650 update ??

Fast Eddie said:
You are quite right voodoo, there is much to praise about Norton as they have actually made it happen, despite the odds.

But we can’t pretend all is rosy either, the 650s were supposed to be on sale in April, 6 months later we’re cheering cos the shell of the building is up.

It was pretty obvious last November that they would not be on sale by April, but Norton persisted with this belief.

You can’t be 6 months (and counting) late to market and not upset people...
Click to expand...
Seriously FE? Californians gave deposits in 2009 on bikes they received in 2014/15. Doubt anyones is going to quibble over 6 months to a year. To be continued.........
 
You’re right of course, but this is a different market, hand build traditional vs high volume, modern lightweights.

There’s WAY too much competition in the Scrambler market for all but the die hard Norton fans to wait that kinda time for.

People will happily wait a year or more for a Morgan... they’ll struggle to wait a few days for a Mazda MX5.

Superlights are a bit different, only weirdos would be interested in those...
 
Fast Eddie said:
You’re right of course, but this is a different market, hand build traditional vs high volume, modern lightweights.

except that I was told in July that the aim was to build 500 650s a year: so not high volume. Just to be clear, I want it all to continue, but the lack of realistic announcements concerning future timing of production is not helping anyone.
Click to expand...
 
500 a year?

I’m sure I was told more than that, after all this was supposed to be a ‘game changer’ for Norton.

Then again, someone posted about the 5000 a year they’re planning to build in India, I guess that’ll help balance the books!
 
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The 4000 - 5000 a year is for the 961 (or variant) in kit form for the Indian and asian markets, again suggests juggling too many balls.
 
Hi MAK,

Do you know if your bike is an SC or OMEX ECU? They operate fundamentally differently so want to make sure I give you the right answer.

With regards the rest......we are focused on delivery of production motorcycles for the UK and immediate territories. While SG and myself are Directors of Norton India we have very little to do with it day to day. Our business is here in the UK, I am sure SG will have an announcement soon regards the 650 range....can also buy MCN Wednesday ;)

Simon
 
skinthespin said:
Hi MAK,

Do you know if your bike is an SC or OMEX ECU? They operate fundamentally differently so want to make sure I give you the right answer.

With regards the rest......we are focused on delivery of production motorcycles for the UK and immediate territories. While SG and myself are Directors of Norton India we have very little to do with it day to day. Our business is here in the UK, I am sure SG will have an announcement soon regards the 650 range....can also buy MCN Wednesday ;)

Simon
Click to expand...
Morning Simon
The ECU is an Omex .serial number
9724 630 G 01N31
I have renewed the idle control valve & checked for loose connections etc.
On Max’s advice with ignition on I disconnected earth lead nearest ECU then the lead at cylinder barrel base,ignition back on then reconnected leads.
This cured it for a few rides but the fault returned.
Cheers
Gary
 
Wow, that was something of a damp squib to say the least...

I thought there was going to be ‘an announcement by SG’ in this weeks MCN regarding the 650 status.

Not so, we got a road test of the Nomad and Ranger and it actually reads very well. It certainly seems to do what it set out to do.

Sadly though, no news on production etc, in fact the bikes tested were ‘final stage pre production prototypes’ presumably the same ones we saw at the NEC show last year. Also disappointing was to read that it had ‘imperfect fuelling’ and was ‘running very rich’ which will concern some long suffering 961 owners I imagine.

So, yes, a good test and it looks set to deliver and be a good bike, fuelling niggles not withstanding.

But still no actual news on production plans, dates, etc...
 
When I was wandering around the factory passing time, I came across what I now know as the new 650 assembly building, same building as posted by SG recently on Instagram. I didn't know at the time what the planned use of this building was so I asked one of the employees, he shrugged, said it might be used for the new 650's... or it might be used to assemble the V4's, it hadn't been decided.
 
Whilst looking for a cheap Chinese hack for the forthcoming 3 years of roadworks that will cause mayhem, I stumbled across a US website showing Chinese bikes. One was of a Zongshen 650 with the engine a further development of the Norton 650 twin. Now seeing if the Zongshen bike was available in the UK, I found an article in the UK's motorcycle press, dated April this year, saying that Ricardo - remember them and Norton tie up, have decided to go ahead and further produce the 650 twin engine in a deal with Zongshen.

Looks like NMUK have been left on the sidelines, might explain why there is no dates regarding the 650.
 
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Madnorton said:
Whilst looking for a cheap Chinese hack for the forthcoming 3 years of roadworks that will cause mayhem, I stumbled across a US website showing Chinese bikes. One was of a Zongshen 650 with the engine a further development of the Norton 650 twin. Now seeing if the Zongshen bike was available in the UK, I found an article in the UK's motorcycle press, dated April this year, saying that Ricardo - remember them and Norton tie up, have decided to go ahead and further produce the 650 twin engine in a deal with Zongshen.

Looks like NMUK have been left on the sidelines, might explain why there is no dates regarding the 650.
Click to expand...
I thought the Norton deal with Zongshen was for the power train only. The Ricardo deal looks like it is for their own motorcycle using the Norton engine made under license.
 

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