Would you consider having a Norton 961 in your garage?

I remember when the 961 Commando was launched at the NEC bike show way back when. I was really excited to go and see it.
It was the main thing I wanted to do at the show that year and I was fortunate because I was given an exhibitors pass also that year, as I had volunteered to help man the Moto Guzzi Club GB show stand, so I was able to go over to the Norton stand before the show opened in order to get a really close look at the bike while the place was a ghost town.
When I got to the stand I was in luck, as I was offered a chance to sit on the two bikes (standard 961 and the SE model) which wasn't all that possible to do at the show if you were an ordinary show goer.

I have to say that personally I was very disappointed, due to one specific aspect and that was ergonomics.
I climbed on them and it felt all wrong for my shape and size. I really wasn't expecting it and I think that's why it had a big impact on my memory of the Norton.

Many years later I received an invitation from Norton to attend the presentation evening for the Dommie Racer at Donnington Hall, and the same thing happened to me. I sat on the Dommie Racer and my knees didn't fit the shapes in the sides of the tank etc... It wasn't made for me at all.
I don't as a general rule find ergonomics to be a huge problem unless bikes are really extreme, like say on a full on race bike, which does feel challenging when you first settle into the riding position, but the 961 was, for me, feeling like a square peg in a round hole.

That said, I have to confess that i've never actually ridden any of those Nortons. I love the styling and the whole idea of Norton ownership through rose tinted historical spectacles.
The Dommie Racer has styling to die for and I would have one as a piece of art in a heartbeat, but I know I wouldn't enjoy riding it, purely on ergonomic grounds.

Maybe the ergonomics have been changed on the very latest bikes, but my gut feeling says otherwise.
 
Last edited:
Jagster said:
I remember when the 961 Commando was launched at the NEC bike show way back when. I was really excited to go and see it.
It was the main thing I wanted to do at the show that year and I was fortunate because I was given an exhibitors pass also that year, as I had volunteered to help man the Moto Guzzi Club GB show stand, so I was able to go over to the Norton stand before the show opened in order to get a really close look at the bike while the place was a ghost town.
When I got to the stand I was in luck, as I was offered a chance to sit on the two bikes (standard 961 and the SE model) which wasn't all that possible to do at the show if you were an ordinary show goer.

I have to say that personally I was very disappointed, due to one specific aspect and that was ergonomics.
I climbed on them and it felt all wrong for my shape and size. I really wasn't expecting it and I think that's why it had a big impact on my memory of the Norton.

Many years later I received an invitation from Norton to attend the presentation evening for the Dommie Racer, and the same thing happened to me. I sat on the Dommie Racer and my knees didn't fit the shapes in the sides of the tank etc... It wasn't made for me at all.
I don't as a general rule find ergonomics to be a huge problem unless bikes are really extreme, like say on a full on race bike, which does feel challenging when you first settle into the riding position, but the 961 was, for me, feeling like a square peg in a round hole.

That said, I have to confess that i've never actually ridden any of those Nortons. I love the styling and the whole idea of Norton ownership through rose tinted historical spectacles.
The Dommie Racer has styling to die for and I would have one as a piece of art in a heartbeat, but I know I wouldn't enjoy riding it, purely on ergonomic grounds.

Maybe the ergonomics have been changed on the very latest bikes, but my gut feeling says otherwise.
Click to expand...
Great comments. I've never thrown a leg over one but I remember have the same experience with BMWs R9T Sport model and Triumphs 1200 Speed Triple RR. The BMW and Speed Triple RRs reach to the bars and head position made my Thruxton R feel like a luxury touring bike.

Before I automatically crossed the Norton off my even try list but now I'm open to try it and if I could ride it for an hour I would be tempted.
 
Justdad said:
Great comments. I've never thrown a leg over one but I remember have the same experience with BMWs R9T Sport model and Triumphs 1200 Speed Triple RR. The BMW and Speed Triple RRs reach to the bars and head position made my Thruxton R feel like a luxury touring bike.

Before I automatically crossed the Norton off my even try list but now I'm open to try it and if I could ride it for an hour I would be tempted.
Click to expand...
I think I should clarify my comment about the ergonomics for me personally.
It's not something as simple as changing the handle bars or positioning the pegs a bit up/down forward/back which would be pretty easy to do.
It's the position of the seat to the tank also and then the position of that to the bars & pegs. Everything just feels not quite right......to me personally.

I always used to find all Hondas ergonomically right. I have never climbed aboard a Honda and it felt 'wrong'. The Norton was the very opposite end of the scale.
It looked like it wouldn't be any problem at all, but it just did. I just found that really significant and kind of odd.
 
Jagster said:
I think I should clarify my comment about the ergonomics for me personally.
It's not something as simple as changing the handle bars or positioning the pegs a bit up/down forward/back which would be pretty easy to do.
It's the position of the seat to the tank also and then the position of that to the bars & pegs. Everything just feels not quite right......to me personally.

I always used to find all Hondas ergonomically right. I have never climbed aboard a Honda and it felt 'wrong'. The Norton was the very opposite end of the scale.
It looked like it wouldn't be any problem at all, but it just did. I just found that really significant and kind of odd.
Click to expand...
That is a little strange.
 

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