As much as I might be loathe to admit it, motorcycling is very much a niche activity in my part of the world. Those of us who love it tend to be extremely passionate about it, but we're few and far between.
But as with any country you live in for all (or even most) of your life, it tends to skew your perceptions of things. You accept that the world is one way, until and unless you learn something that challenges that view. That's why, if you're ever able to spend time in other countries, you'll notice stark contrasts between them and your own that go a lot further than just the cuisine.
All this is to say, in a lot of places outside the US, smaller displacement bikes sell in absolutely massive quantities when compared to the sales volumes of larger displacement, premium machines. The margins might be slimmer per unit, but the sheer scale of volume simply can't be ignored.
And times are undeniably tough, especially if you're a boutique, high-end motorcycle maker. Especially given the period of global economic uncertainty we're all currently living through.
That's why, when Indian automotive giant TVS swooped in to save Norton Motorcycles from itself in 2020, many immediately wondered what kind of changes would be in store for the historic British brand. Further speculation grew as the firm, flush with an influx of much-needed cash, opened a new, modern, and much larger factory facility in Solihull.
Breadcrumbs like TVS inking a European distribution deal only added fuel to the fire, as did news that the firm was, in fact, working on a line for Norton. With all that context, it's difficult not to see BikeWale's report that TVS is working on a new range of Nortons in the 300cc to 400cc range coming. To be clear, the report cites unnamed sources. But at the same time, it also seems like a practically inevitable conclusion given the preponderance of evidence we've had building up to this point.
RideApart has reached out to both TVS Motors and Norton Motorcycles to inquire about details. A Norton spokesperson told us that more information on upcoming, unspecified future models in progress is coming soon, but they declined to provide any further information at this time. At the time of writing, TVS has so far not responded. But as we've discussed in the past, crafting desirable, well-priced small-displacement machines really seems like a no-brainer decision in 2025.
Would you be interested in a 300-to-400cc Norton? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
