During the 1930s and 1950s, Britain was the world’s largest producer of motorcycles, with 80 different companies producing machines between the World Wars. Production peaked in 1959 when 90 percent of the motorcycles built by major manufacturers such as BSA, AJS, Matchless, Triumph, and Royal Enfield, as well as Norton, were exported to the U.S. But incompetent management and intransigent unions ultimately stymied the innovation that had made British motorcycles the envy of the world. By 1975, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki were between them selling more than two million motorcycles a year as Britain struggled to build a mere 20,000.

Founded in 1898 in Birmingham, England, Norton has had a rough ride since the glory days of the 1950s, when its Manx models dominated racetracks around the world and its road bikes were considered superior to contemporary BSA or Triumph machines. It went through a string of owners and several bankruptcies before being acquired in April 2020 by TVS Motor Company, India’s third-largest motorcycle manufacturer. TVS, which makes four million motorcycles and other two-wheelers annually and last year reported a turnover of more than $4.5 billion, obviously understands the motorcycle business. But the lingering echoes of Britain’s near-200-year colonization of the country, which ended in 1947, means wealthy Indian companies have an affinity for acquiring and owning storied British brands—witness Tata Group’s 2008 purchase of Jaguar Land Rover from Ford Motor Company—so there was undoubtedly some emotion behind the acquisition, too.

The Power Behind Norton’s Second Act

Intriguingly, Ralf Speth, the German-born executive who served as JLR’s CEO under Tata’s ownership from 2010 until 2020, was appointed TVS Motor Company’s chairman after leaving the automaker, a role he held until September last year. Under Speth’s watch, TVS invested more than $250 million in new engineering and manufacturing facilities in Solihull, not far from the factory where JLR today manufactures various Range Rover models and will soon build the electric-powered Jaguar 4 Door GT. And it has just unveiled a new pair of Norton superbikes, dubbed the Manx and Manx R, that are destined to go on sale in the U.S.

Norton used the Manx name between 1936 and 1962 for its racing models, acknowledging its numerous victories in the grueling TT races held on the Isle of Man. (Manx is a term used to describe the Celtic language, people, and customs of the island, as well as its famous tail-less cats.) But the Manx and Manx R are anything but retro machines. New from the wheels up, both are powered by a liquid-cooled 1200-cc 72-degree V-4 engine that develops 206 hp at 11,000 rpm and 93 lb-ft of torque at 9000 rpm. The power and torque peaks arrive at relatively modest engine speeds by modern superbike standards, but after analyzing real-world telemetry to understand how such bikes were ridden in everyday conditions, Norton’s engineers concluded there was little need for an ultra-high-revving powerplant. This insight defined the fundamentals of the engine’s development, with the goal of delivering class-leading torque and usable power between 5000 and 10,000 rpm.

The engine drives through a close ratio six-speed transmission with an electronic quick-shift system that enables clutchless gearchanges under full throttle. Riders can choose from five riding modes: Rain, Road, Sport, and two customizable track profiles that can be stored and remembered every time the bike is started. The front and rear suspension are semi-active setups developed by Italian specialist Marzocchi, while the brakes are from Brembo, with twin 13-inch floating discs up front and a single 9.7-inch rotor at the rear, with a lean-sensitive ABS system that adjusts braking pressure based on the bike’s lean angle, acceleration, and speed.