Showing posts with label norton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label norton. Show all posts
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Cronometer
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Norton History - 1
There were some abortive attempts at revival - Norton, Hesketh, Quasar - in the interim, but it wasn’t until John Bloor resurrected Triumph a decade later that the British motorcycle industry made a real comeback. Bloor’s success came because he continues to upgrade and improve his production line equipment, has stringent quality control and keeps his company focused on the competition to find new trends, technologies and styles. Triumph has also identified owner loyalty as a large part of the marketing, and catered to it through its own line of branded products, magazines, web site and riders’ clubs - taking a page from the very successful Harley Davidson.
Motorcycling is enjoying a boom in the new millennium. Sales have risen (in Canada alone, sales for 2000 were up 28 per cent over 1999 and up 28 per cent again in 2002), as a generation of baby boomers with disposable incomes want to recapture their youth turn to motorcycles as the time machine to bring it back for them. Triumph, recognizing this market, has in its mix several models that provide the nostalgic styling and evocative lines that recall those younger days, including a newly launched Bonneville. Ironically, trading in the now-vintage and classic bike market is stronger than ever, propelled by enthusiasts trying to keep alive the spirit of British motorcycling in its heyday. It was a special time, and it should never be forgotten.
Motorcycling is enjoying a boom in the new millennium. Sales have risen (in Canada alone, sales for 2000 were up 28 per cent over 1999 and up 28 per cent again in 2002), as a generation of baby boomers with disposable incomes want to recapture their youth turn to motorcycles as the time machine to bring it back for them. Triumph, recognizing this market, has in its mix several models that provide the nostalgic styling and evocative lines that recall those younger days, including a newly launched Bonneville. Ironically, trading in the now-vintage and classic bike market is stronger than ever, propelled by enthusiasts trying to keep alive the spirit of British motorcycling in its heyday. It was a special time, and it should never be forgotten.
Norton History - 2
Slowly, companies were dying out or being bought. The amalgamation of companies like BSA-Norton-Villiers-Triumph might have made financial sense, but the consolidation of manufacturing and engineering into a small number of firms only made the industry stagnate. Too few designers and too little competition was the death knell for the industry. What had been friendly competition by independent firms became bitter internal rivalry after amalgamation. Racing was also losing its support as sponsors pulled out in favour of automobile racing. The public lost its previous passion for the marques.
The final blow to the British motorcycle industry came with the increasing import of Japanese motorcycles into the USA and European markets. Less expensive than domestic machines, they were more reliable, and showed more innovation and engineering development than their British counterparts. British companies were too slow to react to the competition: their roots were essentially Victorian in both management and production. Too many manufacturers were making bikes for a small group of enthusiasts or for racing, rather than as public transport. There was no real up-scale market for these motorcycles at the time, but most manufacturers continued to produce expensive machines - until their small market dried up and they closed. Many never appreciated the market for commuter bikes.
The final blow to the British motorcycle industry came with the increasing import of Japanese motorcycles into the USA and European markets. Less expensive than domestic machines, they were more reliable, and showed more innovation and engineering development than their British counterparts. British companies were too slow to react to the competition: their roots were essentially Victorian in both management and production. Too many manufacturers were making bikes for a small group of enthusiasts or for racing, rather than as public transport. There was no real up-scale market for these motorcycles at the time, but most manufacturers continued to produce expensive machines - until their small market dried up and they closed. Many never appreciated the market for commuter bikes.
Norton History - 3
After the war, a battered and financially beleaguered Britain struggled to rebuild. Petrol rationing, the lack of resources for manufacturing and low consumer capital made recovery slow. Innovation was strangled by lack of funds and a deeply conservative mindset at the executive level of many firms. Innovative designs were produced, but many proved unsuccessful in the market, or just too expensive. The British Army put a lot of its motorcycles into civilian hands after the war, creating a brief glut of inexpensive, utilitarian motorcycles in the market at a time
Norton History - 4
Machines in the UK continued to improve and evolve. The mid-to-late 1930s saw some of the most innovative designs in motorcycling, and some of the best machines come from the post-Depression period. But they were also more expensive. The role of the motorcycle as inexpensive public transportation devolved through the 30s: it became more of a hobbyist or competition machine. Use in police and armed forces also grew, providing a stable market for more utilitarian machines - especially as Europe rearmed. But motorcycling was increasingly an enthusiast's hobby.
Norton History - 5
England exited the Depression with fewer motorcycle companies facing new and growing competition from cheaper domestic automobiles. But the remaining firms were more competitive and aggressive. With a smaller market, racing and competition drove development. The motorcycle was still a utilitarian vehicle, inexpensive transportation aimed at the working man, but there was greater focus on design and style - and power.
Norton History - 6
By the turn of the century, in 1901, motorcycles were being manufactured for sale in several European countries. Most early models were either tricycles or based on bicycles - often made by bicycle firms. With only a few automobile manufacturers making cars, and the extra expense of a four-wheeler, motorcycles rapidly gained popularity, even among women who were enjoying the new political and social freedoms of the era. By 1913, there were 100,000 bikes registered in Britain.
Experimentation and innovation drove development right into the First World War. The new sport of motorcycle racing was a powerful incentive to produce tough, fast, reliable machines. These enhancements soon found their way to the public’s machines. By 1914, motorcycles were no longer bicycles with engines: they had their own technologies, although many still maintained bicycle elements like seats and suspension.
Experimentation and innovation drove development right into the First World War. The new sport of motorcycle racing was a powerful incentive to produce tough, fast, reliable machines. These enhancements soon found their way to the public’s machines. By 1914, motorcycles were no longer bicycles with engines: they had their own technologies, although many still maintained bicycle elements like seats and suspension.
Post war
After the Second World War, Norton reverted to civilian motorcycle production, gradually increasing its range. A major addition in 1949 was the Model 7, later known as the Norton Dominator, a pushrod 500 cc twin-cylinder machine designed by Bert Hopwood. Its chassis was derived from the ES2 single, with telescopic front and plunger rear suspension, and an updated version of the gearbox known as the "lay-down" box.
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