THIS is how Nortons are MADE ! - factory guided tour and inside look
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- How a modern, low volume motorcycle factory operates. Low volume, but high quality. I had a guided tour around the Norton factory in Solihull, England in October this year. I saw 961 Commandos and V4SV and V4CR bikes being manufactured, and had a look at what TVS Motors is doing with the brand since they purchased it in 2019. Here's a video I made of my tour. Huge thank you to Norton Motorcycles for the opportunity to have a look around.
As a Toolmaker and 961 owner. I am impressed with what they are doing.
Interesting video about a building... Oh! and a couple of motorcycles and a bloke polishing a tube.....
Hi, thanks for your feedback. I also would have loved to see and film the bikes actually in production, unfortunately Norton said the only way I could film was if they stopped production and covered the bikes up because they had some models that were not yet released to the public. I filmed what I was able and allowed access to on the day, and agree it would have been great viewing bikes going through the production line but I wasn't given that option sadly.
Really good and interesting video.
I'm not a Norton fan boy, but I do enjoy watching your videos.
Always, informative, interesting and entertaining.
Top job.
Thanks Grumps, really appreciate your comments and feedback mate 👍🏻
Getting warranty issues sorted with parts distribution takes a couple of years, as does remedies for particular bikes.
Only when that has been accomplished, it then offers the opportunity to offer some more competitive pricing with the higher production volume coupled with the Immission hurdles that need to be passed.
Hats off to TVS for having given Solihull prospectives and jobs for the future 😉
Thanks for your comments. Norton just announced a £32 million loss. Just as well TVS have deep pockets. Cheers. Jonathan.
Can imagine most of that £32m went into straightening Stuart Garners bodges. Generally during the early couple of years there’s costs which should come to a break-even by round the 5th year. This is dependent on spreading the models in other variations, maybe even introducing an Interstate tourer?
Definitely am improvement on the Garner days ! 🏍💨👍
I also had a tour through the Donington factory, I think it would have been 2018. You’re right, it’s like night and day the difference between the two!
I don't know if the factory is lean, but it seems to be 5S. A complete lack of clutter. Responding quickly to customer comments has a flavor of lean startup. Norton has the critical mass problem. People won't buy it until it is popular enough to have local dealers. They can't have local dealers until people start buying it. I love the looks of the 961. A V4 is also very exciting (and expensive). Good luck!
The explanation about the operative not collecting pats from the same stores location every time to avoid the wrong version of a part being fitted made absolutely zero sense to me. Good to see the new factory and thanks for taking the trouble to try to film it, amazing that Norton can afford to pause production while someone makes a you tube video though.
Hi Barry, thanks for your comments. It kinda made sense at the time, perhaps I didn’t explain it well. I don’t work in a factory so I don’t have experience of how these things work. But I found this article that explains it. This is a key quote “If the products are truly mixed, then you will have less picking errors. If you store your M10 screws right next to your M12 screws, sooner or later someone is going to pick the wrong screws.” www.allaboutlean.com/storage-strategies-random-chaotic-abc/
Glad you enjoyed the video, it was an amazing experience. Norton just announced a £32 million loss, I hope my video didn’t contribute too much to that!
Cheers. Jonathan.
Thanks for putting together this video, looks like an impressive operation. Where you able to get an idea of how much the bikes components were sourced in England? As we know, things like Brembo, Ohlins are obvious, curious about engine side of it Thanks again.
Hi, thanks for your comments. No real feedback unfortunately about how much is sourced in England. Engine casings are externally sourced, as are many of the ancillary parts, but it wasn’t mentioned where from. Some major components such as main frames, subframes, exhausts and even radiators for the V4’s are fabricated in house at Solihull.
@@NortonUnofficial Much appreciated, things will unfold in time
What did they used to say race on Sunday sell on Monday see at the iom tt soon
So, four months later... can you tell us what was under the tarp? Was it one of the 125 year anniversary livery, or was it.... a scrambler?
I never saw what was under the tarp unfortunately
@@NortonUnofficial Fair enough; this is still more than we've gotten to see about the factory, so thanks! I really hope Norton "makes it" this time, it's been in purgatory for far too long and it deserves the fame it enjoyed in the 70s once again. I have a feeling the 961 Commando is going to be the last air-cooled Norton twin, sadly. But if they focus on quality and avoid cheap shortcuts (e.g. zhongsheng), I can see them coming up with a range of new bikes that we as enthusiasts will recognize as Norton motorcycles.
Thanks Jonathan. Did you get any impression that the atlas, or similar trail machine, may be in the offering sometime?
Hi Geoff, they didn’t give me any hints at all unfortunately. Other than they will be looking to expand the range. But no clue in which direction.
I thought they had binned the Atlas range 🤔
i love visit my bikes, thanks🙃🙃🙃🙃
Always welcome
Tvs fan s❤
Thank you for your comment
You say the bikes at the end of production are customer ready, do they not still have to be SVA tested ?
Hi really good question, now I come to think of it the topic of SVA testing did not come up during the tour. But I think that yes, they would need SVA approval.
I thought that half bike rather impressive. I bought new 72 Norton In England. drove around continent for 6 weeks then shipped to USA
Wow what an amazing experience. Thanks for your comment. I would love a classic Commando one day
👍👍👍👍👍
Any idea when they will be back in the U.S?
Couple of years is my guess. I did ask about global plans a couple of months ago at the factory but there was no concrete information forthcoming, as I expected. Personally I doubt the 961 Commando will be back in the US. It is quite an old bike, with an engine based on old technology, and doesn't meet any emissions standards. Apparently Norton are developing new engines and bikes to be compliant with current emissions regulations, my guess is they are a year or so away from even announcing anything tangible. There is an article here but it doesn't say much. gb.readly.com/magazines/motorcycle-news-mcn/2023-12-27/658561f76c14ad0c95003ccc
@@NortonUnofficial Much appreciated 👍
A little worrying to see such a low volume manufacturer with such a large “hospital bay”, whether the bikes really were just “waiting for mirrors”, or other parts or to have faults fixed, the fact remains that there shouldn’t be any bikes in that bay!.
I don’t understand why anyone would dyno a brand new engine?!
Quality checking perhaps, to check power and torque as expected? 🤷🏼
It will take many years to get rid of the stain/influence of the previous management and the 961 is not good enough to do that they need a better bike
Hi, thanks for your comment. Yes I agree it will take time to build the brand back up. I'm encouraged by the investment TVS are making into the brand, hopefully with some new bikes on the way things will improve for them. Does appear that they are very much focussing on quality at the moment. I think we need to give them time. Cheers. Jonathan.
It's great having a state of the art factory but if that factory I producing products for a customer base you have turned form buyers to lookers you are defeating yourself.
What the hell is with the haters and negative comments??
He says one chap and one chap only does all polishing on all bikes - by hand, apparently. That limits them to about 2000 bikes per year. Sounds like British industry has leant nothing from their mistakes of the 1960's, when brands like Honda, far better built, killed off British production.
It's just like British General Electric, who suddenly abandoned the transistor market when the one single chap working in a supplier, who knew how to do a critical step, retired.
There is practically no information in this video on how the bikes are actually made.
Where are the engines made?
UK for now, but eventually less HP and CC engines will be produced in India
Huh some factory tour!!!! Remind me not to bother booking.
That is a shame, they reported any asshole who takes the tour will get a Norton of his/her choice! sorry chap.
Hopefully they can make a go of it this, probably too many false starts for most people and not an English company.
Just one comment, when are they going to do away with that awful tank design that doesn’t fit anyone’s knees unless you a 4’ tall?
ZZZZZZZ YOU COULD DO WITHOUT THE SLOW BANNERS,, and where is everybody? One welder with his back to us=boring. Seems like a dead warehouse Bro! I betcha Indian management is managing this place lol
Hi, thanks for your feedback. I also would have loved to see and film the bikes actually in production, unfortunately Norton said the only way I could film was if they stopped production and covered the bikes up because they had some models that were not yet released to the public. I filmed what I was able and allowed access to on the day, and agree it would have been great viewing bikes going through the production line but I wasn't given that option sadly.
What I am seeing is that the factory is twisting thumbs and sticking fingers in body holes. Sure the few that are working are doing singular work. That’s not a factory at low or average level of production activity, claiming it’s a quality first approach is a straight lie. They’re not ready for factory production execution that’s the point. And the reason for that only they know. Until then they just bimbel along doing a single bike after the other. Nothing that would fed the employees over 2 weeks or pay the bills.
"so what you see" F' all waste of time .
Hi, thanks for your feedback. I also would have loved to see and film the bikes actually in production, unfortunately Norton said the only way I could film was if they stopped production and covered the bikes up because they had some models that were not yet released to the public. I filmed what I was able and allowed access to on the day, and agree it would have been great viewing bikes going through the production line but I wasn't given that option sadly.
The Norton name is tainted.
Damaged. Possibly beyond repair.
Triumph were tainted by the Meriden Co oproeitive.
The bikes they made in 80s were really rubbish.
Recoved!!!
No longer a British bike .
It's being manufactured in England by Britishers wdym
@@prakashr9127probably racist and cant handle take overs.
I have no interest in another Chinese or Indian owned "british" company. The Norton badge will soon adorn scooters worldwide. Well done.
@@dougijcw9758 Wait a year. Norton on scooters and Tuk Tuks.
@@dougijcw9758 I'll wager £1000, you are Indian.
Yeah, but TVS invested into the midlands, built in Britain by British workers. Not sure what you want really…?
@@chrislye8912 How long before they're made in India? Look at their business model.
What I want, is for Brits to have some pride and invest in Britain! The British government buy German vehicles?
@@tvdinner325 I think that you are confusing business with jingoistic patriotism.
The Nortons are built in Britain by Brits. They are owned by an Indian giant (TVS). I would say in a similar way the Jaguar Landrover are designed and built here but owned by another Indian giant (Tata).
The British motor industry was broken by insular and blinkered thought, and slap dash engineering. Mr Bloor took that and built Triumph. This is a British motorbike company (world beating) , and some are built overseas. It’s how modern successful businesses work. The marque Norton has been dragged around by various companies and I would say it is in the safest hands it could possibly be. They will build here and slap the Union Jack on the catalogue, seat hump, wherever. People will love their Norton’s, not breaking down and their Britishness (push rod parallel twin) and none will care that the money behind the project is from India. Our ties with India are exceptional, why shouldn’t they buy and invest in our old country? I think that TVS will be keen to maintain the British Marque’s heritage. At the end of the day it’s theirs to do with what they want really; and (after the recent debacle) perhaps the best that an be hoped for.