Where Are Norton Motorcycles Made, And Who Owns The Company Now?
Norton Motorcycles have long been revered for being as speedy as they are stylish, and for the better part of the past 125 years, bikes bearing the company's iconic logo have turned heads on speedways and freeways across the globe. The company's story began in Birmingham, England, with James Lansdowne Norton founding his namesake business in 1898 as a manufacturer of parts and fittings for two-wheeled vehicles. A few years later, Norton began manufacturing its own motorcycles, with the Energette hitting roads in 1902.
Norton became the talk of the motorcycle racing world in 1907 after taking the checkered flag at the inaugural Isle of Man TT race. The manufacturer remained a force to be reckoned with on the racing circuit for much of the 20th Century, with notable riders such as John Surtees, Geoff Duke, and more riding their bikes to victory in the U.K. and beyond.
Apart from a brief pause in production circa the early 2000s, Norton has continued producing sleek, innovative bikes to fit the needs of competitive riders and those who prefer a casual weekend cruise. These days, however, the company does so under the eye of a new ownership group at a factory outside the bustling metropolis of Birmingham.
Where are Norton Motorcycles made?
Since its founding, Norton has developed and manufactured dozens of different makes of bikes, including their beloved Commando Roadster models, one of which is owned by longtime motorcycle enthusiast Keanu Reeves. For much of the company's history, those bikes came off a manufacturing line housed in Birmingham, England. Amid ownership changes in the early 2000s, bikes bearing the Norton name were also briefly manufactured on a smaller scale at a factory in Donington, England. During this time, Norton began rebuilding its name on the racing circuit, competing at the highest levels of competition, including impressive showings at the Isle of Man TT.
After working its back into the high-end motorcycle conversation, Norton again unexpectedly found itself operating under the umbrella of a new ownership group. But with new owners on board and the brand again the toast of racing fans and casual bikers alike, Norton quickly eyed a ramp-up in production and announced the construction of a shiny new production facility. The new space is a little closer to Norton's original home than the previous hub, with the new owners setting up operations in Solihull, England, located just south of Birmingham in the West Midlands. Norton bikes are now being developed and manufactured in the lavish new Solihull facility, and there's every reason to believe that will be the case for many years to come.
Who owns the company?
As is often the case with companies that have been around as long as Norton Motorcycle Company, ownership has changed hands several times. While James Landsdowne Norton founded the company in 1898 and used his engineering prowess to shepherd Norton through its early years, it seems he wasn't quite a savvy enough businessman to make Norton profitable. In 1913, the business was in such dire straits Norton was forced to liquidate. Though the founder remained involved with the company until his 1925 death, new ownership stepped in to help right the ship.
Norton flourished under the new regime, as well as others, over the ensuing decades. However, the company fell on hard times again in both the 1980s and 1990s, leading to a series of ownership changes and halts in production. U.K. businessman Stuart Garner bought Norton in 2008, and he nobly sought to return the brand to glory after returning production of the iconic motorcycles to the United Kingdom.
The company faltered again under Garner's reign, with the businessman unloading his motorcycle outfit to TVS Motor Company in 2020. TVS soon announced plans to restore the Norton name to its former glory and promptly broke ground on the Solihull manufacturing plant as proof. Behind a massive cash infusion from TVS, Norton is on its way to a full-blown renaissance, and that revival will no doubt be bolstered by the development of exciting new models like the stunning V4CR.