After a three year wait and all the trials of trying to deal with Garner et al pre-administration and then the heartache and stress of administration and the following uncertainty, I really hope you are right. For me and the rest of the customers in my situation. I really feel for those with the pension issues who are unlikely to find a similar happy ending.
Of course they will fulfil orders. They only have possibly a 3rd of the order book to fulfil and they only had that many because they weren’t building any bikes. I imagine with a semi motivated team and decent parts supply they could turn out 3-5 bikes a week, which is 5 more than they were. Within a year the Indians will want them churning out 25 a week if the Atlas is indeed production ready
Having received a refund through my bank I would assume my order is cancelled. I would expect the banks to register as creditors for all the monies they have reimbursed. If the orders are not cancelled (for all those refunded) then that could prove to be a costly administrative feck up for them. It will be interesting to see whether I get contacted as a potential customer again. As I said above, I would consider buying one in the future, just need to see the quality, customer service etc is there.
I'm in two minds if I'd ever touch the brand with a barge pole again. Even if they did fire up production and offered me a sweet deal, I'd be concerned about reliability issues, spares, servicing. I'll watch with interest from the sidelines and wait for my "dear valued customer" email.
If they bought the company with cash, they are off to a good start tbf, zero debts, and consolidating factory overheads into their existing operating model into the one they have in the midlands is another good streamlining excercise. They’ll get credit from suppliers now that the slate is clean I imagine also, so will quickly be able to get building sub assembly’s and then bikes. The challenge will be finding the knowledge to fix the issues with the current products, piston and valve issues with 961, any outstanding defects on the V4, issues with the Atlas, as clearly the 650 engine isn’t perfect, although Pete Hickman May have already figured a load of stuff out on it and actually sell that back to norton...
He’s having a bit of a jumble sale. https://www.visordown.com/news/general/ex-norton-ceo-stuart-garner-seems-be-selling-lot-possessions
Very interesting interview with the Interim CEO, John Russell: https://www.superbike.co.uk/article/john-russell-interim-ceo-of-norton-motorcycles
He doesn't sound particularly inspiring tbh. Spends a swathe of that telling the reader how great he is. Fired by BMW and got London taxis put into receivership and bought by the Chinese.
The interview is worth sticking with, and it was good that John Hogan stuck to his guns re: Skinner as it revealed a lot.
Maybe, maybe not. It seems they are under no legal obligation. I still think the V4s time has passed. It certainly has little or no future in the years to come. JR: Under the terms that the company was sold, there’s no legal obligation on any of these deposits. Sudarsh has said he wants to get to a point where all of the customers who had placed a deposit are satisfied with the outcome. Our hope is that we get to build the bikes.
This is where the law is shit. It protects pieces of shit and screws the victims. He will never be held accountable and the only justice he will get, is if he gets a kicking. That is genuinely the only option for people like him.
Good to read that they are recruiting staff: https://www.rideapart.com/articles/424833/norton-expands-workforce-under-tvs-ownership/
I received a call last week from a lady called Kate Brown, enquiring about my views, and potential status going forward. I made her aware of this forum thread. Also told her that I need assurances for quality and reliability of parts before I'm likely to spend any money with them. She said they are retaining all their current staff, and pointed me at a superbike article containing an interview with Mr Garner. Apparently he will still have some involvement in an advisory capacity. They have to be moved out of the hall site by the end of the year and are actively searching for a commercial location more suited to what they need. All sounded fairly positive, so we shall see how it pans out for them.
