Following the official Norton Manx R press launch last month, dealerships across the UK are now receiving demo and display bikes meaning keen British bikers will be the first in the world to try it out for themselves.
A total of 13 retailers are welcoming the 206bhp V4 superbike into new Norton -branded showrooms, with outlets stretching from Perth to Plymouth, and Norwich to Newcastle.
MCN spoke to two of the new dealers, who expressed excitement about taking on the new model.
“We’ve been flat out with the whole thing, in the best way possible,” said Elliot Paterson from the sales team at Revolutions in Perth. “We’ve had two years of the Norton Commando experience, which was good, but everybody’s been looking forward to the new products.
“Now the big day has finally come, which is brilliant. Our showroom installation is done and we’re ready to go.”
Paterson rode the new bike in Seville at the dealer launch and has already been out on his store’s demo machine.
“I got the number plate on the back of our Manx R demo bike yesterday and I took it for a long ride home,” he said. “When the demonstrator arrived, I took it straight down to Knockhill for the British Superbike round. We had a big trade stand there, with the demo bike and two loan Manx Rs from Norton… and they were just mobbed all weekend.
“Now, we’ve got the demonstrator on the roads, we’re getting test rides booked and are getting people through the door.
“Our display bike is arriving next week. and it’s going to go on its beautiful plinth in the showroom.”
There’s a long list of keen Norton fans ready to ride out from Perth, too.
“I’ve got about nine or ten test rides booked in on it now over the next couple of weeks,” Paterson added. “People are coming in, just on spec, to have a look at it.
“I’ve got about half a dozen deposits down from new owners. A lot of them would like a test ride but some are just quite happy to go ahead on looks and reviews. So we’ve already got a few in the book and more to come as we actually get the bike on the road.”
According to Paterson, customer bikes should begin arriving in July, with the majority coming through in August and September.
Elsewhere, MCN also spoke with Vince Vrinten who is the Dealer Principle at Seastar Superbikes in Norwich – one of Norton’s newest outlets.
“We did not announce our Norton partnership till last week when we knew we would get our first demo bike. We’ve had good interest so far, and many contacts stating how pleased they are that we are to be the dealer.”
But Vrinten says it’s a bit soon to really see how the new Norton is faring, adding: “It’s very early days: we have taken the decision not to put the demo bike out on test until we get a display bike.
“People have to travel a distance to see us, and we feel it is important that when they come, there is a bike to look at – i.e. not out on road test and not out the back being worked on.
“We have road tests booked, but there’s no tangible feedback until they actually ride it,” Vrinten added. “The corporate identity that Norton have gone with will definitely paint the future vision that they are going for. That and the quality of the first bike make for a promising future I think.”
It’s great to see such a long-awaited motorcycle finally arrive in dealers. However, it sounds like we’ve still got a little way to go before there is a steady stream of customer models entering and leaving showrooms.
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