The Norton revival under the ownership of India’s TVS Motor Company continues with the debut of the 2023 Norton V4SV production model. The effort to bring a British-built superbike to market began before TVS acquired Norton in April 2020, and is now coming to fruition. There is no delivery date for the £44,000 motorcycle. However, riders can “register interest” on the Norton website.
Befitting its stratospheric price tag‚ nearly £10,000 more than a Ducati Panigale V4 SP2, the 2023 Norton V4SV boasts a wide range of high-end components. Öhlins is a major contributor, providing the FGRT 200 fork with NIX 30 internals, an Öhlins TXXGP shock built to Norton specs, and the steering damper. The Manx Silver model gets forged aluminum wheels from Oz Racing, while the Carbon model has carbon fiber wheels by BST. Brembo takes care of the braking—discs, calipers, and hydraulics. The tires are Dunlop SportSmart TT rubber.
Norton built the short-stroke 1200cc V4 motor that puts out 185 horsepower at 12,500 rpm, and cranks out 92 ft-lbs of torque at 9000 rpm. The perimeter frame uses aluminum tubing, and has adjustments for rake and steering offset. The billet-aluminum single-sided swingarm has an adjustable pivot.
“Two years ago, Norton inherited the V4—a bike imagined on the track but born for the road, a bike that promised to blend poise, performance, and power,” Norton Motorcycles CEO Dr. Robert Hentschel explains. “Over the last 18 months, we have worked tirelessly putting this machine through our new world-class facilities in Solihull to proudly deliver on our promise to Norton owners. Thanks to TVS investing £100 million in Norton, and us subsequently investing wisely in our engineering processes and brand-new manufacturing base, we have ensured barely a part hasn’t been improved on from the bike we inherited.”
“The V4SV is unlike anything on the market today, by design, but it’s everything you expect in a bike built by unapproachable Norton,” Hentschel continued. “Short gearing and engaging power make this a perfect bike for the road. This is the ultimate British superbike that will challenge and excite riders from the moment they get on the bike to the moment they get off. It is undoubtedly a beautiful piece of art. We are incredibly proud of what we have produced, given the challenges we have faced getting it to the start line. Importantly, this new Norton V4SV marks just the first step on our exciting vision for the brand.”
Photography by James Archibald
2023 Norton V4SV Specs
ENGINE
- Type: 72-degree V4
- Displacement: 1200cc
- Bore x stroke: 82 x 56.8mm
- Maximum power: 185 horsepower @ 12,500 rpm
- Maximum torque: 92 ft-lbs @ 9000 rpm
- Compression Ratio: 13.6:1.
- Valvetrain: DOHC w/ chain-driven cams w/ idle gear; 4 vpc
- Fueling: Ride-by-wire EFI w/ 8 fuel injectors
- Transmission: Quickshifter
- Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ slipper function
CHASSIS
- Frame: Aluminum tubular chassis w/ single-sided billet swingarm; adjustable rake angle, steering offset, and swingarm pivot.
- Triple clamps: Billet aluminum
- Steering damper: Öhlins
- Front suspension: Fully adjustable Öhlins FGRT 200 fork
- Rear suspension: Linkage-assisted fully adjustable Öhlins TTX GP Norton-bespoke shock
- Wheels: BST carbon fiber (Carbon model); Oz Racing forged aluminum (Manx model)
- Tires: Dunlop SportSmart TT
- Front brakes: 330mm floating Brembo discs w/ radially mounted Brembo monobloc calipers and Brembo master cylinder
- Rear brake: 245mm Brembo disc w/ Brembo caliper and master cylinder
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 56.5 inches
- Rake: 23.9 degrees
- Fuel capacity: 4.0 gallons
- Dry weight: 425 pounds
- Colors: Manx Silver; Carbon
2023 Norton V4SV Price: £44,000 MSRP