Since TVS in India bought iconic British motorcycle brand Norton in April 2020, the company has repaired its public image, following the disastrous management of Stuart Garner who also had to return £14 million to pension funds, a slow but steady recovery program was launched. After keeping Norton in the UK and increasing its local workforce, TVS opened the company's headquarters in Solihull and hired new managers.
A program which made it possible to maintain production in England, in the new factory in Solihull, in the West Midlands, abandoning the old Castle Donington site, which saw a total investment of 120 million pounds injected and resolved several technical problems which plagued the latest models produced.
The update and start of production of the V4SV super sports car followed, but the good news for the British brand does not end there. Because the production of the new Commando 961 is also about to begin, a model that was already on sale in the past but which has been improved and updated in all areas that had shown critical problems.
In December 2021, the company confirmed that it would fulfill orders for the Commando 961s made with the previous administration. Norton has indicated that it will take care of these pre-orders before offering the model to the general public, and the new announcement suggests that the time is right.
The announcement comes from the official Norton website, with only two images and little information, but with the promise that is now made about the series and with the possibility of being contacted for more detailed information. Of course, the Commando nameplate is synonymous with the British brand. While the original Commando 750 and 850 date back to the '60s and '70s, the Commando 961 is a product of Stuart Garner's reign. Despite the mixed emotions linked to this era, the name Commando will always be linked to the brand.
“I can't imagine Norton not having a Commando in the range, so the big question is what should characterize a modern Commando and when we will bring it to market,” commented John Russell, CEO of Norton.
However, the brand only supported these lofty claims with two images. A photo of the rear section of the new 961 confirms that it will retain the traditional café racer-style hood and integrated taillight. A view from above, however, reveals some additional details.
Unlike the carbon fiber-clad rendition shown in previous marketing materials, the latest Commando favors a classic silver paint base with black and red or gold stripes. The twin exhaust pipes align with the old 961 style but with a few changes, which suggest the move to the Euro5 standard, while the gold fork and shock absorbers suggest that the collaboration with Ohlins remains.
Almost nothing is seen of the air-cooled inline-twin engine, but the gearbox and clutch housings appear identical to the previous engine.
