Amidst all the angst from all Norton motorcycle owners and pension scheme holders of the previous motorcycle manufacturer’s ownership, the newly appointed CEO of Norton Motorcycle has laid out plans for new motorcycles coming and reworkings of older models for a new generation rider.
Dr Robert Hentschel took post on the 1st June 2021 and has claimed his understandings of the V4SS 1st Gen owners frustrations with the safety faults and the 35 findings the new company found with the old design, but he clarifies their position that they are not legally obliged to fix this issue for old owners, albeit he has made his feelings known that he would like to help in any way possible and perhaps to give a cash discount on the purchase on a 2nd Gen V4SS when it finally goes into production he hopes by the end of the year…but he would not be nailed down on what specifically that discount would be and whether any trade in value would be afforded to any 1st Gen V4SS.
Interestingly in the same timeframe, senior designer Simon Skinner, a former director and Head of Design at Norton Motorcycles UK Ltd has been struck off the Directors register for his involvement in the happenings under the previous ownership and notably that parts were allegedly raped off customers bikes to finish production of new customer bikes…but is he still with New Norton under TVS ownership? Is he still the senior designer and was he involved in the 35 fault findings of his own V4SS designs? How does he have a position in this new company with such a chequered past? That is what 1st Gen V4SS owners are repeatedly asking.
1st Gen V4SS owners still rage and pension scheme holders are still in limbo and one can only surmise their unsuccessful pleas thus far have been lost in the noise of the crowd of creditors wishing recompense from the previous owners of Norton Motorcycles and their fate lies in the hands of administrators BDO…will their pain ever end?
However that being said, this new company of Norton motorcycles are making their way into their new production and assembly facility in Solihull UK and should be online in September, leading the way to start making their intentions known for new motorcycles and the production of existing models. As previously reported here, the 961 Commando has gone into production with the V4SS planned for the new year too.
It had been reported that Norton were planning brand new models for 2022/23 but they are also looking to reanimate the Atlas and the Superlight too…perhaps in 2022.
Dr Robert Hentschel has big plans for Norton to make it a viable company for the future with key focus in engineering and premium products and has also intimated that they would like to get back to racing as soon as possible too…would that mean a return of the V4 to the TT?
There will of course be more announcements in the coming months and Norton do plan to have a stand at the November Motorcycle LIVE show at the NEC Birmingham UK in which they hope to unveil some new products too. Bring some popcorn and expect some fireworks at that stand…not only for the new model announcements and unveils but also for the steep PR mountain they’ll be climbing to overcome much of the bad press they have received already…but this is in name only and all the negative attention should be aimed at the old company and not this new one…but this is a confusing picture and identity that the new CEO has to work hard to build…but interesting and exciting times ahead. I for one cannot wait to see what they come up with.
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