JUST CHECKING!

I could quite understand it if you have obliterated all memories of my very own AJS Model 16. I have tried, but I keep going back to it, knowing that just a simple tiny tweak will make it run as well as I know they should. So far, it has refused. Soon, then, it’ll end up back on the bench, and further energies and expense will be thrown at it. This will probably have no effect, and after I’ve pushed it home again I will be even more disillusioned. Or not, because I am an optimistic sort. Mostly.

So why are you looking at a Matchless, and not an AJS, you may ask, perfectly reasonably. Because it was there. My friend Chris dropped me a note wondering whether I fancied a Matchless to match my AJS, maybe park them side by side in The Shed. My, how we laughed. I hadn’t thought it was actually possible to expend so much time, effort and indeed expense on a simple, well-developed and very basic ohv single without it actually performing any better. We live; we learn. Life goes on.

A brief recap for you might help. In 1964, the always glorious AMC empire were very aware that their sales were sliding catastrophically in the face of increasing foreign competition. Their range of AJS, Matchless and Norton roadsters looked – well – past their prime, even when compared to the offerings from BSA and Triumph, for example. And although