It’s been a long time coming, but the Milan and NEC bike shows finally gave us the chance to see the next generation of Norton Motorcycles ‘in the metal’ as it were.
The Solihull-based firm showed off a pair of high-end 1200cc V4 machines, the Manx R superbike and the Manx supernaked, as well as the lower-end Atlas, a 585cc twin-cylinder adventure touring bike.
The Manx R is based around a new 72° V-four 1200cc engine with 206bhp@11,500rpm peak power and 130Nm of torque at just 9,000rpm. That’s a decent set of numbers, but a little down on the current state of the art: Honda’s Fireblade and the BMW M1000RR make about 215bhp from 999cc, while Ducati’s Panigale V4 S makes a bit more from its 1,103cc capacity.
The Norton is a little bit on the chunky side too, with a claimed mass of 204kg, though they don’t say if that’s dry or wet weight. You can make your guesses here, but we imagine if that is the wet weight, they’d also be telling us the (lower) dry figure: so the smart money is probably on that being the dry figure.
A 2025 Panigale V4S is 187kg wet with no fuel, so the Bologna machine will be, at the very least, 17kg lighter before you start.
The bigger Norton engine can make its power with less revs, and that, plus the strong torque, should make for a pleasing roadbike engine (the exhaust also has a clever valve built-in to optimise the sound depending on speed and throttle opening).
Indeed, Norton is majoring on that road angle, claiming that its plan all along was to make more usable power, aimed at strong midrange between 5,000 and 10,000rpm, rather than screaming, racetrack-friendly, top-end. The motor drives through a conventional transmission: six-speed gearbox, wet slipper clutch and chain final drive.
The 72° V-angle suggests that while the firm claims an ‘all-new’ design, it shares at least some attributes with the legacy engine developed for ‘old’ Norton’s V4SV superbike under the pre-2020 Stuart Garner regime. The ride-by-wire fuel injection apparently operates independently on the front and rear cylinder banks too, for optimal fuelling and throttle response.
Norton’s housed its new superbike engine in a ‘single casting’ aluminium frame, which claims to optimise flex and stiffness for great road performance, and there’s a neat single-sided rear swinging arm.
The running gear is from Italy: Marzocchi semi-active forks and rear shock, with bespoke fully-adjustable forks and rear monoshock. “Our advanced suspension set-up reads the road and riding style in real time. It’s been developed to feel incredibly natural and intuitive on the road, as if the Manx R is built around the rider.
This semi-active technology doesn’t just enhance performance – it transforms the entire riding experience, making every journey smoother, safer, and more enjoyable,” said Brian Gillen, the chief technical officer at Norton.
Brakes are Brembo Hypure calipers, with giant 330mm discs and a radial master cylinder. Standard wheels are trick BST carbon fibre rims, wearing Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4SP tyres – 120/70 profile at the front and 200/55 at the back.
The final part of the package is the electronics, and here you have a familiar set of riding aids: five riding power modes – Rain, Road, Sport and two customisable track profiles, plus cornering traction control and ABS, hill-start, wheelie and slide control, together with an up/down quickshifter and cruise control, aided by the ride-by-wire fuel injection setup. A large eight-inch TFT LCD screen is present and correct, and the switch gear boasts a neat metal finish on the controls, which is a nice touch.
The design of the new bikes is a little controversial. It’s understood that a lot of the firm’s new design team have come from the car world, and there’s a bit of a hint of the Jaguar relaunch in the lines of the new bikes.
The Manx R is probably the most attractive of the models shown so far, with strong similarities to the likes of the Ducati Panigale: it also looks more interesting in some of the subtle colourways rather than the plain silver of the initial press pics.
At the NEC Show, the Atlas adventure bikes and Manx supernaked were a bit more controversial: the Manx has a curious stacked headlight surround, and large faired sidepanels, which give the feel of an electric bike. Meanwhile the Atlas has the lines of a 1980s crossover dirtbike like the Honda Transalp or Dominator.
We’ve not had the full tech spec details on any of the new bikes – or any price info – so far. Expect more information on that, as well as when the bikes will be available, earlier in 2026 – we’ll report back as soon as we get it.
Norton Manx R tech highlights
- Cornering Cruise Control – unique to the Manx R in its segment, this sophisticated system enables the rider to safely maintain steady speeds through bends.
- Ride Modes – Rain, Road, Sport, and two customisable Track profiles that instantly adjust power, suspension, and electronics to match road, track, or weather conditions.
- Switchable Linear Traction Control and Cornering Traction Control – using a six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit to tailor grip assistance to road conditions or riding style for precision and confidence at every turn.
- Wheelie and Rear Wheel Slide Control – prevents flips and smoothens landings for confidence-inspiring stability and control under acceleration, cornering and braking.
- Slope Dependent Control – ensuring inclines and declines can be tackled smoothly and with full confidence.
- Cornering-optimized ABS – outstanding control through the most challenging of bends and curves.
- Quick Shifter and Auto Rev-Matching – Smooth, clutch-less gearshifts for faster and more exhilarating rides.
- Optimal Gear Shift Suggestion – intelligent prompts that help the rider tap deep into the engine’s torque reserves.
- Launch Control and Hill Start Support – ensuring fast and challenging pull-aways are safe and controlled.
- Switch Cubes – seamlessly integrated with a tactile metal finish, for access to key features
- Dynamic Brake Lights – high-visibility pulsing under hard braking to alert following road-users of sudden deceleration.
- 8-inch TFT touchscreen – full-featured and packed with data including fuel economy, distance covered, speed, engine temperature, top speed, and 0-100kmph times; intelligently restricted while on the move.
- Bluetooth integration – make, answer and reject calls
- Multimedia Control – play, pause, skip tracks and view song titles
- GoPro Control – full integration to intuitively capture every moment
- Smart Device Synchronisation – access ride statistics, data and media notifications straight to the rider’s wrist.
- Keyless Entry – hassle-free start-up and access to the fuel tank and seat release
- Signature Daytime Running Lights – bold and unmistakably Norton style for enhanced visibility.
- Signature Welcome Lighting – distinctive approach illumination.
- Service Reminder – to ensure the Manx R remains in peak condition.
- Live Tracking – provides real-time data on the location of the motorcycle.
- Remote Immobilization and Theft Alerts – top-level security for added peace of mind.