The iconic British motorcycle brand, Norton, has been in the news lately as it was acquired by TVS Motor and is set for a major revamp. The company has been working in the background to establish next gen products and has revealed Manx and Atlas range of motorcycles. Ahead of launch, Atlas ADV motorcycles have been spied testing on two occasions. Let’s take a closer look.
TVS Norton Atlas 585 Spied
Even though TVS Motor has a strategic partnership with BMW Motorrad for affordable range of motorcycles, the company is exploring other options in the premium motorcycle world. That’s when TVS acquired iconic British motorcycle brand, Norton Motorcycles, for Rs 150 Crores and has pledged Rs 1,000 Crores for the Norton’s development.
Late last year, Norton showcased their next-gen motorcycle lineup consisting of Manx range with a supersport and a street fighter and then Atlas range of adventure tourers. Production of these Atlas and Atlas GT motorcycles will happen in India and the first set of test mule sightings have emerged on the internet.
These spy shots are credited to thebikerman_ and sanjeevvijayakumar who spied this test mule around TVS Motor’s factory. Norton Atlas is a tall and large adventure tourer motorcycle which has a dominating road presence. It has a distinctive silhouette where fuel tank and the semi fairing are integrated into one.
Rider’s triangle is upright and handlebars are positioned accordingly. There is a tall windscreen (could be adjustable) and then knuckle guards for protection. Keyless go with a smart key along with a push-button start system lends a futuristic vibe. Even more futuristic is its 8-inch TFT touchscreen dashboard with smartphone integration and USB Type-C port.
Other features include LED projector headlights along with LED cornering and puddle lights. Both Norton Atlas and Atlas GT come with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels. Both the test mules spied in India are Atlas GT as they both had alloy wheels with road-biased tyres. Braking is handled by twin disc setup at the front and a single-disc setup at the rear with radially mounted brakes.
New 585cc Engine
All these are mounted on a platform which is derived from the one from soon-to-launch BMW F450 GS. USD front forks are likely to be adjustable and rear gets a mono-shock setup with a remote preload adjuster. Exhaust is up-swept and there is a rear rack for practicality. Norton Atlas 585 gets a 6-axis IMU which unlocks features like lean sensitive ABS.
Other notable rider aids include traction control and four riding modes – Sport, Touring, Urban and Off-Road. A bi-directional quick-shifter is also on offer. Norton Atlas 585 is powered by a 585cc parallel-twin engine with a liquid-cooled setup. Weight could be on the lower side when compared to rivals like Kawasaki Versys 650 and the power could be around 70 bhp mark.
TVS Norton Atlas 585 Spied Testing In India
