One for the road

With only 186 originally built between 1959 and 1962, it’s not surprising that the Matchless G50 was a rare sight in this country. Just a handful made it to Australia and New Zealand, usually brought home by returning ‘Continental Circus’ riders. By the ‘seventies the OHC Matchless was a relic, and uncompetitive. But then came Historic Racing which gave the big red machines a new lease of life, and spawned a plethora of replicas.

For the record, the G50 was, as Australian legend Jack Ahearn put it, “Just a big 7R”and he should know, since Jack was selected by Associated Motor Cycles (AMC), owners of AJS, Matchless and Norton, to pilot the prototype G50 at the 1958 Isle of Man TT. The plan was simple enough; to give the privateers that made up the bulk of the grids – many aboard the now venerable 350cc AJS 7R that first appeared a decade earlier – a reliable, competitive machine on which to contest the Senior class. Boring out the 7R engine to 90mm and retaining the standard 78mm stroke produced 496cc, with a new cylinder head fitted with bigger valves and a 1.5” Amal GP carburettor. Priced at £430/7/9, it was cheaper than the DOHC Manx Norton, and certainly cheaper to run with its single, chain-driven overhead camshaft, albeit slightly less powerful.‚

Only around 40 complete G50s were produced each year, but they became very popular