Revived British bike brand Norton has announced plans to build a sub-£10,000 bike with the unveiling of a new scrambler range called the Atlas. Two versions of the new machine will be available, the £9,995 Atlas Nomad and the higher-spec Atlas Ranger, which comes in at £11,995.
The bikes will be shown publicly for the first time at the Motorcycle Live show, which opens at the Birmingham NEC this weekend, and Norton is taking pre-orders with a planned delivery date of May 2019 for the first batch.
Powering the Atlas range will be an all-new 650cc parallel-twin that is derived from the upcoming V4 superbike engine. Norton is claiming an impressive 84bhp at 11,000rpm from the liquid-cooled unit, with 64Nm of torque. Spec will include two riding modes, calibrated for road and off-road riding, traction control and switchable ABS.
The Ranger version features taller suspension, with a 875mm seat height (50mm more than the Nomad), bash plate, braced handlebars and a high front mudguard. It also uses a 19” spoked front wheel, shod with Avon Trekrider tyres. The Nomad also features spoked wheels, but runs an 18” example up front, and is shod with Avon Trailrider rubber.
Boss Stuart Garner claims that Norton will have the capacity to build around 2000 Atlases a year when production is up to full speed, making it the first mass production model to wear the famous badge since the demise of the Norton Villiers Triumph operation in the mid-1970s.
Norton is keen to emphasise the Atlas’ role as an everyday bike. With pricing that pitches it right up against models like the Ducati and Triumph Scramblers, it will be interesting to see if the British built machines can attract customers in what is a very competitive sector.
If you fancy one, you can head over to the Norton stand at Motorcycle Live to see it in the metal. A £500 deposit will secure one of the first examples, which are slated for a 2019 delivery.
