AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Cheers all DUCON switch it is then. Headlight re-assembly next then shocks.

trebor161 wrote:Cheers all DUCON switch it is then. Headlight re-assembly next then shocks.

If you get shocks you've wired it up wrongly.

This is what I have on my model 8 and yes the red button is not connected

Same on my ‘60 G3, looks original, red button also not connected.


Well Janet, I thought it was amusing!

I apologise in advance for the offence I may cause in this post but I feel I should comment so Trebor has as much information as possible regarding his original question. First I shall say that I have no idea what switch was originally fitted to any bike, including my own, because I wasn't the original owner so this will only be observations based on information that may also be wrong. However...........

Just because a part looks to be the original doesn't mean it was. Conversely, back in the days of old British bike manufacture, sometimes different parts were fitted from the specification because it's what they had on the shelf at the time and needed to sell the bikes. If this had been done with the handlebar switch, it would be the reason with the extra button wasn't wired. Apparently this was quite common in the early 1950s but less so by the time the lightweights were produced as supplies improved. Therefore those with different switches could be correct and none of the following will be relevant.

According to both parts lists 1960 covering the lightweights, the handlebar switch for the G2, G5, 14 and 8, was 042358 described as Switch, horn and dipping which corresponds to a Ducon switch. Then we get a difference. For the G2CS and 14CS the number is 042762 described as Switch, horn, dipping and ignition. I can't know for definite whether this was a Tricon switch but I suspect it was. The addition of ignition would account for an extra button.

Ah, one may think, in that case, the wiring diagram for the CS would show an extra terminal and wire. Well, that depends on where you look. the 1957-64 Matchless All Models workshop manual shows the standard 4 wires from the handlebar switch but investigate further into the instruction manual that includes the CS model and the wiring diagram for it shows a fifth (maroon) wire between the ignition cut-out switch and the ignition coil.

To summarise:
A standard model bike shouldn't have been fitted with handlebar switch with an extra button, but could have been.
The CS Scrambles model with lights should have had a switch with the extra button and wiring to go with it. This switch could have been a Tricon switch but may not have been.

So there you have my understanding of the story of the lightweight handlebar switch.

Excellent!!