Details are still a little sketchy about the Norton Commando 961 SE that will be shown at the Toronto Motorcycle Show in December, but some intriguing elements are being revealed by Norton Motorcycles Canada.
Suspension will be Ohlins, and Brembo will supply the brakes. The Norton will sit on carbon fibre wheels, and will be assembled by hand at "one of Europe’s most advanced machining facilities" in Donington Park.
The Ohlins fork will be "right way up" for the sake of appearance, and Ohlins twin rear shocks with remote reservoirs will be fully adjustable. The Brembo calipers will be axially mounted and will be mated to 320 mm discs.
The Commando’s frame will be steel tube in construction with an integrated oil tank.
Instruments will be standard style with analog gauges and electronic actuation.
Menard Competition Technologies of Oxfordshire has signed on to develop the motors, which will be 961 cc parallel-twin in construction, with pushrod valve actuation and fuel injection, and will pump at least 80 hp through the rear wheel, according to CMG’s secret information.
We are striving to get you Canadian prices, but for the moment, all we can say is that Canadian numbers will be limited to 20 for the first year.
Brag about what though? Perhaps the key to marketing is hype and packaging. For example, at the motorcycle shows with their mindless bodacious ladies standing next to the bike. We need to have the monkeys keep those two things imprinted together in their memories. Once they’ve got that connection we should be able to sell them our stuff. I don’t know about anyone else but I always buy the model that has the hottest tart astride. Makes sense to me, feels right.
The key to marketing is attention to bragging rights.
All these details and more are available on the corporate website. the standard mode 961 will I’m sure come with more traditionals parts and be more affordable. The SE is the top of the line showcase model and most of them have been presold. There is also to be a Cafe racer version. There you go do I get a prize?
Got to agree: carbon fiber wheels? I guess they don’t actually intend to sell many of these bikes. So now you will have an 80 hp bike for $19,000 with brilliant forks and rear suspenders with no linkage with CF wheels and accommodation for one. What’s the point again, exclusivity? Conspicuous consumption? So lame, so non-hardcore. Give me a KTM690.
That all sounds very nice, but why the carbon fiber wheels?
I think I’ll stay with the ’73 750 Commando in my garage, although it would be nice to get it licensed and take it *out* of the garage…