Yeah, about that price....
I grew up in LA and have been familiar with that dealership for many years, Matt Capri at South Bay Triumph is a well known and well respected character. I was visiting there from gloomy, cold Michigan last week and thought I would stop by and check out the non-running models to see how they felt. I never thought there would be any left available out of the first 50. I was also confident that the dealer would be getting a premium for these first bikes. The SE model, which is the one they're bringing in to begin with costs <span style="font-weight: bold">15,995 pounds in Britain including VAT, which is the equivalent of US $25,566</span> today. I figured they'd want about 30K.
I was quite surprised to find the following:
First, the bike has handlebars instead of clipons, and is light enough (about 400 lbs dry) and narrow enough at the knees to make the seat height problem ( I'm inseam challenged) negligible. It was actually pretty comfortable, and of course, gorgeous.
Second, there were three bikes left which had not been claimed with a deposit.
Third, The price is exactly what it says on the US website at
www.southbaynorton.com - <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]<span style="font-weight: bold">The price for the Norton Commando 961 SE in the United States is $17,899 (wire wheels) and $19,499 (carbon fibre wheels)</span>[/QUOTE]
Fourth, my wife thought it was 'cool'.
How could I resist?
When the brand is fully established, they intend to only produce 3000 bikes per year. They just hired Pierre Terblanche (Ducati Hypermotard and the retro reissue models, as well as the controversial early MultiStrada and 999/798 superbikes)to design the next generation.