Norton V4SV (2022-on) review

The manually-adjustable Öhlins NIX30 forks and shock are set relatively soft for road-going compliance as standard. The kit has plenty of scope for adjustment, so an on-the-hoof increase in front preload/compression, plus some rear rebound, is dialled in to the ‘Carbon’ model I’m riding.

It has bare carbon bodywork with BST carbon rims to differentiate it from the silver ‘Manx’ model with OZ Racing forged aluminium wheels.

It now supports itself better on the brakes, holds a line and doesn’t react so badly to ripples which cause enough chatter to lift the front tyre clean off the floor out as you enter Gerrards in fourth. It’s now behaving roughly as I’d want on a track.

By now I’m in Sport mode with full power at hand. Off-corner drive is strong with superb natural feel for the grip available, allowing you to ride around the traction control.

You can nibble up to the grip limit using your own feel and control, something you can’t say of highly-digitised rivals, the Panigale in particular. But then, their systems are so good, you can leave them on and not worry. The claimed power feels about right – it’s fast, but missing a little top-end insanity of a 200bhp superbike.

The Brembo M50 calipers on 330mm discs are a step behind the ‘Stylema’ calipers on the Italian V4s in terms of control, power and ABS intervention. Shifting back to first for the hairpin is more than the slipper clutch can stand too, causing the wheel to hop and fishtail, aggravating the ABS further.

The 1200cc motor makes a claimed 185bhp and 91lb.ft of torque. That’s 30bhp down on rivals – and what was claimed for the SS too. Norton say that’s partly because they’ve focused on its road manners, where they believe most will be ridden, likely fairly sedately too.

It doesn’t feel like a friendly road bike from the tiny diamond-stitched leather seat. The tank is narrow enough to require my thighs to clench to grip it. The clip-ons are low but only a short reach away. The riding position screams track bike.

True to Norton’s word, the V4 motor itself proves friendly, flexible and well-fuelled apart from a slight snatch from closed throttle. There are three modes: Rain is reduced power, reduced throttle response. Road gives you full power in 5th and 6th, and faster response from the electronic butterflies.

Sport is full power and direct response. Cornering ABS and traction control have fixed settings linked to the modes. You can’t turn them off though.

The rider aids catch me out, when they fail to stop it snapping sideways in Rain mode (on a dry track) as the camber drops away at Mallory Park’s Devil’s Elbow, shutting the motor down to correct it after the event. There’s no way traction control this liberal, and reactive rather than pre-emptive, will work on greasy roads.

Some of these limitations are addressed by switching to the Manx model (with the same quick-and-dirty suspension improvements carried over).

The heavier wheels make it slower to change direction through Mallory’s chicanes, but feel and stability everywhere else more than makes up for it. The ABS kicks in less, rear wheel hop is less pronounced, and Gerrards has suddenly lost its entry ripples. I’m able to enter and exit corners faster almost immediately.

On the road it’s likely many will favour the reduced effort felt in the Carbon, without running into the issues found when you push it at track speed. For the few who’ll book a trackday and tick the box for ‘fast group’, the Manx is undoubtedly the one to have.

Build quality appears good: it’s beautifully engineered, though the Spondon-inspired frame’s welds are not ‘stack of pennies’ perfect as the famed British chassis manufacturer would have done it.

Reliability is a massive question: the V4’s previous issues are extensive. It would be an incredible achievement if they have been fully fixed, but they’ve certainly made the right steps.

Minor, easy-to-solve niggles are not uncommon on low-production, hand-built bikes, so you’d do well to approach the V4 SV with the mindset that it will require more care from both owner and the manufacturer as miles rack up.

None of the bikes failed on the day: I suspect they’ve capped power with that in mind. It’s a good first move, but the next one needs to come very soon.

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The importance of making a reliable and serviceable bike that will still appeal to the purists is probably more important than pushing boundaries at this stage. The V4SV will work well as a road bike and the Manx can cut it on track.

But at £44,000 the V4SV will be compared to the apex predators of the superbike world. Machines like the BMW M1000RR (£30,935), Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 (£34,295) and Aprilia RSV4 Factory (£23,000) and it isn’t as good as any of them. At least in pure performance terms.

Related: Watch our latest superbike shootout video review

But it has more soul than the effective but charmless BMW and more grunt than the peaky Ducati. The Aprilia however is better in every way: and almost half the price, just less exclusive and a touch more ordinary than the British offering.

Norton say they want to be ‘on the bleeding edge of technology’. Gimmicky rear view camera aside, the V4SV is far from it – for now. It is, however, a solid foundation to work towards being competitive, as long as the bike meets their aim for reliability.