With India-based TVS Motors now backing the Norton brand, we’re seeing some changes and improvements—as in, it seems the company is finally being run as a legitimate business, after years of rumoured shady dealings. And, we’re seeing new bikes.
Now, we see this new V4-powered cafe racer prototype popping up, as a sort of teaser for future endeavours. A few weeks ago, we got the V4SV superbike thrown as bait; now, Norton’s stripped that machine down to make the V4 Cafe Racer.
The 1200 cc engine is supposed to make 185 hp, and that’s about all we know about the V4 powerplant. The bodywork is carbon fibre, and so is the gas tank; the frame and swingarm are polished billet aluminum.
You can find a few more photos of the bike here. Norton is supposed to reveal more information when the bike debuts at the UK’s Motorcycle Live show, which gets underway this weekend. Already, the company’s test pilots have put tens of thousands of kilometres into testing the machine, so we expect a fairly ready-to-ride bike when it’s unveiled at the show.
What else is Norton up to?
For more details on the revived company’s plans, check out Norton’s new website. The company has opened a new factory in the UK, and says “Having returned to our roots in the West Midlands, Norton is now positioned to begin executing our ambitious plans for production. Our new 73,000sq ft facility is complete with state-of-the-art equipment and the capacity to manufacture up to 8000 motorcycles per year. And we’re only just getting started…”
Bold stuff indeed, and a complete turnaround for a brand that was in absolute shambles in early 2020.
