Manx R superbike leads four new models
More than five years after India’s TVS took control of Norton and after more than £200 million ($400 million AUD) of investment the storied British brand has unveiled its completely new lineup – one that sees the old Commando consigned to the history books as Norton adopts a forward-looking strategy and styling language.
Norton currently plans a six-model range, and showed four of them at EICMA, albeit with limited details on some of the models.
The headliner is the Manx R, a 1200cc V4 superbike that uses a development of the engine from the previous V4 models, but with substantially improved performance, a new chassis, new styling and – at last – the emissions performance needed to go on sale internationally.
In the Manx R, as well as the mechanically-identical Manx café racer that was presented alongside it, the new engine puts out a claimed 206hp at 11,500rpm and 130Nm of torque at 9,000rpm, reflecting an ethos of maximising midrange grunt rather than chasing headline peak figures. The power might be a little less than the 216hp claimed for a Ducati Panigale V4, for example, but it arrives 2000rpm lower in the rev range and is paired to 9Nm more torque, also available 2000rpm lower than the Ducati’s peak.
The engine is tamed by a suite of rider-assist technology with cornering traction control, slide control, launch control and wheelie control systems, plus a cornering cruise control that compensates for the change in effective tyre diameter as the bike leans into corners.
It sits in a new chassis that dispenses with the handmade, TIG-welded aluminium tubing of the old V4 models in favour of modern cast-alloy design, with Marzocchi semi-active suspension, tied to the bike’s IMU, that gives electronic control over the pitching movement and, according to Norton, eliminates the need for the winglets adopted by rival machines.
High-end components continue with the Brembo Hypure brakes and BST carbon-fibre wheels, while luxury elements include an 8-inch touchscreen dashboard and aluminium switch blocks on the bars. As well as phone connectivity, the bike has smartwatch connectivity.
The Manx is a naked version of the Manx R, sharing similar specs and technologies, but Norton has revealed less detail about that model at this stage.
Even less information is available about the other two machines in the range, the Atlas adventure bike and Atlas GT tourer.
Both share the same chassis and styling, but with different wheels to suit their purposes, and display the clearest indication of Norton’s TVS ownership in their technical makeup, with some clear ties to the new BMW F450GS that’s also manufactured by, and developed with, TVS.
The Atlas engine is a parallel twin, like the F450GS, and on close inspection the engine cases and covers share similarities, with the same layout and even an identical bolt pattern around the engine covers and components like the water pump. However, the Norton motor is a 585cc unit while the BMW’s capacity is 420cc, and the internal changes include a different firing interval, with the Norton adopting a conventional 270-degree crank to mimic a 90-degree V-twin’s throb, while the F450GS has a unique 135-degree crank.
It’s not just the engine that’s related to the BMW, either, as the Atlas has a tubular steel frame that looks to be near-identical to the F450GS’s chassis. The swingarm, the under-engine exhaust collector, and even details like the adjustable rear brake and gear shift pedals appear to be the same components used on the BMW, too.
Like the Manx models, the two Atlas bikes have a six-axis IMU for cornering rider-assist tech, plus an 8-inch touchscreen dash, but there are indications that the Atlas will be a much more affordable machine than the Manx, with components like ByBre brakes hinting that cost has been kept in mind during its development. More details will come soon.
