Tag Archives: Atlas Nomad

News

Norton Motorcycles headed for big year

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Norton Motorcycles is expected to improve reliability and spare parts availability as well as delivering important new models this year after two major cash injections.

Australian importer James Mutton of Brisbane Motorcycles says he is expecting a big year from the handbuilt British brand.

Some £4m in government funding has now flowed through to the company who have also concluded a £20m deal with Japan.

The deal involves delivering an extra 1000 motorcycles worth £5m to Japanese riders over the next five years.

The extra money will allow Norton Motorcycles to revamp their plant in Castle Donington and hire 200 new workers.

“It’s an amazing place with carpet on the floor and technicians hand assembling the bike at little work benches,” James says.

New Norton Motorcycles models

Norton Atlas Ranger Nomad wait
Norton Atlas Ranger Nomad

The big new models coming from Norton this year are the flagship V4 and the affordable Atlas Nomad and Ranger.

James says he has already presold 15 V4 models and seven Atlas models.

“Because they are all handmade, getting them out here is difficult,” James says.

“Parts are now good with a two-week from UK, but the bikes are taking a long time.”

He says the V4 will be manufactured in March and the Atlas later this year probably arriving here in 2020.

The Atlas is expected to be the big seller because of its relatively low price.

In the UK they cost £9995 for the Nomad and £11,995 for the Ranger.

James says they will cost $20,000 to $25,000 here.

“That’s a lot more achievable for a lot of people,” he says.

The Superlight uses same engine at the Atlas, but James says it is just for racing in the 650 TT class, not for public sale.

Norton Motorcycles Superlight wait
Norton Superlight

Exclusivity

James says the V4 will be offered in limited numbers.

“Volume is low because they are expensive top 1% of market can afford them,” he says.

“It’s all part of the exclusivity of the brand, like Aston Martin.”

Norton Motorcycles V4 RR British atlas
Norton V4 RR

“The V4 will be second to none. They don’t plan to get into volume.”

James says he sold 20 Nortons last year with 10 more landed last month and sold eight already.

The typical Norton customer is aged over 45, affluent and male, he says.

Norton sells 80% of their production outside the UK and 83% of their motorcycle components are built in the UK.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

News

Long wait for new Norton Atlas models

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Customers who have put in orders for the two new hand-built Norton Atlas 650cc models are set for a long wait for delivery.

The Atlas Nomad cafe racer and Ranger scrambler will not hit the assembly line until early Northern Hemisphere summer 2019.

And even then they will only be built for the UK market, says Norton International Dealer Manager Lee Frankish.

“During late 2019 we will start to plan for international markets with the plan to start building early 2020.”

Meanwhile, Australian distributor, Brisbane Motorcycles, tells us they already have one pre-order and will announce pricing “in the next couple of months”. In the UK they cost £9995 for the Nomad and £11,995 for the Ranger.

Since the Norton Commando 961 starts at £15,995 in the UK and $A29,990 in Australia, we can expect the pricing to be just under $20,000 for the Nomad and just over for the Ranger.

All Nortons are handmade in the Donington Hall factory in the UK, so it will be some time before they are exported in significant volumes.

Norton Motorcycles Donington Hall factory
Donington Hall factory

The Aussie distributors are expecting the bikes at the end of next year. However, that would be difficult since Norton says they won’t be built until 2020 for international markets.

It will be an even longer wait for the Superlight racer version of the Atlas which was unveiled a couple of weeks after the Nomad and Ranger.

Norton Superlight wait
Norton Superlight

TT legend John McGuinness will race one in the Superlight class at the Isle of Man TT next year.

All Atlas models are powered by a 650cc twin engine which is basically half of their coming 1200cc V4.

Long wait as usual

Speaking of which, the Norton V4RR and V4SS were announced more than two years ago yet the first V4SS has only just rolled out of the factory.

All 200 of the limited edition bike were sold at £44,000 each (about $A74,000, $US55,000) when they were revealed two years ago.

None is coming to Australia.

Meanwhile the V4RR will cost £28,000 each in the UK (about $A47,000, $US35,000) and $59,990 in Australia plus on-road costs.

There is no word on when they will arrive, but as usual it should be a long wait.

Norton V4 RR British atlas
Norton V4 RR

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

News

Norton reveals Atlas Nomad and Ranger

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Norton has unveiled a surprise with not one, but two Atlas 650cc models – the cafe racer Nomad and the Ranger scrambler.

The bikes go on sale as early as this weekend in the UK for £9995 (Nomad) and £11,995 (Ranger).

There is no word of export schedules or overseas pricing yet.

Since the Norton Commando 961 starts at £15,995 in the UK and $A29,990 in Australia, we can expect the pricing to be just under $20,000 for the Nomad and just over for the Ranger.

All Nortons are handmade in the UK and these will only be available in small numbers in the UK. So it might be some time before they are exported in significant volumes.

They draw inspiration from Norton’s original 750cc Atlas of the 1960s.

Both new Atlas models are powered by a 650cc twin engine. It is basically half of the 1200cc V4 they are working on for their flagship V4 model expected to be released next year.

Norton V4 RR British atlas
Norton V4 RR

The liquid-cooled, parallel twin engine in the Atlas models has a 270-degree firing order like the new Triumph Bonnevilles.

It has 62kW of power at 11,000 revs and 64Nm of torque.

In cafe racer form, the Nomad features an 18-inch front wheel, 180mm rear tyre, wire wheels, straight bars, suede and vinyl bench seat, single headlight and twin pod instruments.

The scrambleresque Ranger has a 19-inch front wheel, high front guard, 50mm higher suspension, a 43mm higher seat (867mm), sport screen, headlight protection and dual-sport tyres.

Both come in a choice of grey, light blue, maroon, black or white.

Norton Atlas RangerNorton Atlas Ranger

Engine: Norton Designed 650cc parallel twin. 270 degree firing order. Chain driven double overhead cams with idler gear.

Bore & stroke: 82mm x 61.5mm

Compression ratio: 11.5:1

Fuel injection: Electronic fuel injection system. 4 fuel injectors. Full drive-by-wire system.

Euro 4: Full compliance including secondary air injection and EVAP

Power: 62kW (84bhp) @ 11,000rpm

Torque: 64Nm

Lighting: Full LED lighting system including super bright high and low beam, daytime running lights, rear lamp and indicators.

Chassis: Twin tube seamless steel perimeter chassis with aluminium swingarm mount.

Swingarm: Braced twin spar cast aluminium.

Wheelbase: 1470mm

Dry weight: 178kg

Headstock angle: 24.2 degrees

Fuel tank: Composite fuel tank with 15L capacity.

Yokes: Forged top and bottom.

Wheels: 19-inch front spoke wheel with Titanium coloured aluminium rim and 120/70 R19 Avon Trekrider tyre; 17-inch rear spoke wheel with Titanium coloured aluminium rim and 170/60 R17 Avon Trekrider tyre.

Bodywork: High mudguard, brushed aluminium rear panels.

Others: Factory fit sump guard, screen kit, headlamp guard. Braced handle bars.

Seat: 867mm

Brakes: 2 x 320mm full floating Brembo discs. Radially mounted twin Brembo monoblock callipers with ABS. Brembo master cylinder; Single 245mm Brembo disc. Brembo twin piston rear calliper with ABS. Brembo master cylinder.

Suspension: 50mm Roadholder USD forks, preload, compression and rebound adjustable. 200mm wheel travel;  Roadholder monoshock with rising rate linkage and piggyback reservoir. Adjustable preload. 200mm wheel travel.

Norton Atlas NomadNorton Atlas Nomad

Engine: Norton Designed 650cc parallel twin. 270 degree firing order. Chain driven double overhead cams with idler gear.

Bore & stroke: 82mm x 61.5mm Compression ratio: 11.5:1

Fuel injection: Electronic fuel injection system. 4 fuel injectors. Full drive-by-wire system.

Euro 4: Full compliance including secondary air injection and EVAP.

Power: 62kW (84bhp) @ 11,000 rpm Torque: 64Nm

Lighting: Full LED lighting system including super bright high and low beam, daytime running lights, rear lamp and indicators.

Chassis: Twin tube seamless steel perimeter chassis with aluminium swingarm mount.

Swingarm: Braced twin spar cast aluminium.

Wheelbase: 1446mm

Dry weight: 178kg

Headstock angle: 24.2 degrees.

Fuel tank: Composite fuel tank with 15L capacity.

Yokes: Forged top and bottom

Wheels: 18-inch front spoke wheel with polished aluminium rim and 110/80 R18 Avon Trekrider tyre; 17-inch rear spoke wheel with polished aluminium rim and 180/55 R17 Avon Trekrider tyre.

Bodywork: Aluminium polished low front mudguard. Polished aluminium rear panels.

Seat height: 824mm

Brakes: 2 x 320mm full floating Brembo discs. Radially mounted twin Brembo monoblock callipers with ABS. Brembo master cylinder; single 245mm Brembo disc. Brembo twin piston rear calliper with ABS. Brembo master cylinder.

Suspension: 50mm diameter Roadholder USD forks. Preload, compression and rebound adjustable. 150mm wheel travel; Roadholder monoshock with rising rate linkage and piggyback reservoir. Adjustable preload. 150mm wheel travel.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com