It seems like a whole new era is dawning at Norton Motorcycles since TVS Motors took over, and that’s great news for customers. For a start, the fact that they’re making good on customer deposits placed under the old administration must be a huge relief. Now, it seems, the company has grand designs for expanding the bike range, as well.
Since everything old is eventually new again, in October, 2020, Norton Motorcycles filed trademark applications with the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for five new model names: Norton Ranger, Norton Electra, Norton Fastback, Norton Navigator, and Norton Nomad.
We know for certain that these are intended as vehicle names because the trademark applications specify that all are “Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land; motorcycles; mopeds; scooters; mobility scooters / motor scooters; parts and fittings for motorcycles and vehicles."
This range of names mines post-war Norton Motorcycles history, specifically through the 1960s and ‘70s, spanning both Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) involvement, as well as the eventual shift to Norton-Villiers. The Electra, a spin-off of the Navigator, was notably the first-ever British bike from any company to feature an electric start in 1963. Sadly, the model was quite short-lived, but no one can take that simple fact away from it.
Returning from our jaunt into Norton history, Norton Motorcycles also filed three additional trademarks that aren’t new models. One is simply for the name “Norton,” with no “Motorcycles” after it. This mark is meant for “Belt buckles for motorcycles” (maybe they meant motorcyclists?), as well as “Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities; organization and supervision of motorcycle clubs; organizing of motorcycling contests; organizing of motorcycle competition; arrangement of receptions; arrangement of motorcycle rallies; organization of exhibitions; arranging and conducting seminars and conferences; camp services; presentation of live performances; publishing of map books for motorcycle tours, publication of printed material.”
Another is simply the stylized Norton logo, without the word “Motorcycles” or any other words underneath it. I’m no trademark expert, but it seems likely that companies must file separate trademarks on variations of their name and product names if they want exclusive use of them.
The last one is a new Norton Atlas trademark that applies to practically every kind of clothing you could ever want emblazoned with the Norton Atlas name, from protective motorcycle gear on down to undergarments and baby bibs. In other words, Merch Is Coming.
Sources: EUIPO, Norton Owners Club, Motorcycle.com
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