Norton Motorcycles is a saga of brilliance marred by chaos, a story best summed up in rubber bushings, Featherbed frames, and 10 rounds of bankruptcy. FortNine does a fabulous job of giving the story in the video below, but I’ll summarize it as well.
It begins in 1898 with James Norton’s Birmingham shed, a curly “N,” and racing glory. By the 1930s, Norton owned the Isle of Man TT, thanks to innovative engines and sheer audacity. Yet, the company’s knack for bad decisions proved as legendary as its bikes.
Norton Motorcycles Is a Survivor Despite 10 Bankruptcies
Post-war, Norton’s Featherbed frame redefined handling, but its glory days were derailed by financial mismanagement.
The “Commando” roared onto the scene in 1968 with rubber mounts to tame vibrations, but these bushings wore out faster than a cheap suit. Then came Lucas electrics—better at dimming hopes than headlights.
Still, enthusiasts clung to the Commandos, patching them with aftermarket fixes that often worked better than the originals.
Fast-forward to modern times: shady deals, misused government loans, and Wankel engines that burned faster than Norton’s cash flow.
Miraculously, the name survived, landing in the hands of Stuart Garner, whose tenure brought more headlines than solvency. Norton’s story isn’t just motorcycles; it’s a masterclass in how to win, lose, and rebuild—over and over—on two wheels.
Norton is proof that legacy never dies; it just misfires spectacularly. Right now, TVS owns the company, and they are actually still (for now) selling a modern Commando, among other things, but it will be interesting to see what TVS does with the bike company in the future. To learn more about what Norton is putting out these days, check out the company’s website.
