Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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INTERVIEW NORTON MOTORCYCLES OWNER STUART GARNER P90 foot at a time, keeping an eye on costs, so what we have here in Norton is quite a strong, robust business with a bright future. It's been rumored in the Indian press that you're close to agreeing to a deal with Mahindra for them to acquire a majority of Nor- ton equity, possibly leaving you still in charge of run- ning the company for them. Can you comment on that? I'm not a seller—there's no truth whatsoever in those rumors. Do you envisage an eventu- al ceiling of how many Nor- tons you want to make each year? We know that we're good for somewhere between 6000 and 8000 units a year without devaluing Norton's image, so I believe that's what we'll eventual- ly aim for as a future production ceiling. But all in good time. With the added benefit of training up the next genera- tion in your workforce via the government sponsored ap- prentice scheme? Thanks for having the per- ception to notice what we're doing here with our students, because not everyone does. Instead I get asked, why did you buy that big old place, why have you got these huge premises if you're only building 15-20 bikes a week, why are you building a brand new factory next door? Look, it's all about what happens five, 10 or 15 years from now. I haven't sold equity because we want Norton to be a slow burner and control our own destiny, doing it the right way for the brand in building British motorcycles that we're training young people to make, using British components. We've got control over our own fate, and the accountants and venture capitalists aren't pushing us with a three-year horizon to bring Norton to the market via an IPO. My horizon for this business is to be in it for the length of my lifetime. I strongly believe that my successor as Managing Director of Norton will be one of the apprentices we'll have had working here, who, I might say, are all interviewed for a place here without our ever looking at their school qualifications. I think it's important we bring people into Norton who are here for the passion and the skills they can acquire, rather than to flaunt an academic certificate or diploma. But that does all take time, and it's only further down the road we'll be able to look back and hopefully decide that, yes, that was actually the correct way to re-establish the Norton brand. As I said before, it's sad to see what's happened at MV Agusta, but equally it's heartwarming to know that with Norton we've probably chosen the right way to revive one of the most historic, prestigious brands of all over the last few years. Let's hope MV emerges from its troubles in one piece, but it's strangely reassur- ing to know that, while the risks are still out there in the market- place, we've avoided them as we look forward to introducing two brand new engine platforms over the next 18 months, and to develop new Norton products from a position of strength. CN Garner is excited about Norton's future