Indian two-wheeler manufacturers partnering with premium international motorcycle brands isn’t a new thing for us. We have witnessed this in the past that TVS partnered with BMW Motorrad to jointly develop the 310 platforms upon which the BMW G 310 twins and TVS Apache RR 310 are based. Bajaj too has partnered with KTM and is currently developing a new bike with Triumph Motorcycles. But acquiring a company altogether could be something new. Reports suggest that TVS has shown interest in acquiring Britain’s iconic Norton motorcycles. For the uninitiated, Kinetic Group’s Motoroyale had acquired the rights to retail this British exotica in India prior to the wind blowing south for the company.
Also read: TVS Gifts An Apache RR 310 To Biker Who Loses His Motorcycle To Coronavirus
Norton Motorcycles ran into financial turbulence earlier this year. Norton’s last owner, Stuart Garner acquired the 122-year-old legacy brand in 2008 and is currently on the verge of liquidation. According to the anonymous lead, ” Norton is in the liquidation stage currently and the administration in the UK plans to sell off the brand, its assets and its product portfolio to raise funds. The company has to pay its vendors, employees and creditors and also pay tax dues. So, there are a lot of liabilities on Norton at the moment.”
There are several consultants handling the current economic fiasco for Norton and are in talks with several buyers. It is being said that TVS is in the race of potential bidders and if the deal with TVS works out, the Hosur-based company would be buying the Norton brand along with its assets and liabilities. The current portfolio of Norton Motorcycles includes some interesting motorcycles including the V4 RR, Dominator and the Commando series. If this deal pans out, it would be interesting to see how TVS manages the heritage-rich brand’s future. If we go ahead and speculate the developments in this potential partnership, TVS could use the technical know-how and legacy of Norton Motorcycles to develop affordable motorcycles which might include a smaller displacement Commando or Dominator.