Norton UK Website drop 961 , Variants and Superlight from Bike listing

The frame is machined frame solid billet Tony... yeah, you read that right !

The engine is a Honda 1200cc V4 complete with shaft drive.
 
I got this confirmation from Norton yesterday.
Quote: "We are going to be producing another 40 961 Motorcycles towards the end of the year beginning of next and then we shall not be producing the 961 any longer, However you will still be able to purchase parts for your motorcycle should you require them"
 
RickY said:
I got this confirmation from Norton yesterday.
Quote: "We are going to be producing another 40 961 Motorcycles towards the end of the year beginning of next and then we shall not be producing the 961 any longer, However you will still be able to purchase parts for your motorcycle should you require them"
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Now that's encouraging :D.

Ken
 
lcrken said:
Now that's encouraging :D.

Ken
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The 'can purchase' is good but its the how much and for how long and the who do we go to after that that I'm interested in. Are they going to build up a stock of spares or just run down current stock? Sounds like they worked out how many bikes they can build from current spares stock............
 
Clive said:
The 'can purchase' is good but its the how much and for how long and the who do we go to after that that I'm interested in. Are they going to build up a stock of spares or just run down current stock? Sounds like they worked out how many bikes they can build from current spares stock............
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Yup, suspect that is exactly what is going on. Why else build what appears to be a smallish arbitrary number? Unless this is fulfilling existing orders? Deposits taken by your friend and mine. There is money to be made from spares and accessories so maybe we will be ok into the future.

Not that it matters, because I am pretty certain that my bike will never break down again! Wait, except for the spares I’m waiting for now! ;)
 
Could these last 961's be the "best ever produced to date" ? It may be possible with TVS in charge with better QA . What you all think about that ?
 
TonyA said:
Could these last 961's be the "best ever produced to date" ? It may be possible with TVS in charge with better QA . What you all think about that ?
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Depends if they bother to listen to current owners about the known faults...........
 
12 month gap even with same workers says they will have more faults not less, memory fades especially with multiple tasks to perform. Hopefully and the sensors etc will be 100% genuine and not just blindly take off the shelf but design upgrades will be nil. CAT 5 comes in Jan 2021, CAT 4 bikes already in production get a dispensation until Dec 2021 so another reason for the death of the 961.
 
Stephen_Spencer said:
Yup, suspect that is exactly what is going on. Why else build what appears to be a smallish arbitrary number? Unless this is fulfilling existing orders? Deposits taken by your friend and mine. There is money to be made from spares and accessories so maybe we will be ok into the future.

Not that it matters, because I am pretty certain that my bike will never break down again! Wait, except for the spares I’m waiting for now! ;)
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Someone earlier said 10 years . In this country 10 years of support seems correct.
 
kommando said:
12 month gap even with same workers says they will have more faults not less, memory fades especially with multiple tasks to perform. Hopefully and the sensors etc will be 100% genuine and not just blindly take off the shelf but design upgrades will be nil. CAT 5 comes in Jan 2021, CAT 4 bikes already in production get a dispensation until Dec 2021 so another reason for the death of the 961.
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Did we ever ascertain how many 961s were produced? 1.5 a week I think was mentioned, say 800 or so over the years? I know CCM managed up to 5 a week, engine bought in though so maybe too ambitious? Would be nice to pin down.
 
Clive said:
Depends if they bother to listen to current owners about the known faults...........
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I think this was also a major reason for retaining as many of the original staff as possible.
I'm sure TVS got an ear-full of info from the staff on the 961's known faults.
Only variable is - do they really care to turnout the remaining 961s with qualitative improvements?
After those bikes are out the door, the 961 is history for them.
 
Fast Eddie said:
Guys, sorry to disappoint y’all but there ain’t no way TVS is gonna re engineer anything meaningful for 40 bikes. They’ll be using parts they have, have access to and have type approval for etc... relays and all !!
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Hello FE , That seems to make sense especially if you consider what was said. " We will build 40 more 961's before the end of the year or early next ." Unless they have been working fast and hard this last 4 months finding solutions. What Problems ? We have not heard of any problems .
 
In my opinion, TVS no interest in the 961 bikes.
Out dated.
Emissions.
Cost on return.

Its like getting into a new relationship with a woman that has her own kids and you have your own kids.
You’ll always favor your own kids over hers.

Maybe I shouldn’t say that, I have no kids of my own.
 
Fast Eddie said:
Guys, sorry to disappoint y’all but there ain’t no way TVS is gonna re engineer anything meaningful for 40 bikes. They’ll be using parts they have, have access to and have type approval for etc... relays and all !!
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They will still be worth having in my opinion. After 10 months of riding mine, no problems and some great rides. No. plate falling off being the only fault but I put that down to reliance on double sided tape and no screws, now resolved. Oh and possibly that being caused by being airborne a couple of times on the road to Chop Gate . My dilemma now is whether to leave it as is or carry out some easier breathing and weight reduction mods.
 
Al's#5 said:
My dilemma now is whether to leave it as is or carry out some easier breathing and weight reduction mods.
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What kinda weight loss mods you got in mind? It’s a surprisingly heavy ole bus the 961, but apart from junking the stock cans and cat, plus fitting a lithium battery, there’s not a huge amount of easy weight reduction options is there ?
 
Huge one (not related to stripping), dig deep and fit carbon wheels! Expensive but there is no more significant improvement you can make to the 961 IMO! Until someone supercharges the motor of course;)
 
Not sure what year bike Al is riding FE. Suspect that there are more non-ABS bikes out there than ABS variants though? May be wrong - often am! Worth considering in a weight loss context for non ABS riders.
 
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