Norton’s future: “assisted riding, safety systems and electric bikes"
One of the new Joint Directors of Norton Motorcycles has unveiled TVS’ plans for the iconic British brand
THE new owners of Norton Motorcycles have unveiled its plan to take the brand to take it back to its glory days as a luxury motorcycle maker.
The strategy includes investing tens of millions into the manufacturer to help bring it to the global stage once more.
Aside from the obvious large-scale investment, the brand will require to succeed in today’s ultra-competitive motorcycle market, the new bosses plan to take Norton long into the future with high tech rider safety systems and even electric motorcycle further down the line.
Speaking to the Financial Times, TVS joint managing director Sudarshan Venu said:
“Norton is an iconic brand. We want to restore the brand to its former glories, produce the excellent products that it has, and delight its loyal fan base.
“It is important that we take Norton into the future, in assisted riding, safety systems, and electric…
“Norton has always stood for the highest end of motorcycles, as many of these features are important for taking the brand into the future.
“Norton focuses on a customer group that is in the super-premium category. Our idea is to back it up with required investment,”
Will Norton stay at Donington Hall?
Before any of this can happen, the new owners plan to restore production at Donington Hall, allowing the workforce to complete the orders of bikes for which customers have paid either in full or by deposit. After that, it’s reported they will look to move production to a nearby facility that can handle the kind of growth that TVS have their sights set on.
The FT also reports that the new site should have the capacity to build around 2,000 bikes a year, with the new owners hoping to open a factory outside the UK at some point in the future.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
