Welcome to your British Bike Guide, a look at as many of the postwar bikes as possible that may suit you. Because there are so many models this is part one of four and we look at AJS/ Matchless and Ariel, but there’s plenty more to come!
The sheer amount of models the British industry made is precisely the reason we bring this guide out every year. Added to that, the frankly ridiculous names and numbers manufacturers gave them mean that if you weren’t around the first time, it all seems so confusing. We don’t go into too much detail, but there is hopefully enough for you to see if it is a bike you fancy having a better look at.
Will a British bike suit you? An expansive question. Are you coming from modern bikes? If so, look for a later bike with automatic timing, better power, better gear changes (the gearbox is part of the engine on later bikes), better brakes (better – not good – you’re in for a shock), good parts vailability and, maybe, even electric start. Perhaps you’ve had an older bike, maybe a Japanese one, and wish to see what all the fuss about old British iron is all about. You’ll be used to skinny tyres, average brakes and flexy frames, so to expand your motorcycling try an older, pre-unit (separate engine and gearbox) bike, manual ignition with kick-start only, and to add excitement, rigid or plunger rear suspension. This may be another British bike for your collection.
Why not try something from a different manufacturer, or a different-sized one... in which case, enjoy!
There is enough advice out there about buying a British classic. Almost all British bikes will no longer need an MoT, so it is down to you to check it over for safety, let alone anything else. Ask the owner about it. Why are they selling? What is the worst bit? Get them to show you how to start it. Where do they get bits from, and when were jobs last done? It’s less a case of knocking the seller down a few quid and more about if that type of bike is for you.
Specialists are essential. Check the model – some may be big on supporting the twin-cylinder models, but not the single you’re interested in. Norton, AJS and Matchless, Triumph, BSA and Ariel are well catered for in the main, but check for the model you’re looking at.
Old bikes need regular maintenance and often more serious surgery. Yes, your father may have done it in the street, but he wouldn’t have if he had the choice. Do you have imperial tools? Pullers for mags, or heat for softening gaskets? Don’t fret! Working on a British bike is a large part of the fun; they are not tricky (in the main) to work on and can play a massive part in ownership.
Go to a bike meet and see one in the flesh. Will it be too small? Too slow? Talk to the club and offer lunch to any member offering to come and look at it with you. Do your homework, get the club to check engine and chassis numbers, check the registration number – has the original been sold?
A great example is the Triumph Bonneville. A real poster bike, the ‘Bonnie’ is a joy indeed to ride but it’s expensive to buy and not cheap to maintain. A cheap one may be hiding gremlins, or some models are worth less than others; 1971-72 were great bikes for taller riders, but because of the new oil-in-frame design had a tall
