Comments on: Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer

By: Big Sven

Big Sven — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:11:58 +0000

Stop nit-picking, lads. I knew Joan Collins before she was famous and resprayed, and she weren’t absolutely perfect even then. The new Norton looks great to me, ignore the few slight blemishes, I’m certain she’s a good ride anyway (Joan was…ahem). A poor pensioner, I’d need that dratted lottery-win first, but I’d have one, windshield, panniers, hit the Top Gear Best Roads In Europe, love every second of it. And I’ll guarentee you this, until I get me helmet off the girls will be simpering all over me! Damn I look good in black leather….

By: Steve Crocker

Steve Crocker — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 08:47:19 +0000

I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. There’s nothing about the styling I find at all offensive.
Now if you want to point out an offensive gap between rear wheel and fender look at the Duke GT1000, the end of it hanging out there swinging in the breeze….that and the 15 litre tank reasons I crossed it off my list.
The Norton’s cut off tail is neat and complete, finishing just at the end of the rear tyre ….perfect!
That forward tilted engine is a thing of beauty, exhausts emanating from up high where they should and finishing as stubbies where the rear sprocket stops.
I have always had the warm and fuzzies for retro styling. I came back to riding with a new Bonneville in 2001, kept it 10 months but never really warmed to it. Looking back I think it was saddled with an the overly long exhaust with too upright a motor which looked and sounded as anaemic as it felt, issues all addressed on this bike (although 100 horses might be more useful for two-up and for overtaking faster moving cars than we had to in the 60s/70s). It’s also 17 kgs (nearly 40 pounds) lighter than the Bonneville.

I wonder if those laced looking wheels are going to have to have inner tubes or if they are retro looking but with tubeless tyres? I never want to have to take off a wheel to fix a puncture some hundreds of kms out in the country on day rides.

By: Castrol 'R'

Castrol 'R' — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:10:43 +0000

If the guys at Norton are into ‘Retro’ engineering and want to fill a gap in the market, any chance of simply re-issuing the Manx 350′s and 500′s?

By: Castrol 'R'

Castrol 'R' — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:50:38 +0000

Check out the new livery, yes the yellow is vulgar, but the ‘Classic’ Norton silver grey and pinstripe is back, with real Manx Norton style. The Brits can’t get it through thier heads that if the continental market wants a continental bike, that’s what they will buy, and not a wannabe. If they want a Brit bike, thats what it should be, and I think this Norton IS TRUE BRIT. Engineering wise, a pushrod twin is, well, retro, Dominator, (don’t forget how these spanked your Harleys!) Atlas, Commando. The heritage is there, and advances in engine design seem to have been by-balled, but it doesn’t seem to matter. This Norton ticks a lot of boxes, including being a bit on the pricey side, and I’m guessing the target market is old geezers who have made good, shaken off the kids and remember looking longingly at Coommandos in the showroom, when they only had a Honda 50 budget!
I would love to see Norton make a comeback, and I think this is a good start

By: Turgut

Turgut — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:10:41 +0000

Craig, my best wishes for your new bike, hope you enjoy it as you would like to.
I also hope it’s not yellow.

By: Craig Milne

Craig Milne — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:40:25 +0000

I cant believe what I am reading, here we have a work of art & the re-birth of a name famous of old & what are most people complaining about, OH ITS YELLOW. Yes its a bit expensive but so are all bikes nowadays. Just think of when you bought your first bike & try to buy the same one today. Lets not get away from the facts, it has some of the best kit available today, you can pick the colour you want, your bike is built to order & you actually go to the factory to meet the team before they build your bike, “it has a big tank” so what, just means you dont have to keep stopping to re fuel just keep ridding. If when you first see the new Norton you dont like it, then its not for you & there are plenty others to choose from. On the other hand, if you are like me I fell in love with it. To me its just what we need in the bike world to get away from the plastic bikes that all look the same.

Well thats my say & I enjoyed it, now I cant wait for my new Norton to arrive.
Craig

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:36:14 +0000

Personally I like the yellow. Stands out from the norm. Would so love to test ride the bike and trade in my duke, but like other comments it’s a tad pricey for me at the moment. It will sell well I’m sure, so good luck to them.