine is better in every conceivable way! But riding it is a task, whereas riding the Norton is an occasion”!
 
I grew up in a shop. My whole life was biking camping trips with my dad. He had 14 nortons, vincents, BSA, ariel square four, triumph. Thats all I knew. So when I was looking for bikes, the only kind I liked was the kind that looked like what I grew up around. Then there is the quality side of things. My dad restores Rolls Royces. And all sorts of old rare cars. He’s a Rolls Royce Mechanic. It was drilled into my head that poor quality lingers long after the cheap price is forgotten. I am an engineer in a super high precision machine shop. So it only makes sense that everything about the Norton is a bike for me. Hook, line and sinker.

When I heard Norton was coming back, within a minute I looked up cdn dealer and made an appointment to meet, for the first time, Peter Howes.

Then my dad put down his deposit and waited. After seeing his bike. Well... all I wanted was that bike.
 
richard-7 said:
When I heard Norton was coming back, within a minute I looked up cdn dealer and made an appointment to meet, for the first time, Peter Howes.

Then my dad put down his deposit and waited. After seeing his bike. Well... all I wanted was that bike.
Click to expand...

The 961 seems to have that effect on some.
When I saw Kenny's 952 demo bike at the 2005 IMS in NYC, I immediately took my checkbook out.
But I had to wait until Garner sent his first shipments of 961's to the US in 2013 to write the check.
 
BritTwit said:
The 961 seems to have that effect on some.
When I saw Kenny's 952 demo bike at the 2005 IMS in NYC, I immediately took my checkbook out.
But I had to wait until Garner sent his first shipments of 961's to the US in 2013 to write the check.
Click to expand...

That’s patience!.
 
BritTwit said:
Not to worry.



The Thrux R’s chassis is well designed but it does carry more weight on the front end than the previous Gen1 (865) Thrux. I guess Triumph wanted the new Thrux to have a quicker turn-in, like a café, hotted up version. That is why it feels a bit nervous on the highway. You can change this by:

1. Set more sag (less spring preload) in the rear suspension. This will change the bike’s angle of attack and slow the steering a bit. If the current spring setting is already at the lowest setting then you will have to change the shocks out for slightly shorter units – 10-15mm shorter.

2. If the suspension is not comfortable you can try to set more front end sag. Check the current spring preload on the Showa USB forks, if the preload is not zeroed out then you can back it out to determine how many turns of preload are currently set. To reduce preload, just apply one turn less of preload, and then check the sag.

I liked the Thrux from the day I set eyes on it back in 2015. Triumph did a great job on it both from an engineering, and aesthetic perspective. I do prefer the standard Thrux with RWU forks and gaiters though. I’m still considering buying one. The bike’s only visual flaw is the front mounted radiator.

I agree with you about the linear power delivery of the Thrux. This is quite different from our 961's. The Norton has a noticeable powerband with a kick around 4500 RPM or so. The 961's pedigree character is pure retro classic, aesthetically, viscerally, essentially.



Be careful what you wish for. Real classics like the 750/850 Nortons have a way of consuming all of your free time in constant upgrade/maintenance/repair/leak hunting cycles. Modern classics like the 961 and Hinckley Triumphs provide the fun of a modern classic, without much of the frustration of the real classics.
Click to expand...

We put the Thrux R and a 2014 Ac 865 on the scales.
The Thruxton R is 52 lbs lighter according to my scales. The bike handles.
109 mph TT lap. Let me repeat, 109 mphTT lap on a bike with blinkers and a license plate. Steve Parrish thinks there is more to come with higher gearing. He was on the Rev limiter at 140 mph on the straights when Cam Donald came by on a 4 cylinder Honda works racer. Steve caught him thru the corners.
So it does handle.
I think you will find it is also about 40- 50 lbs lighter than a 961.
And a whole lot quicker, if you put them side by side. A lot more power, less weight.

Just setting it straight.

Its not all about the numbers tho.
I get as much enjoyment from my old 850 as anything. Nigel says it has 40 HP at best!
I dunno, I like it as much as any bike..

So I get the enjoyment you are receiving from your 961s, when they work properly.


Carry on!

Glen
 
worntorn said:
Its not all about the numbers tho.
Click to expand...
I agree with your summary about the Thrux., which is why I bought one and why it sells like hot cakes :)

I just didn't get why I chose to roll the 961 out of the garage, but I get it now. It's not all about the numbers!
 
Back
Top