Matchless

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the amplifier manufacturer, see Matchless Amplifiers.

Image:Matchless 350 1953.jpg

Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles with the first models manufactured at the start of the 20th century.

Matchless branded motorcycles produced in Plumstead, London from 1899 to 1966 when the name was dropped by its owners.

A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name ranging from small two strokes to 750 cc four-stroke twins. Among the most famous early models were the Silver Hawk and the Silver Arrow.

Matchless had a long history of racing participation and success. A Matchless, ridden by Charlie R Collier, won the first single cylinder race in the first Isle of Man TT in 1907 with an average speed of 38.21 mph in a time of 4.08.08. Their machines won again in 1909 and 1910. Matchless have participated in many Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix races up to 1997 with varying success.<ref>[1] Matchless Isle of Man TT & MGP race results (Retrieved 30 August 2006)</ref>

The Colliers bought AJS in 1931, and in 1938 both Matchless and AJS became part of Associated Motorcycles (AMC), both companies producing models under their own marques. During the amalgamations that occurred in the British motorcycle industry in the 1960s, the Matchless four-stroke twin was replaced with the Norton twin ending a long history of independent production. By 1967, the singles had ceased production. It was over.

1 History
2 Matchless G80 / AJS Model 18 (1949 - 1966)
3 References
4 External links
5 See also

[edit] History

[edit] Matchless (1899 - 1938)

The first Matchless motorcycle was made in 1899, and manufacture began in 1901. Matchless was the trading name of Collier & Sons, the father H. H. Collier and his sons Charlie and Harry. The Matchless tank badge was a winged "M". Like many motorcycle manufacturers of the time they had started as bicycle manufacturers.

They produced a JAP V-twin powered bike in 1905 which boasted one of the earliest swing-arm rear suspensions, coupled with leading-link front forks. Charlie won the inaugural TT singles race in 1907 with an average speed of 38.21 mph and a time of 4 hours 8 minutes 8 seconds. Harry did not finish in 1907, but won in 1909, and Charlie won again in 1910, bringing Matchless motorcycles to the attention of the public. Matchless made mostly singles, but they also made V-twins from 496 cc to 998 cc. They made their own engines from 1912 on.

Matchless was not given a contract to make motorcycles for the army during the First World War. Peacetime production resumed in 1919, concentrating at first on V-twins for sidecar use, leaving singles until 1923. The company went public in 1926. In 1930 they launched a narrow-angle 400 cc V-twin called the Silver Arrow, and in 1931 they launched an (advanced for the time) 593 cc V-four, the Silver Hawk.<ref>[2] Ian Chadwick Histories (Retrieved 21 October)</ref>

In 1931 Matchless bought AJS from the Stevens brothers. Matchless bought Sunbeam in the late thirties, but Sunbeam was sold to BSA in 1943.

AJS had come about when the Stevens brothers, who had produced their first motorcycle in 1897, decided on a name of their own for their motorcycles in 1910. Before the Matchless take-over in 1931 they had produced a range of motorcycles, some doing well in the Isle of Man TT. By 1930 the company was in financial trouble though they held 117 world records. After 1931 the only "true" AJS's, as far as enthusiasts were concerned, were the racing 7R's, Porcupines and the AJS Four. The shared models were considered by some AJS fans to be only badge engineered Matchlesses.

In 1935 the Matchless/AJS hairpin valve springs made their first appearance.

Matchless supplied engines for the V-twin versions of the Morgan three-wheeler from 1933 until Morgan production was halted by the outbreak of WWII in 1939. From 1935 on they were Morgan's exclusive supplier of V-twin engines. A dozen surviving unused engines were still in storage at the Morgan works in 1946 and were used to build a final batch of V-Twin trikes for a Morgan dealer in Australia.

[edit] AMC (1938 - 1966)

See also: AJS

Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) was formed in 1938, as a parent company for Matchless and AJS motorcycles. AMC later absorbed Francis-Barnett, James, and Norton.

In 1941 Matchless motorcycles introduced telescopic front forks called "Teledraulic" forks, considered by some to be the first major innovation in front suspension in 25 years.

During the Second World War, Matchless manufactured 80,000 G3 and G3L models for the armed forces. By 1956 they had eight models in their line up, but the number had dwindled in 1965. The G3L was the first to feature the “Teledraulic” front forks.

Post-war landmarks start with the production of Matchless/AJS 350 cc and G80 500 cc singles, developed from the legendary war-time Matchless G3 produced for the Army. From 1948 competition models of the singles were produced which gave the company some memorable wins.

In 1949 the first Matchless/AJS vertical twin, a 500 cc, 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 (supercharged) AJS Porcupine and the AJS 7R alongside the Matchless G50, a 500 cc variant of the 7R, and the 1951 Matchless G45 500 cc vertical twin. Even when supercharging was banned, Les Graham won the 1949 500cc world championship on an normally aspirated Porcupine. <ref>[3] Jampot History (retrieved 21 October 2006),</ref>

For 1952, the first Model G45 twin with its 7R style heads came into being, the engine still recognisably G9 based but housed in a 7R AJS based frame etc. This time Derek Farrant won the Manx Grand Prix at 88.65mph. Thus encouraged, AMC Ltd, put the G45 into production and it was shown at Earls Court in November. <ref>[4] MotorBikeSearchEngine G45 article (Retrieved October 21)</ref>

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.

AMC withdrew from the world of works and one-off road racing at the end of the 1954, with the death of Ike Hatch, and in the face of fierce competition from the other European bikes.

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.

The Matchless G50 single-cylinder racer was made generally available for privateers in 1959, and competed against the Norton Manx. Though its 50bhp engine and top speed near 135mph (217kph) were slightly down on the Manx, the lighter Matchless could take the day on tight and twisty circuits.<ref>[5] Is-it-a-lemon Vehicle Histories (Retrieved 21 October)</ref>

In 1960 Bert Hopwood resigned from AMC and went to Meriden. That same year AMC posted a profit of a bit over 200,000 pounds, 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.

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 G85CS frame, and asked them to build them some. The 748 cc Matchless G15 was to become the last model still being sold under the Matchless name. (It was also sold as the AJS Model 33 and Norton P11.) The export G15 was produced from 1963 up until 1969. A Mk2 version was sold in Britain from 1964.

The Matchless G85CS used a 12:1 compression 500 cc with an improved bottom end, and a Norton gear-driven oil pump replacing the old reciprocating design that dated back to the 1920s. <ref>[6] MA 1958 500cc AJS 18CS Scrambler (Retrieved 25 October 2006)</ref> It was built mainly for the American off-road market. AMC had built special models for the American market before. <ref>[7] Wanadoo Matchless G85CS (retrieved 20 October 2006)</ref>

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.

[edit] Norton Villiers (1966 - 1973)

Main article: Norton-Villiers

In 1966 Associated Motorcycles AMC went bankrupt and were taken over by Manganese Bronze Holdings who formed Norton-Villiers to oversee operations. At the time Norton was the only motorcycle marque in the company that was making money. The Matchless and AJS four-stroke models ended production in 1967, while the G85CS and Matchless badged G15 were produced till 1969.

[edit] Les Harris (1988)

A new Harris “Matchless G80” single, with Rotax SOHC motor and single front disc brake is released. Electric start and twin discs are options.

[edit] Matchless G80 / AJS Model 18 (1949 - 1966)

During the 50s and 60s the main export product for AMC was the AJS/Matchless range - the road bikes were very similar, often with only the badges distinguishing one marque from the other.

In the early fifties the most popular British four-strokes were still pushrod singles. 500 cc machines typical of this era were the Matchless G80 and the AJS Model 18, both manufactured by Associated Motor Cycles (AMC). The two aforementioned models were made in the same factory, the only difference in the two being the position of their chain-driven magnetos.

The magneto on an AJS was in front of the cylinder, and the Matchless magneto was behind.. A 1930s design, still being manufactured 30 years on, the AJS was updated when a spring frame (sprung-heel) rear suspension was made available. (hence the 'S'). The suspension was a vast improvement on the bouncy rigid rear end but the wheel travel was limited.

AMC then copied Velocette's twin-shock swingarm rear suspension design for its top AJS and Matchless singles and twins. Shorter vertical shock absorber units were introduced in 1949. One of these 'Candlestick' shocks held only 50 cc of SAE 20 weight oil. Leak prone, they were replaced by the 'Jampot' shocks on the 1951 version.

The leaky pressed-steel primary chain-case first appeared on the 1953 G80S. In 1958 an alloy cover primary chain-case became available.

The G80/Model 18 Engine. The motor was released with a compression ratio of 5.9:1, because of the poor quality fuel available in Britain immediately after the War. In 1949 the hairpin valve springs were back, after the use of conventional coil valve springs in wartime models. By 1951 the G80 had an alloy cylinder head, and the barrel fins now went all the way to the base. The compression ratio was increased to 7.3:1 in 1956.

Low compression meant that it was easy to kick-start and was more flexible at low revs. The earlier long stroke version might not quite reach 80 mph but it could trundle along at less than 20 mph in top gear. It also gave good fuel economy.

Technical Data
Production : 1949-1966
Engine type : Single cylinder, pushrod 2 valve, 4 stroke
Capacity : 498 cc
Bore and Stroke : “Long Stroke” 82.5 mm x 93 mm (1949-1955), “Short Stroke” 86 mm x 86 mm (1956-1966).
Compression Ratio : (1949 - 1955) 5.9:1, (1956 on) 7.3:1
Fuel System : 27 mm Amal Carburettor
Power : (1949 - 1955) 23PS @ 5,400 rpm
Dry weight : (1949 - 1955) 177 kg
Top Speed : (1949 - 1955) 78 mph

The 500 cc "long stroke" G80CS and its AJS version, the 18CS were produced from 1951 through 1955. In 1956 they were replaced by the shorter stroke, larger bore models that used the same numeric codes. The bore of these early G80CS's was 82.5 mm (3.25"), while the 1956 through 1966 “short stroke” (final version) models had a bore of 86 mm. The C is for Competition (Scrambles) and the S for Suspension (not a rigid rear frame).

Engine numbers usually start with the year of production, followed by model designation, and completed with the production number of the motorcycle.