Norton Motorcycles is back and we travelled to Iceland to see what it has to offer
NOSTALGIA is a wonderful thing. It keeps us grounded as we progress through life, as we age, as technology becomes ever more advanced.
It keeps us coming back to something that perhaps no longer exists but holds beautiful memories. Nostalgia is what I felt when I received an invitation from Norton Motorcycles to attend the media ride of their latest model called the Atlas.
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I was overcome by a flood of memories… of being a child and watching in awe as an old uncle rode his Norton up to the local Gurdwara. I will never forget the thumping sound of the engine and the smell of an old carburettor working overtime to keep the engine combusting. Norton is a household name when it comes to classic motorcycles. We may all know of a parent, uncle, cousin, or neighbour who has had a Norton.
Malaysians in particular, could even spot Nortons in old Lat cartoons. I guess that is to be expected for a brand that has been around since before the great war. It may have had a tumultuous existence, but it persevered. Norton lives on in the memories of many, so much so that when I told my dad that I was heading to Iceland to ride a Norton, his face lit up as he said, “Wow, Norton! Haven’t heard that name in a while”.
WHERE HAS NORTON BEEN ALL THESE YEARS?
There are thousands of pages and terabytes of literature on Norton motorcycles available online. I will not get into the history, but I will say that the most important chapter for Norton in the modern era happened in 2020 when Indian motorcycle giant TVS acquired the then troubled brand. Norton’s existence has ebbed and flowed throughout history, but it arguably has never been in better hands than now.
TVS too can trace its heritage back to the early 1900s and is now the third-largest motorcycle company in India by revenue and the second-largest two-wheeler exporter. TVS also has a presence in over 60 countries but sadly not in Malaysia yet. But above that, when it comes to manufacturing and technological might, TVS is also trusted by brands such as BMW.
TVS manufactures BMW models like the G310 series and now the F450 GS. Beyond that, there’s also some co-development between TVS and BMW of models like the Apache RR310. This is a pivotal point in the history of Norton because Indian companies have a long history of allowing companies they invest in to develop and grow.
By injecting much needed funds and technological know-how, these companies are also able to expand and strengthen their presence. Just look at what Indian powerhouse Tata has done for Land Rover and Jaguar. So, the coming years will be exciting for Norton.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ATLAS!
The Atlas model name goes as far back as the early 1960s. It was discontinued and replaced by the Norton Commando in 1968. It remained buried in the history pages, till now when the name was chosen to mark Norton’s entry into the modern middleweight adventure-touring market.
There were some protests from Norton evangelists though but alas Norton showed the world that it was serious about its comeback and that the Atlas name was the right one. Not only because it’s a cool, nostalgic name but because, just like the original Atlas, the modern one too comes with an armada of tech.
The new Atlas was first shown to the world at the 2025 EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy. It received a grand response, not only because the motorcycling world has a soft spot for legendary brands, but also because it looked genuinely promising. And after riding it, I can only say that Norton is surely on to something here.
WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO OFFER?
Plenty! There’s a reason why the Norton Atlas is known as the British Army Knife of middleweight adventure motorcycles. It is underpinned by a 585cc parallel twin engine which some say shares its aesthetics with the BMW F450 GS which also runs on a TVS built engine. The engine acts as a stressed member of the steel-trellis frame.
Being an adventure tourer, the Atlas needs to cope with any type of weather. And for that it has two oil sumps that reduce friction and improve overall lubrication which is turn provides the powertrain with a strong cooling system to cope with hot climates and heavy traffic.
The engine sends 69hp at a screaming 9300rpm and 57.5Nm of torque from 7500rpm to the rear wheel through a sixspeed transmission system managed by a wet-clutch system. The powertrain feels robust and has an addictive sound from the intake. But riding in cool and windy 12°C Icelandic weather meant that I could not feel the heat from the engine, so we’ll just have to take Norton’s word for how good the cooling system works.
It also has plenty of clever electronic systems. Being its first ever adventure tourer, Norton did not hold out on the wizardry. The Atlas, particularly the flagship Atlas Apex variant, utilises a six-axis Bosch Inertia Management Unit (IMU) that actively measures lean angles.
This is necessary because despite being the company’s first-ever middleweight entry, the Atlas Apex comes equipped with lean sensitive traction control and even cornering cruise control with traction control. That’s just the icing as this cake has some really yummy cherries as well.
Tyre pressure monitoring system, lean sensitive ABS, rear-wheel slide control, wheelie control, hill-hold assist, keyless ignition, keyless fuel cap, and even an eight-inch touchscreen system are all standard right out of the box. It is worth noting that only the Atlas Apex variant features all the electronic fun stuff while the entry-level Atlas makes do with the basics like the IMU system, touchscreen system, keyless functionality, bi-directional quickshifter, adjustable levers, bash plate and a Type C USB charger.
HOW DOES IT RIDE?
To help us better understand what the Atlas is built for, Norton curated a ride that included some of the most curvaceous roads across some of the most stunning sceneries on the planet. Some tarmac and off-road action brought out the best in the Atlas, highlighted it’s good and after over 200km of saddle time, also showed what Norton can improve on for the next version of the Atlas. Sit on the bike and the first thing that you notice is how light it is.
Weighing in at just 188kg (wet without fuel), the Atlas is the furthest thing from intimidating. The second thing that hits you is how easy it is to flat foot on the Atlas, compliments of a slim cut seat that sits 845mm off the road. The seat also holds your bottom comfortably in place for at least an hour or so before you start wishing for something wider. The clutch has a nice weight to it while the gears have a smooth yet precise click from cog to cog.
Norton has equipped the Atlas with a bidirectional quick shifter as standard. While some riders said that it was too sensitive, it felt fine for me. In fact, it felt like it needed a proper stomp from time to time. The odometer of my bike showed that it had only done about 1,700km so I reckon it will feel better after its next oil change.
For damping duties, the Atlas is equipped with full Kayaba suspension with fully adjustable 43mm upside down forks up ahead with 180mm of travel. The rear is managed by a single, full hydraulic monoshock with 180mm of travel as well. The standard suspension setting the Atlas comes with felt a little too soft, with too much dive at the front on the tarmac while the rear felt good, soaking up dips and ruts just as it should.
Good thing that the suspension is fully adjustable so we can all adjust it according to our liking, soft or hard. The dual-purpose EuroGrip Explo R Plus tyres on the other hand provide plenty of grip, which came as a pleasant surprise as I have never experienced the tyres before and had my reservations, especially in damp conditions.
Even off-road, the tyres flick away rocks and pebbles which means that grip is consistent even when you have to make quick switches from tarmac to gravel and back again. These tyres coupled to the 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel meant that the Atlas felt perfectly tractable in all conditions.
For those who prefer corner carving on the tarmac, there is the Atlas GT with 17-inch front and rear wheels that are better suited to long distance road riding. But that is a topic for another day. The roads around and out of Reykjavik were damp with intermittent rain and sidewinds like I had never experienced before. Add this to the fact that I was mentally riding on the wrong side of the road with little sleep, there was plenty to take in.
But this is where the character of the Atlas made dealing with these challenges a lot more manageable. Even the brakes, which consist of ByBre callipers with twin 310mm discs up front and a single 270mm rear discs, are easy to modulate and don’t threaten to introduce skin to tarmac.
The only thing that I wish it had was a single-handed operation for the windscreen as well as easy access ride modes. And there’s also the ride mode selection process that could be better. The Atlas comes with five ride modes – Urban, Rain, Sport, Tour and Enduro, which is fantastic but selecting one meant having to scroll to the next mode, get off the throttle, then scrolling to the next one. You repeat this process until you reach your desired mode.
This becomes easier once you memorise the appearance sequence but there’s also a lag in between modes which makes it frustrating to change modes. Perhaps Norton’s engineers could take in a thing or two about ride mode selection from Honda where you can scroll through the modes with zero lag and only get off the throttle once you arrive at the desired mode. But having said that, I must applaud the engineers for the crisp, clear and intuitive touch screen display.
I tried it out with different gloves and at different speed and it worked a charm. It was visible in all conditions with all the right information clearly laid out where you expect them to be. And the other thing that was impressive is how the Atlas is largely free of vibrations around the handlebars and the footpegs. After a day of riding, you step off the bike without any tingling in your hands or aching feet.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU KNOW?
As a Malaysian, it is sad to note that the Norton will not be immediately available. There’s no telling what the future may hold as there is word that the brand together with TVS may find their way into our market. But with a price tag of £9,450 for the flagship Atlas Apex, which loosely converts to RM53,000 before taxes, this fun-loving Norton will not have it easy in our Chinese dominated market.
However, if it does somehow make it to our market, the Norton Atlas Apex will undoubtedly rile up some nostalgia and may perhaps enjoy some level of success just as Royal Enfield did when it was reintroduced to Malaysia a few years ago, and continues to be successful today.
However, the likes of the cheaper and well-equipped Benelli, MotoMorini, Morbidelli and even some of its Japanese rivals like the Yamaha Tenere will undoubtedly give it a hard time. But look past the historic name plate and the fact that Norton will have a mountain to climb when it comes to building dealer and spare part support and the Atlas Apex is a fantastic first effort.
It is not perfect but Norton and by extension TVS know what they’re doing, and they have created a brilliant platform to start from, and it will only get better from here on.
The Atlas does not only mark the return of Norton, but it has also redefined it and is the right tool to reintroduce the brand to a world of new buyers that include those who may never have heard of Norton before.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 585cc, parallel twin, 270° crankshaft
Power: 69hp at 9300rpm
Torque: 57.5Nm @ 7500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed, wet-clutch bidirectional quickshifter
Suspension: Fully adjustable Kayaba
Brakes: Bybre calipers front and back with twin 310mm disc up front
Price: Not available in Malaysia yet
We like: Dashing good looks, light and friendly.
We don’t like: Ride mode selection needs to be simplified
