Mini ride report and review.
I had a Norden out for a few hours today thanks to the nice team at GH Motorcycles in Colchester
Bearing in mind that the demo bike has only got about 500 miles on the clock when I picked it up I was impressed with the engine, which spins up nicely, will cruise at M'way speeds without any problems and is equally at home pottering round the lanes. The only minor complaint would be that just off idle the engine is a bit lumpy, due probably to the emissions controls.
Ergonomics are not bad straight out of the box, and I found the bike comfy, even with the seat in the low position ( I'm 6'4" tall with a 34" inside leg ) and with a bit more time to adjust things it would be an ideal bike.
The suspension is a little harsh as it came from the dealer, but this is how it was setup by their Technician. The suspension is fully adjustable manually ( No fancy electronics like by bike, KTM 1290 SA) so could be easy to get right.
The bike is a KTM 890 Adv under the skin, which means that Bumot etc luggage will fit straight on.
There are supply problems with bikes from Austria, but it seems that some dealers are getting bikes without too much of a problem.
The bike definitely feels lighter and more nible than my current 1290SA, and subject to a financial discussion will probably be the perfect replacement.