A few 650cc Norton motorcycles were first showcased a couple of years ago in 2018. The premium motorbikes that included the Norton Atlas Ranger and Atlas Nomad were scheduled for a much earlier launch and the Norton Atlas 650 Scrambler was slated for its arrival in India in 2020. However, the company became a victim of serious financial issues which could be one of the reasons behind the delay of the launch of the 650cc Norton motorcycles. Now, there are reports which suggest that these middleweight bikes will finally hit the production line in late 2021.
Speaking with UK-based Bennetts BikeSocial, the interim Norton CEO, John Russel, has revealed that the Atlas range of motorcycles are still under development and won’t be ready until late next year. Russel also mentioned that the Norton Superlight sports bike, that has a higher-performance version of the same 650cc parallel-twin, is also part of the company’s planned model line-up, but the timing for that bike remains unclear.
Also Read: Norton Motorcycles will have a plant in India, eventually
Considering that TVS-owned company is currently committed to fulfilling the pending customer orders, the arrival of the 650cc Norton motorcycles in India any time soon is not expected. Even though these bikes would attract a much higher price tag than their competition in the Indian market, enthusiasts might be wowed by the high quality and premium-ness of the machines.
Russel also shared that the company is in the process of relocating from its facility in Donnington Hall to a new production plant in Solihull, which is expected to be operational by the end of this year. Norton Motorcycles will also be working on the new V4 superbike as well as its Commando 961 platform. While the former will be updated to meet the Euro 5 emission regulations in 2021, the Commando range of motorcycles will be sold in limited numbers before getting retired. Norton would, however, use the moniker in its future products.
For more Norton Motorcycles news and other two-wheeler updates, stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com.
[Source: YouTube]
