Norton has unveiled the Manx and the Manx R, the first in a series of models designed to re-establish the British marque in the premium superbike segment after some very rough recent times.
Leading the charge is the premium Manx R that takes one of the most famous model names in motorcycling history and brings it into the 21st century. The Manx R blends a clean (read: no wings) design philosophy with an all-new V4 powerplant, a cast alloy chassis engineered for street as much as racetrack riding, and a comprehensive suite of rider aids and connectivity tech.
At the heart of the Manx R is an all-new 1200cc, 72-degree V4 engine producing a claimed 206 horsepower at 11,500 rpm and 96 lb-ft of torque at 9000 rpm. Rather than chasing peak numbers alone, Norton focused development around street testing data, aiming to deliver strong, accessible torque between 5000–10,000 rpm.
Ride-by-wire operates the front and rear cylinder banks independently, and five riding modes (Rain, Road, Sport, plus two customizable Track profiles) tailor power delivery, traction, suspension behavior, and engine braking.
The V4 is paired with a six-speed gearbox featuring a slipper clutch, quickshifter and an auto-blipper. Gearing is short overall, but a taller final drive ratio lowers the revs for the Manx R rider on the freeway.
A cast aluminum frame forms the backbone of the Manx R, developed for connection and feel rather than stiff, race-only behavior. Norton co-developed a fully adjustable, semi-active suspension system with Marzocchi that can shift from soft road comfort to track-day firmness on the fly.
Braking is handled by Brembo’s new Hypure monobloc calipers, clamping dual 330 mm floating rotors up front and a 245 mm rotor at the rear. The system is tied to lean-sensitive ABS. Lightweight carbon BST wheels come standard, wrapped in Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 SP rubber (120/70 front, 200/55 rear).
Electronics are managed via Bosch’s latest 10.3 platform, providing cornering traction control, cornering ABS, wheelie and slide control, launch control, hill start assist, and unique-to-model cornering cruise control.
An eight-inch touchscreen TFT dash offers smartphone and GoPro integration, telemetry access, and remote monitoring through a Norton app, while keyless ignition, dynamic brake lights, and live tracking round out functionality.
Visually, the Manx R avoids the aero wing trend, instead emphasizing clean surfaces, compact proportions, and high-finish exposed components—Norton describes it as a “technical sculpture” intended to convey motion even at a standstill.
The Manx R marks the beginning of Norton’s planned resurgence and is the latest chapter in the company’s incredibly troubled history. Pricing and U.S. availability are expected to be announced soon.
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