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Dec 06

Norton Motorcycles unveils new Café Racer bike

By General Posts

from https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/ by Enda Mullen

The V4CR, a derivative of the company’s V4SV superbike, will go on show at Motorcycle Live

Legendary manufacturer Norton Motorcycles has revealed a prototype of a new motorcycle. The V4CR, is a Café Racer derivative of the company’s V4SV superbike.

It is the first prototype to be designed, engineered and built at the company’s recently opened global headquarters in Solihull.

It shares the same engineering DNA as the superbike, including its 185bhp 1200cc V4 engine as well as some engineering advancements.

Norton said the new V4CR’s stripped-back appearance showcases the craftsmanship and quality behind one of the most powerful British café racers out there.

Fitted with a carbon fibre fuel tank and body panels, polished billet aluminium swingarm and frame, the V4CR also features compact framework and a shorter rear frame for an aggressive and commanding stance.

Norton Motorcycles’ CEO Dr Robert Hentschel said: “The prototype VC4R is the next step in Norton’s strategic growth plan on its journey to becoming the world-leader in luxury hand-crafted motorcycles.”

The V4CR prototype is Norton’s latest project to use the marque’s refined V4 platform, revised over the last 16 months by a team of 30 engineers and subject to tens of thousands of road and track miles, as part of Norton’s development process.

The V4CR reintroduces fans to Norton’s iconic café racer heritage.

Norton’s V4CR prototype will make its public debut at Motorcycle Live, taking place at the NEC in Solihull from December 4-12.

Norton formally opened its Solihull headquarters in November this year.

The motorcycle maker has a long and illustrious history, though fell on hard times before being revived.

It became one of the most iconic British motorcycle brands, manufacturing famous models such as the 650SS, Atlas, Commando, Dominator, Manx, Navigator and many more.

It gained a reputation as an innovator in motorcycle technology, with features combining lightness and strength in motorcycle racing.

Norton Motorcycles has a rich history in motorsport and the brand name is synonymous with the famous Isle of Man TT.

The new headquarters in Solar Park, Shirley, is home to design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing, and support teams – as well as the skilled production team that is resuming the manufacture of motorcycles.

Norton Motorcycles’ revival and relocation from Castle Donington comes after it was acquired by TVS Motor Company, India’s third-largest motorcycle manufacturer in April 2020.

Nov 15

Norton Motorcycles opens new Global Headquarters

By General Posts

TVS-owned Norton Motorcycles opens new Global Headquarters: 8,000 bikes to roll out every year
from https://www.financialexpress.com by Pradeep Shah

The new headquarters is creating over a hundred new high-skilled jobs and more in the coming years and will be able to build around 8,000 motorcycles a year.

Norton Motorcycles has announced the completion of its new global headquarters that includes state-of-the-art manufacturing capability and the company’s new global design and R&D hub as well. The new HQ is a display of significant commitment by TVS Motor Company in its partnership with Norton Motorcycles. Within just 18 months of acquiring the iconic British marque, TVS has overseen the creation of its world-class facility in Solihull, West Midlands, UK.

The new Norton leadership, together with TVS Motor Company, has conducted a wide-ranging review of Norton Motorcycles operations, resulting in new appointments and processes and these have been specifically in engineering, design, and manufacturing areas in order to ensure the highest quality standards, the company stated.

Moreover, the new headquarters is creating over a hundred new high-skilled jobs and more in the coming years and will be able to build around 8,000 motorcycles a year.

As part of the new manufacturing process, every single component of every new Norton bike will be evaluated in a new quality-testing laboratory to ensure the highest build quality. Moreover, the company says that within the laboratory are inspection rooms, testing areas including destruction testing, and a rolling road while a customer reception and showroom, service workshop, and office are also housed at the new HQ.

The Norton manufacturing facility has also been engineered to be highly sustainable and to minimize waste. The brand says that the build used numerous sustainable and rapid build techniques on the project, the components of which are almost 50% reconfigurable as a proportion of total construction cost – in order to increase special flexibility. The new facility is supported by the West Midlands Growth partnership, the UK Government, and is a great example of Anglo-Indian cooperation.

Apr 26

Motorcycle manufacturer KTM expanding U.S. HQ in Murrieta

By General Posts

by Samantha Gowen from https://www.sbsun.com

KTM, an Austrian manufacturer of street and off-road motorcycles, is expanding its North American headquarters in Murrieta to a new campus.

A groundbreaking is expected in August.

KTM NA (North America) is building its campus at the northeast corner of Winchester and Borel roads. The company, led by CEO John Hinz, says it will span 20 acres and include at least three buildings with more than 150,000 square feet of technical, office, warehouse and racing departments.

The development is one block south of KTM NA’s private motorsports facility, which is used for testing products and athlete training. It has two supercross-style dirt tracks, two extreme off-road courses and a trials competition section.

The company sells its motorcycles and related gear through independent dealers across the U.S.

We asked the company about its new HQ and what it’s bringing to the Temecula Valley. Tom Moen, KTM’s marketing manager, gave us an update.

Q: Tell us more about the KTM brand and what it makes.

A: We have three brands of motorcycles we build and distribute to our dealers, KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas. In those brands, we have an array of products from balance bikes for 3-year-old children up to 1290 Adventure motorcycles. Plus we have electric minibikes and a full-size, off-road electric bike.

We also produce and sell parts and accessories to our dealers, everything from T-shirts to full riding suits and anything for protection and safety equipment, kids to adults sizes.

Q: Where was KTM’s North American HQ previously?

A: Our headquarters was back in Amherst, Ohio. We also had sales and marketing offices down in El Cajon. We moved to Temecula in 2004 and opened our current headquarters in Murrieta in 2009, which has grown to four buildings now (and we are outgrowing them). Our Ohio offices are now the parts warehouse and dealer training center

Q: How long has the test track been operational?

A: Our private test track has been fully operational for 3 years now. It’s right above our current offices off Technology and Innovation streets, south of French Valley airport.

Q: It sounds like business is going well. Can you share more?

A: Our company has been doing very well in the off-road market for a while. This is where we lead in market share among the other brands. Our street segment has grown in the past three years, and we are/have been the largest European motorcycle manufacture in North America.

We’ve been seeing 10% average growth for the past years, and this last year was our best year retail sales-wise for our dealers.

Q: How did the pandemic impact the company?

A: COVID just made people want to get out and do things. Riding motorcycles was something you could do with yourself and your families. We were lucky that our production was down for only a month or so, but once it got going, they delivered what we had planned for the year, pre-COVID. Plus, we took some other countries’ product while they were in lockdown. There was demand and we were able to supply the product.

Q: Will KTM NA be hiring?

A: Yes, with the new HQ expansion we will be hiring more staff. It’s hard to say how many at first, but the company sees potential to increase HQ staff by 50 within the first year at the new HQ.

Q: Does the region (and a certain love for the outdoors) help KTM’s business?

A: Yes Southern Cal and the Southwest is the hot spot for offroad and all general motorcycling. We have the best weather!!

KTM has been making motorcycles and gear in the North American market since 1967. The company says it has grown its U.S. workforce, expanding to 150 employees from 30 since 2009.