Norton’s new Commando 961 UK variants…

Iconic British firm Norton looks to be finding its feet after a turbulent few years.

New owner TVS has splashed the cash, and with a new factory and the launch of a heavily revised V4SV riders can once again start to get excited about what may be on offer.

While there are no new models to get excited about yet, that doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be new bikes. What does that mean? Well, the current owners are going through the existing range of models with a fine-tooth comb, making tweaks, changes and improvements before rolling them out to the market.

That’s exactly what’s been done with the old V4S (creating the V4SV), and now the Commando’s had the same treatment. Importantly, Norton’s worked hard to fulfil 29 outstanding orders for the previous generation Commando 961.

But they’ve not just built them and fired them out to punters, they’ve put the Commando 961 Classics through an ‘extensive quality improvement programme’ to make sure they were up to scratch. And that has helped with the development of not one, but two, newly released Commando 961s; the SP and the CR. The SP’s a more conventionally-styled classic roadster, while the CR gets a set of sportier clip-on bars.

At first glance, very little’s different about the new Commando 961s for 2023. They’ll be powered by a very similar hefty twin motor that kick out 77hp at 7250rpm and 59lb-ft (80Nm) of torque at 6300rpm. There’s plenty of quality kit as standard though, including 43mm Öhlins USD forks at the front (which are adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping), while at the rear there’s a fully adjustable Öhlins twin shock. For braking there’s a set of Brembos, with radial mounted calipers at the front.

Add to that a hand-crafted tubular steel frame and exhaust system – and Norton could be onto a winner.

Available in either matrix black or Manx platinum (with a couple of rim colours to choose from too), the £16,499 SP and £16,999 CR are already available for pre-order.

But if you want to find out even more about the two new Nortons, we’ve got you covered with a full road test coming very soon.

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