Norton Trademark Filings Hint Towards Future Models

[advrider]

TVS continues to post positive signs towards the rebirth of the Norton Motorcycles brand.  Its latest action is the filing of several trademark applications.  Trademark applications were recently filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office for the names, Norton Electra, Norton Fastback, Norton Navigator, Norton Nomad, Norton Ranger, and Combat.

As you may recognize, some of the names have been used in the past.  Norton used the Electra, Fastback, Navigator, Nomad, and Ranger names in the 1960s and 1970s.

Norton’s Navigator was a 349cc twin manufactured between 1960 and 1965. The bike also appeared in 1963 under the Electra name.  It used the same engine, which was bored to 383cc.

The Fastback was a variant of the Norton Commando 750 produced in the 1970s.  Then, in 1972, the Commando received a new engine using the “Combat” name.

The Commando name has been dropped from Norton’s model range. Photo credit: Silodrome.com

The Norton Nomad dates back to the 1950s and was a derivative of the Norton Dominator.  And the Norton P11A Ranger was manufactured from 1967 to 1969.

This is a long list of names that have been used in the past by the British motorcycle manufacturer.  So you may wonder why the TVS Norton has gone through the process of once again trademarking the names.

Distancing TVS’ Norton from Stuart Garner’s Norton

Could it be that the TVS run Norton Motorcycle company is simply preparing to release “modern” versions of the old bikes?  But if that’s the case, why did the TVS Norton not re-file the Commando and Dominator names?  They are both interesting questions.

If I had to wager, I’d suggest that the TVS Norton wants to distance itself from the previous Stuart Garner run Norton to establish its own identity.  This would seem to make sense since the TVS Norton has already removed the more recent Commando and Dominator names from its model range.  Presently, the Norton website only lists four bikes; the V4SS, V4RR, Atlas Nomad, and Norton Atlas Ranger.

So it looks like TVS wants a fresh start on a long Norton tradition.  They are trademarking old Norton model names harkening back to the manufacturer’s “golden” era.  At the same time, the TVS Norton is distancing itself from the disaster that was the Stuart Garner Norton.

Both could be good moves.  What do you think?  Let us know in the comments below.

 

 

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