Norton Motorcycles will return to competitive racing under ownership of TVS Motor Company, the brand's new CEO has said. New Norton CEO Robert Hentschel has said in an interview that racing is an intrinsic part of Norton's history, and the brand will make a comeback, although he didn't specifically mention the Isle of Man TT or British Superbike Championship. Hentschel though didn't rule out a return to the IOMTT, but underscored the brand's focus on competitive racing. Apparently, Hentschel is himself a keen biker who bought his own Norton Commando 961 in 2016.
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The Norton V4 SS bikes sold by previous management of the company have been discovered with as many as 35 defects, in some cases, making them unsafe and not road-worthy
"I think racing is important to keep brand value high. Norton seems to be an undestroyable brand, but at some point we have to contribute to keep it where it is or to take it higher. We want Norton to be using state-of-the-art technology and racing is part of that; it makes a statement. But we are not yet ready to make a public statement on this. We need to have a competitive product because I would like to win," said Hentschel in an interview to British publication MCN.
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After investment from TVS, Norton Motorcycles has moved to new headquarters with a state-of-the-art production facility
However, there are more pressing issues for the brand, including quality issues with Norton V4SS bikes sold by the previous management, under the old company Norton Motorcycles UK Limited (NMUL). Customers who bought the V4SS from NMUL have been complaining of all sorts of issues, and some bikes have even been deemed unsafe to be used on the road. The new company, called Norton Motorcycle Company Limited (NMCL), founded after TVS acquired the brand, have found as many as 35 defects in the bikes.
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"We have to fully understand the faults of the bike produced by the previous company, which are quite complex. We already identified 35 faults in bikes we investigated. We are in the phase of the iterative process of testing and re-engineering the new product with quality and safety in mind.I cannot promise, but I am pushing to start producing the new V4 bike by the end of this year. I understand the feedback and we need to understand our commercial position on the whole case. We are not responsible from a legal perspective, but I want to find a solution for the owners and a solution that is acceptable to all," Dr Hentschel is quoted as having said in the interview.
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After TVS acquired Norton in April 2020, the iconic brand has spent the last 18 months or so, re-organising itself with fresh investment from TVS. The new management team of Norton Motorcycles was appointed only in June 2021, under CEO Dr. Robert Hentschel. While Norton Motorcycle Company Limited (NMCL) will focus on sorting out issues and strengthening the brand with existing Norton owners, there will also be a new bike by the end of 2021, as well as focus on electric platforms in the years ahead.
