British Bikes at the AHRMA Glen Helen National

[Tahitian_Red]

Here are some pics of two nice Britsh bikes at the AHRMA Glen Helen National:

[mx250]

I like the AJ . What is it, a rickman with ally bits instead of the fibreglass?

[jimg1au]

and the difference between a alloy matchless and ajs is??

[Hoony]

one came out the front door of the factory the other out the back door

[jimg1au]

the difference
matchless have mag/dyno behind the cyl and ajs in front so it is a ajs not a matcho

[jimg1au]

a matcho motor

[pancho]

i agree with jim  as my first bike was an ayja my brother had the same model matcho until he met an fj cab at wellington rd auburn head on in the middle '50s [he survived]. the point is that the matcho had petrol dripping on the maggy and the ayjay had petrol dripping on the genny....cheers wally.

[firko]

I agree with Jim, the engine in that Metisse is indeed an AJS. However, by explaining the differences between the almost identical AJS and Matchless by placing the maggy behind the cylinder on a Matchy and in front on an AJS isn't as simple as that. Below is Alan Jones old ex Brian Curtis, ex Peter Scaysbrook Cheney Matchless as it appeared when it arrived in Australia in 1966 and a shot of the late, great Roy East taking an inside move on Don Rickman on his G85 Matchless Metisse in 1966. You'll not that the maggy is in front of the cylinder on both of these documented genuine Matchless engines. Go figure.

[pancho]

I agree with Jim, the engine in that Metisse is indeed an AJS. However, by explaining the differences between the almost identical AJS and Matchless by placing the maggy behind the cylinder on a Matchy and in front on an AJS isn't as simple as that. Below is Alan Jones old ex Brian Curtis, ex Peter Scaysbrook Cheney Matchless as it appeared when it arrived in Australia in 1966 and a shot of the late, great Roy East taking an inside move on Don Rickman on his G85 Matchless Metisse in 1966. You'll not that the maggy is in front of the cylinder on both of these documented genuine Matchless engines. Go figure.

....i seem to remember the later matcho road models [early '60s] with the maggy moved up front. so they might have changed across all models.about then....wally.

[pancho]

hey mark is that the bike that peter scaysbrook rode at moorebank? i remember being most impressed with his riding ability but i don't remember what he was riding at that time. i was surprised when he seemed to dissapear from the racing scenery ...also in the pic the barrel is black, is that the alloy compy barrel?...wally

[jimg1au]

MARK /WALLY
you can make a matchless to look like a ajs by fitting a ajs timing cover.it all bolts on.re time motor and away we go.my information comes from a dirttrack racer from the time.the reason they did this is to stop the magy overheating.but they all came from the factory as stated matchless behind ajs in front.after that it is indeviduals tinkering that makes them different
cheers

[firko]

Jim...The G85CS engines after 1965 had the magneto out the front from the factory to, like you say, help cool them in race conditions.
Wally, Jonesys Cheney Matchless is indeed the bike Peter Scaysbrook would have been riding at Moorbank in the late 60s. In 1969 he moved on from it to a works DT1 supplied by McCulloughs and prepared by Vic Lyons and won a lot of titles including the '69 NSW title at Moorbank. Peter got out of racing prettyearly to pursue his career as an engineer overseas but made a brief comeback in the mid 80s to ride Jack Crowhursts controversial ESO powered Norton classic road racer and kicked arse but once again retired when the bike was banned from racing.

The Cheney Matchless was built and raced in the UK by Brian Curtis who later became famous as the original HL Yamaha frame constructor. The engine is indeed a compy all alloy G85CS version but is pretty special as it's a genuine 'X' numbered works engine fitted with an AJS 7R rod, BSA Goldy piston and a bunch of unobtainium works parts. Curtis's cousin was Geoff Curtis, the Matchless factory GP rider and it's guessed that the engine may have been snuck out the back door at night! Alan has spoken to Curtis about this and he's very cagey about the engines origins. Coincidentally Roy Easts Metisse G85CS engine is also a works engine that was smuggled out of the factory piece by piece by Easty who worked in the comp shop at the time! The only thing not works is the engine number for obvious reasons. Alan has restored the bike to the exact condition it's shown in the photo and he's taken it to the last two CDs.

[jimg1au]

after 1966 there were only matchless singles under the amc banner.

[mx250]

Curtis's cousin was Geoff Curtis, the Matchless factory GP rider and it's guessed that the engine may have been snuck out the ack door at night!. Alan has spoken to Curtis about this and he's very cagey about the engines origins. Coincidentally Roy Easts Metisse G85CS engine is also a works engine that was smuggled out of the factory piece by piece by Easty who worked in the comp shop at the time! The only thing not works is the engine number for obvious reasons. 

Ahhh! Those were the days, when men were men, the mechines were heavy and the riders were 'amatuer' - amatuer bloody theives .

Well they must have been pretty good, they seem to have gotten away with it, or was this happening with the tacit approval/knowledge of management?

[firko]

Easty told me that he was regularly beating the Matchless factory racers but being an Australian there was no way he'd get a works ride from the toffs in the office who looked upon Aussies as little better than "those black chaps over in Brixton"! The team management used to turn a blind eye to Easty helping himself to a few choice items as some sort of back door sponsorship. Jeff Smith old me that he considered Roy East one of the best privateers he ever rode against. He reckons that many far lesser riders got factory rides but there was a definite discrimination against Aussies in 60's England and the factory ride was never going to happen.