Having had, over the years, four 850 Commandos I was quite keen on the new Commando when it came out, and did think of getting one.
Like most people I wanted Norton to succeed, 1, because I'd like to see a British company do well and 2, it was good to see the marque revived.
Reading what was coming out in the press etc., especially early on, something didn't seem quite right, info and machines seemed to be vague and rushed. If you are putting a new product on the market it has to be nigh perfect, but!, there will be the odd fault like the gear lever linkage that was at such an angle that it was difficult to change gear, that should have been sorted at the development stage.
Their press releases were a bit haphazard as if they felt they just "had" to release something, just get something, anything out there. Take a look at the picture below, the bike indeed looks good, especially in the yellow, BUT, look at the front mudguard, it's attached to the standing part of the fork! , wheel moves up, fork stays where it is , no more mudguard!
What were they thinking releasing that as a press release picture?
It would have been great if they had succeeded, I wish they had, however in the automotive cut throat world, a 'new' manufacturer has to be nearly spot on with everything, from R&D to public relations, to succeed.
Like an earlier post stated, 100 have now lost their jobs and various other people have lost money they can ill afford, my sympathies lie with them.
