Norton to expand to eight models

Norton Motorcycles plans to increase its current single engine and four model line-up to three engine platforms and seven or eight models.

The announcement comes after a £7.5 ($A16) million investment at the company’s Leicestershire headquarters, creating 600 new jobs. The investment includes a £4 ($A8) million Government grant.

Norton currently has 100 staff making around 1000 bikes a year.

Their current lineup is the Commando 961 Sport ($31,490 plus on-road costs), Cafe Racer ($35,490) and SF ($37,490) and limited edition Dominator SS (about $38,000). All are powered by a 58kW/90Nm 961cc parallel twin.

Around one-fifth are sold in the UK, with the rest exported to Australia, USA, Europe, Japan and Korea.

In Australia, they are sold at Fraser Motorcycles Sydney and Melbourne; Rocker Classic Motorcycles, Brisbane; Adelaide Motorcycle Centre; Bike Craft, Cairns; and Cyclespot Group, Auckland.

Norton owner and chief executive Stuart Garner says the grant will be part of a broader investment of £20 ($A42.5) million being pumped back into the business.

He said it would help them expand production to 6000 bikes within the next five years, mainly for overseas markets.

The grant, awarded from the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI), will allow Norton to establish a new British Motorcycle Manufacturing Academy (BMMA) for the next generation of engineers.

It will also support the creation of a 10,000 sq ft manufacturing facility and the development of clean motorcycle engine technology which could power eco-friendly vehicles within two years.

“We need to invest in the future and this money will pay for skills and training,” he says.

“We are putting in £4 million, but over four or five years there will be £20 million going into the business, giving us four new models.”

Work will start on the new building in the next few weeks and it should be finished by Christmas.