Trials Bike ?

Information relating to the Matchless G85 500cc Heavyweight, AJS 7R, Matchless G45 and Matchless G50
User avatar
db133
Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:50 am
Location: - select State -sussex UK

Trials Bike ?

Post by db133 »

Hi

I have just posted some pictures ;

REF : AJS 350 16 MC Motorcycle 1950 Trails Bike Working Order.
I have this bike and it is fitted with 19inch wheels and road tyres
Also a road ratio gear box and footrests.
The original 18inch and 21inch wheels and tyres together with gear box low 1st,2nd &3rd also foot rests , exhaust etc came with bike.
The clutch is the 5 spring competition tyre. The forks are fitted with 1 & a quarter inch stanchions
The frame No is 2362
The engine No is 50-16-12521 ( 50 s over 16 M then 12521

The 12 volt lighting is powered by an ALTON alternator
The bike was reregistered in 1996 underneath the road modification it is very original 1950 trails bike.

I have the above mentioned gear box ; GB 28E55 l234 with the numbers 917 in a small box.

Is this/was an original 1950 AJS trial bike ?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by Rob Harknett »

You do not show the frame number. Is frame number 2362 correct? If so, this is not a competition frame number.
2362C would be a competition frame number.
User avatar
clive
Member
Posts: 5657
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LONDON UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by clive »

Hate to say it but in addition to the frame number the c on the engine does not look to be in the factory script, too small. The timing cover is Matchless the engine crankcase AJS. It all points to a bike that has been built up or modified for trials with an Alfin barrel. Having said that i have a bike i built from a calculated 22 donor bikes and i am very happy with it. Not many have survived as original, ride and enjoy.
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
User avatar
dave16mct
Member
Posts: 3234
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LANCASHIRE UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by dave16mct »

GB28E55 is from a 1955 G80S.
Dave
G15 Roy
Member
Posts: 3546
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 1995 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by G15 Roy »

One of the clues is that the competition engines were only stamped with 4 digit numbers and not 5 as yours.
Roy
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by Rob Harknett »

The highest competition ENGINE number I noticed was starting No. 4958 in 1964 Roy.
The bike in question has a 1950 16M engine number. CS is certainly not a factory stamping.
User avatar
db133
Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:50 am
Location: - select State -sussex UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by db133 »

clive wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:24 pm Hate to say it but in addition to the frame number the c on the engine does not look to be in the factory script, too small. The timing cover is Matchless the engine crankcase AJS. It all points to a bike that has been built up or modified for trials with an Alfin barrel. Having said that i have a bike i built from a calculated 22 donor bikes and i am very happy with it. Not many have survived as original, ride and enjoy.
That intresting how can you tell that the crankcase difference ?
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by Mick D »

db133 wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 7:52 am That intresting how can you tell that the crankcase difference ?
Hi

By the serial number stamped into it - 'M' is an AJS designation, in this case a M16 which is a 350 single, if it were Matchless it would be 'G', G3LS which is the equivalent model

Regards Mick
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by Rob Harknett »

I noticed you have now posted your AJS bike pictures in the " Photo's " section. They are of, engine and gearbox numbers and one showing a Matchless timing cover. There is also a club dating certificate. ( but no photo, of the frame number ) The certificate is dated January 1996. At the bottom two more stamping's have been added, the round stamping shows the date March 1996. The square stamping states the bike is registered PFO. I think you will find PFO is an age related number issued during 1996. The bike consisting of parts from various years and models.
Dating has come a long way since 1996. Far more information is now available and in digital format. The club dating officers have gained another 25 years knowledge since 1996 to add to this. Roy is probably now the most experienced Dating Officer the club has ever had. DVLA rules have also tightened up lot. Just enjoy your bike for what it is. An old bike built from many models & years to enjoy riding.
User avatar
Cjay59_LAPSED
Posts: 520
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:43 pm
Location: Cork, Ireland
Contact:

Re: Trials Bike ?

Post by Cjay59_LAPSED »

From looking at Roy Bacon's book, the Post War Models, the CS stamping was introduced in 1951 ?
The frame number could be correct for a G3LC, the AJS would of had an F stamped frame for a 16MC 1950, the Matchless seems to not of had the suffix.
Also the S would mean it was a springer and the wheel base for a Trials would be a short 53 inches.
There were kits though available then to up rate a rigid frame to a springer.
Locked