183:
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372:
219:
292:
enough in their first year, not as well the second. For 1954 Jack
Williams, the works team manager, developed the bike further, lowering the engine in the frame, and making some tuning changes that gave 40 bhp (30 kW) @ 7800 rpm. It immediately won the first two rounds of the World Championship and took first at the Isle of Man TT. These were factory specials, but one has survived, and a second has been reconstructed from spares. In 1953 there was a Clubman range of Matchless/AJS 350 cc and 500 cc singles, and the production model Matchless G45 500 twin became available.
191:
304:
341:. That same year AMC posted a profit of a just over £200,000, not so good compared with BSA's £3.5 million. Then in 1961 they posted a loss of £350,000. With the closure of the Norton plant at Birmingham in 1962 and the merger of Norton and Matchless production, the future was beginning to look rather bleak. In the sixties, with sales declining AMC made the commercial decision to focus on the Norton twins and the Matchless/AJS singles but they were not to be successful and the factory ceased production shortly afterwards.
203:
259:
134:
211:
296:
126:
29:
288:(32 bhp, 350 cc OHC single), the Matchless G50 (a 500 cc variant of the 7R) and by 1951, the Matchless G45 (500 cc vertical twin). The AJS Porcupine had been designed for supercharging, before the rules changed ending supercharged racing motorcycles, but even so, Les Graham won the 1949 World Championship on an unsupercharged AJS 500 cc Porcupine.
326:
AMC withdrew from the world of works and one-off road racing at the end of the 1954, with the death of H.J.'Ike' Hatch, and in the face of fierce competition from the other
European bikes. Instead of works specials, AJS and Norton would make the production versions of the Manx Norton and the standard
348:
Matchless/AJS built predictable handling, comfortable, well-made, reliable and economical motorcycles, for their day. Unfortunately such attributes were not enough to keep them in business. Continuing poor sales led to AMC becoming part of a new company, called Norton-Villiers in 1966. Some of the
344:
Some models were "parts bin specials" put together at the request of the
American dealers. The Americans were desert racing, so Berliners sent AMC an example custom bike using a Norton 750 motor in a G80CS frame, and asked them to build them some. This was the last Matchless motorcycle, the 748 cc
420:
name was bought by former works rider and competition manager Fluff Brown who continued production of the AJS Stormer in 250 and 360cc capacities. The company, AJS Motorcycles, still owned by the Brown family, now imports and retails small capacity motorcycles manufactured in China under the AJS
291:
In 1951 AJS development engineer Ike Hatch developed a 75.5 mm (3.0 in) bore x 78 mm (3.1 in) stroke, three valve head version of the AJS 7R making 36 bhp (27 kW). It was called the AJS 7R3, and was Ike's response to the
Italian multi-cylinder racers. They did well
352:
Four-stroke scrambler production ceased in 1966. Matchless became overshadowed with focusing on BSA, Triumph and Norton from 1960. The more race-worthy
Matchless G85CS replaced the G80CS having a purpose-built frame, alloy fuel tank, ultralight hubs, 12:1 compression ratio and GP
266:
Post-war landmarks start with the production of
Matchless/AJS 350 cc and 500 cc singles, developed from the legendary war-time Matchless G3 produced for the Army. In 1946 Freddie Clarke joined AMC as Chief Development Engineer after a row with his former employers,
322:
In 1952 further extended the empire by taking over Norton. Then 1958 saw the introduction of unit construction 250 cc AJS/Matchless machines. From 1948, competition models of the singles were produced which gave the company some memorable wins.
158:
company was changed to "Amalgamated Motor Cycles Ltd" in 1937 and "Associated Motor Cycles (AMC)" in 1938. AMC was not a manufacturer in its own right, but rather the parent company of a group of motorcycle manufacturers which included
Matchless,
279:
in 1951. In 1949 the first
Matchless/AJS vertical twin (500cc) was produced, later to be joined by 600 cc and 650 cc vertical twins in 1956 and 1959 respectively. On the racing front AMC were fielding the
400:. This only staved off the problems for a little while and Norton-Villiers eventually went into liquidation in 1974. Norton was reformed with financial assistance from the British government as
1501:
1521:
1496:
1511:
785:
1526:
668:
568:
122:
founded
Matchless as a cycle company in 1878. His sons Henry (Harry) and Charles (Charlie) joined him and the name was changed to H. Collier & Sons.
494:
345:
G15 which was also sold as the AJS Model 33' and as the Norton P11. The G15 was produced up until 1969. A Mk2 version was sold in
Britain from 1964.
1506:
778:
546:
238:
course at over 100 mph (161 km/h). It weighed 405 lb (184 kg). Its top speed was 135 mph (217 km/h). Then the
182:
699:
621:
598:
516:
408:
motorcycle concerns but omitting the BSA name for Triumph. In part due to a labour dispute, NVT later went into receivership in 1974.
1126:
771:
649:
330:
In 1958 the Matchless/AJS road bikes were joined by a 250 cc and in 1960 by a 350 cc for a lightweight series of singles.
1516:
633:
464:
922:
805:
733:
349:
contents of the Norton factory including motorcycles were later auctioned off after the company went into receivership.
1354:
442:
311:
880:
676:
564:
1036:
392:
had driven the British motorcycle industry into a precipitous decline. In 1966 AMC collapsed and was reformed as
758:
1324:
1018:
1066:
829:
405:
247:
1396:
230:
was built to compete against the supercharged BMWs then dominating racing. The bike was a water-cooled and
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8:
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manufacturer founded by the Collier brothers as a parent company for the
1318:
1240:
1084:
795:
365:
295:
91:
262:
Share certificate of Associated Motor Cycles Ltd., issued 27 July 1961
1444:
1270:
1246:
155:
146:
AJS had been bought by Matchless's owners, the Colliers, in 1931 and
95:
1360:
421:
name, whilst maintaining the spares supply for the Stormer models.
1030:
125:
28:
315:
285:
227:
234:
design. In 1939 the dry-sump V4 was the first bike to lap the
1090:
465:"RealClassic.co.uk: News 22nd May - AJS 7R3 Racebike Revival"
389:
242:
intervened. During the War, Matchless manufactured 80,000
1502:
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom
946:
819:
656:. American Motorcyclist Assoc. November 1970. p. 39.
417:
160:
99:
1522:
Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1966
1497:
Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom
793:
1512:
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1938
246:for the armed forces. AMC sold the Sunbeam name to
669:"CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1966 MATCHLESS 500 G85CS"
626:Off-Road Giants!: Heroes of 1960s Motorcycle Sport
565:"Classic Motocross Iron: 1966 Matchless 500 G85Cs"
307:1917 AJS Model D 750 cc v-twin (green, foreground)
1488:
357:. Only 150 of these hand built bikes were made.
318:single-cylinder racer, manufactured 1950s/1960s
779:
404:(NVT) actually incorporating the majority of
1527:1966 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
284:(500 cc forward-facing parallel twin), the
786:
772:
186:1922 Matchless Model H v-twin with sidecar
27:
628:. Veloce Publishing Ltd. pp. 38–47.
416:Following the final collapse of NVT, the
411:
619:
370:
310:
302:
294:
257:
217:
209:
201:
189:
181:
132:
124:
102:motorcycle companies. It later absorbed
697:
275:, followed later by the acquisition of
1489:
16:Former British motorcycle manufacturer
1507:British companies established in 1938
767:
736:from the original on 18 February 2018
666:
571:from the original on 18 February 2018
497:from the original on 19 February 2018
222:1939 Sunbeam Model B 24 350 cc single
388:By the late 1960s, competition from
364:were signed to race these Matchless
806:Manufacturing in the United Kingdom
620:Westlake, Andy (15 November 2008).
445:from the original on 6 October 2002
360:Vic Eastwood, Chris Horsfield, and
13:
650:"British BSA Team Rides Trans-AMA"
327:two valve AJS 7R, for privateers.
214:Sunbeam motorcycle fuel tank decal
14:
1538:
752:
601:from the original on 16 June 2023
439:"Shaft Drive Sunbeam Motorcycles"
206:1968 Matchless G15 CSR 750cc twin
523:. 15 August 2005. Archived from
730:"All about AJS Motorcycles Ltd"
722:
691:
667:White, Tom (18 February 2018).
660:
337:resigned and joined Triumph at
1517:1938 establishments in England
698:Britton, Tim (5 August 2013).
642:
613:
583:
557:
539:
509:
483:
457:
431:
1:
759:Article on AMC/Norton hybrids
622:"Chapter 6 - Chris Horsfield"
424:
39:Manufacturing and engineering
22:Associated Motor Cycles (AMC)
704:Classic Bikers Club Magazine
152:Imperial Chemical Industries
7:
547:"Nortonia Under The Hammer"
271:, and in 1947 AMC absorbed
253:
10:
1543:
383:
141:
114:before incorporation into
1079:Chase Brothers Motorcycle
873:
812:
803:
673:Motocross Action Magazine
591:"Vic's Matchless on show"
553:. April 2004. p. 26.
491:"Associated Motor Cycles"
398:Manganese Bronze Holdings
129:Matchless fuel tank badge
77:
67:
59:
51:
43:
35:
26:
700:"Fluff Brown: 1930-2013"
517:"Norton P11A on Display"
1301:Norton Villiers Triumph
402:Norton-Villiers-Triumph
150:was added in 1937 from
88:Associated Motor Cycles
1249:(1899–1966, 1988–1990)
412:AJS Motorcycles 1974 –
380:
333:In 1960 leading light
319:
308:
300:
263:
223:
215:
207:
199:
187:
156:Matchless Motor Cycles
138:
130:
374:
314:
306:
298:
261:
221:
213:
205:
193:
185:
137:1912 Matchless v-twin
136:
128:
120:Henry Herbert Collier
977:Alldays & Onions
551:Cycle World Magazine
90:(AMC) was a British
1037:Beardmore Precision
947:AJS Motorcycles Ltd
710:on 18 February 2018
679:on 18 February 2018
597:. 22 January 2017.
471:on 8 September 2006
299:AJS fuel tank badge
23:
1187:Hazlewoods Limited
381:
355:Amal (carburettor)
320:
309:
301:
264:
224:
216:
208:
200:
188:
154:. The name of the
139:
131:
21:
1484:
1483:
1175:Grindlay Peerless
635:978-1-84584-190-4
567:. 17 April 2018.
521:RealClassic.co.uk
244:G3 and G3L models
236:Ulster Grand Prix
226:In 1939 a 495 cc
196:Matchless Model X
85:
84:
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743:
741:
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706:. Archived from
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675:. Archived from
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493:. 14 July 2021.
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467:. Archived from
461:
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240:Second World War
31:
24:
20:
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1541:
1537:
1536:
1535:
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1532:
1531:
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1486:
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1295:Norton-Villiers
1163:Francis-Barnett
1115:Coventry Victor
1061:Brough Superior
869:
808:
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750:
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394:Norton-Villiers
386:
273:Francis-Barnett
256:
173:Francis-Barnett
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116:Norton-Villiers
104:Francis-Barnett
72:Norton-Villiers
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1109:Coventry-Eagle
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899:Abingdon (AKD)
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753:External links
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527:on 27 May 2013
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798:manufacturers
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282:AJS Porcupine
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19:
1283:New Imperial
1012:
1007:Ascot-Pullin
983:Allen Norton
738:. Retrieved
724:
712:. Retrieved
708:the original
703:
693:
681:. Retrieved
677:the original
672:
662:
653:
644:
625:
615:
603:. Retrieved
594:
585:
573:. Retrieved
559:
550:
541:
529:. Retrieved
525:the original
520:
511:
499:. Retrieved
485:
473:. Retrieved
469:the original
459:
447:. Retrieved
433:
415:
387:
377:AJS Model 31
359:
351:
347:
343:
335:Bert Hopwood
332:
329:
325:
321:
290:
265:
232:supercharged
225:
179:and others.
145:
87:
86:
18:
1477:(1905–1950)
1471:(1909–1954)
1465:(1911–1916)
1459:(1928–1959)
1457:Vincent-HRD
1453:(1898–1966)
1447:(1904–1971)
1441:(1912–1964)
1435:(1947–1959)
1429:(1885–1983)
1423:(1911–1961)
1417:(1964–1974)
1411:(1900–1915)
1405:(1976–1979)
1399:(1908–1965)
1393:(1911–1946)
1387:(1909–1932)
1381:(1893–1971)
1375:(1902–1924)
1369:(1960–1975)
1363:(1899–1933)
1357:(1899–1967)
1351:(1901–1928)
1345:(1975–1982)
1339:(1904–1967)
1333:(1908–1921)
1327:(1922–1930)
1321:(1882–1940)
1315:(1901–1954)
1309:(1912–1933)
1303:(1972–1978)
1297:(1966–1972)
1291:(1935–1963)
1285:(1901–1939)
1279:(1903–1958)
1273:(1921–1926)
1267:(1902–1939)
1261:(2004–2014)
1255:(1926–1929)
1243:(1919–1923)
1237:(1911–1939)
1231:(1903–1939)
1225:(1902–1966)
1219:(1911–1934)
1213:(1922–1928)
1207:(1898–1930)
1201:(1981–1988)
1195:(1971–1977)
1189:(1895–1923)
1183:(1912–1924)
1177:(1923-1939)
1171:(1953–1976)
1165:(1919–1966)
1159:(1896–1964)
1153:(1947–1977)
1147:(1919–1923)
1141:(1919–1935)
1135:(1907–1957)
1129:(1908–1978)
1123:(1945–1971)
1117:(1919–1936)
1111:(1901–1939)
1105:(1918–1980)
1099:(1946–1954)
1093:(1909–1923)
1087:(1900–1936)
1081:(1903–1906)
1075:(1909–1939)
1069:(1919–1972)
1063:(1919–1940)
1057:(1908–1926)
1051:(1902–1924)
1045:(1913–1922)
1039:(1914–1930)
1033:(1920–1936)
1027:(1902–1926)
1021:(1927–1930)
1015:(1937–1966)
1009:(1928–1930)
1003:(1980–1987)
997:(1902–1970)
991:(1946–1964)
985:(1990–1994}
979:(1903–1915)
973:(1903–1906)
967:(1919–1925)
961:(1919–1922)
955:(1928–1976)
949:(1909–2000)
943:(1925–1926)
937:(1937–1940)
931:(1919–1924)
925:(1905–1947)
919:(1902–1922)
913:(1919–1924)
907:(1950–1954)
901:(1903–1925)
895:(1946–1959)
889:(1919–1923)
740:18 February
575:18 February
501:18 February
362:Dave Nicoll
81:Motorcycles
1491:Categories
1319:OK-Supreme
1277:New Hudson
1265:Montgomery
1241:Martinsyde
1085:Chater-Lea
1043:Blackburne
989:Ambassador
881:Abbotsford
796:motorcycle
714:22 January
683:22 January
605:22 January
531:25 October
475:25 October
449:21 October
425:References
379:650cc twin
366:Motorcross
198:(close up)
92:motorcycle
63:Taken over
1463:Wilkinson
1445:Velocette
1271:Ner-A-Car
1247:Matchless
1157:Excelsior
1073:Calthorpe
1001:Armstrong
250:in 1943.
96:Matchless
68:Successor
1451:Villiers
1361:Rex-Acme
1349:Quadrant
1049:Bradbury
893:Aberdale
883:(1919–?)
794:British
734:Archived
654:AMA News
599:Archived
569:Archived
495:Archived
443:Archived
254:Post war
78:Products
36:Industry
1439:Sunbeam
1427:Triumph
1367:Rickman
1355:Raleigh
1337:Panther
1331:Premier
1325:P&P
1259:Megelli
1199:Hesketh
1169:Greeves
1133:Douglas
1031:Baughan
923:Advance
911:Ackland
874:Defunct
860:Triumph
850:Métisse
845:Hesketh
840:Greeves
813:Current
384:Decline
368:bikes.
339:Meriden
269:Triumph
177:Sunbeam
148:Sunbeam
142:History
52:Defunct
44:Founded
1475:Zenith
1469:Wooler
1433:Tandon
1415:Sprite
1409:Singer
1343:Quasar
1289:Norman
1253:McEvoy
1205:Humber
1193:Healey
1139:Dunelt
1103:Cotton
1055:Brough
965:Alecto
959:Akkens
855:Norton
835:Cheney
632:
396:under
316:AJS 7R
286:AJS 7R
228:AJS V4
165:Norton
112:Norton
110:, and
1397:Scott
1391:Rudge
1373:Rover
1235:Levis
1223:James
1181:Haden
1145:Duzmo
1097:Corgi
1091:Clyno
1019:Baker
995:Ariel
971:Alert
825:Ariel
390:Japan
375:1961
277:James
194:1938
169:James
108:James
1403:Silk
1385:Ruby
917:Acme
865:Wasp
742:2018
716:2024
685:2024
630:ISBN
607:2024
577:2018
533:2006
503:2018
477:2006
451:2006
406:BSAs
98:and
60:Fate
55:1966
47:1938
1421:Sun
1313:OEC
1307:NUT
1229:JAP
1217:Ivy
1211:HRD
1151:EMC
1127:DOT
1121:DMW
1067:BSA
1025:Bat
1013:AMC
953:AJW
941:AJR
935:AER
929:AEL
905:ABJ
887:ABC
830:CCM
820:AJS
418:AJS
248:BSA
161:AJS
100:AJS
1493::
732:.
702:.
671:.
652:.
624:.
593:.
549:.
519:.
441:.
175:,
171:,
167:,
163:,
118:.
106:,
787:e
780:t
773:v
744:.
718:.
687:.
638:.
609:.
579:.
535:.
505:.
479:.
453:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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