History

James Lansdown Norton founded the Norton Company in 1898 in the motorcycle manufacturing rich area of Birmingham and produced and supplied parts to bicycle and motorcycle manufacturers.

Norton began producing its own motorcycles in 1902 using Clement and Peugeot engines. Norton's were considered 'behind the times', still using belt drive by the dawn of the First World War but improved their technology soon after with a clutch, gearbox and chain drive.

Norton had considerable success in racing including taking nine places in the top fourteen in the first Manx TT in 1920 although none of those nine places garnered a win. Norton also boasted wins at Brooklands and many other races in Europe.

Norton was bought by motorcycle giant Associated Motor Cycles (AJS, Matchless, James and Francis-Barnett) in 1953 after it was evident that the company couldn't financially survive despite the success of the featherbed frame used in racing bikes as well as the Dominator in 1952. This take-over was not welcomed news to Norton aficionados.

AMC went into receivership in 1966. Norton was the only motorcycle marque in the company that made money at this point. The new owner called the reformed company Norton-Villiers. A few years would pass only to see financial trouble again. In 1973, the British government's attempt to rescue the motorcycle industry forced a merger of BSA/Triumph and Norton-Villiers in return for funds to remain in business. The resultant company was called was Norton-Villiers-Triumph (NVT). This incarnation of Norton liquidated in 1978 but the new owner kept building rotary engined motorcycles for the next 15 years with some success but few sales until the Norton name as we know it just slowly disappeared.

In late 2008, Stuart Garner, a UK businessman, bought the rights to Norton from some US concerns and relaunched Norton in its Midlands home at Donington Park where it was to develop the 961cc Norton Commando and a new range of Norton motorcycles.

On 29 January 2020, it was announced that the company had gone into administration Administrators BDO were appointed by Metro Bank The company had been in court over £300,000 of unpaid taxes due to HM Revenue and Customs, from an original amount of £600,000, with company representatives stating that £135,000 in "outstanding research and development tax relief" was overdue and would substantially reduce the amount owed. HMRC gave the company more time to pay and the court case was adjourned until mid-February.

There were reports that there had been fraudulent wrongdoing which affected hundreds of pension holders who invested in the company, Norton customers, and staff; government ministers had endorsed Norton as millions of pounds of government grants and loans were provided.

On 17th April 2020, it has been reported that India's TVS Motor Company acquired Norton Motorcycle Company in an all cash deal. In the short term, they will be continue production of motorcycles at Donington park using the same staff.