NORTON ANNOUNCES DEALER NETWORK AND BIKE SHED TIE-UP

Imagine how long the to-do list was at Norton when new owner TVS bought it off Stuart Garner, the ‘colourful’ previous incumbent. On that list was ‘set up a new dealer network’ – and the Indian parent rm has made its way down there. Of course, the chi-chi nature of Norton means it doesn’t need 500 dealers around the entire UK like a Japanese manufacturer in the 1980s. Rather, the Solihull-based luxury bike maker has signed up a select band of top-end retail partners, including P&H in Crawley, Krazy Horse in London, Via Moto of Shef eld, Thor Motorcycles in Bodmin and Oakmere Motor Group at Northwich. They’ll provide the rm with a network of suppliers where customers can book demo rides, see display machines and, eventually, source parts and servicing for their new Nortons.

The company has also taken over an ‘atelier’ space at the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club in

Shoreditch, East London, where it will display the Commando 961 and V4 SV bikes, take orders and arrange demos too. Nice.