Not necessarily as visible on the mainstream bike makers scene as other names in the industry, Norton Motorcycles has its share of followers and diehard fans. And this little piece of news is for them: there's a new Commando 961 in town, and you can have two versions of it.
The Commando has been around since the late 1960s, and the British company announced this week the release of the new generation, the 961, as the best version of the modern classic it ever made. And it offers it to riders in two variants, namely SP and CR, both put together, for the first time, at the company’s new facility in Solihull, England.
Both variants hold in their frame the same air-oil-cooled 961cc parallel twin engine, rated at exactly 76.8 bhp of power at 7,250 rpm and 81 Nm of torque at 6,300 rpm, and controlled by means of a five-speed constant mesh transmission with a wet clutch.
Propped on 43 mm Ohlins USD forks at the front and twin shocks at the rear, the bikes are also equipped with Brembo brakes, a 300W high-output charging system, and a 15-liter (4-gallon) fuel tank.
The models are offered in Matrix Black or Manx Platinum, highlighted by a Duke Gold Norton logo and pinstripes. Polished aluminum wheels top off the visual side of the new 961, but black rims are also on the table.
The differences between the two versions are subtle and only visible at the front. The SP comes with conventional upright handlebars, while the CR adopts clip-on variants, and the headlights of the two are also slightly different.
As per Norton, the SP sells for prices starting at £16,499 ($18,600), while the CR is a bit more expensive, retailing from £16,999 ($19,150). Both bikes are already available for order on Norton’s website.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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