AJS & Matchless Owners Club

quote:
Dave,
If my busted ankle doesn't knit together, and starting up my G11 or G3 becomes a problem, I would be very glad to ride a lighter, powerful enough, stoppable bike which is eligible to take part in Club events, and has the advantage of an electric boot!
But I hope it will not come to that.
Best regards.


As do we all Malleon

?
156 K is the weight given for the 350/ 320cc bike .
How does this compere with a 1958, 16 M ?.
ride with CARE and LIVE LONG to ENJOY your Bikes and Scooters.
Insured with Peter James.

quote:
3/4 K miles between services ??
That says somethng, or are bikes unlike cars that need a yearly or 10k mile service.
My advice received on these bikes is really they are OK, IF you totaly dismantle it then rebuild it again. Guy I know went out to China working for Perkins engines. Brought a new bike had nothing but trouble, untill he took it completely apart and rebuilt it.


Just checked the warranty agreement on the AJS webite Rob, service intervals are 4000km (2500 miles)or 6 months, whichever comes first which was a bit of a shock.
Bikes are nearly always smaller service intervals than cars and I think 4-6k miles is average. The highest interval i'm aware of is a new Honda range with 8k mile services.
As i said before they did have a bad name re build quality and weathering etc but apparently are improving. At 3 grand for a brand new commuter you pays yer money and takes yer chances.
See you Thursday at the Squadron

quote:
...Guy I know went out to China working for Perkins engines. Brought a new bike had nothing but trouble, untill he took it completely apart and rebuilt it.


I know a mechanic who did exactly that with a new (at the time) 1977 Triumph Bonneville Jubilee. He said he didn't trust the factory to get the joints right and so did it all again himself to be sure of it.

quote:
...service intervals are 4000km (2500 miles)or 6 months, whichever comes first which was a bit of a shock.

My 1978 Kawasaki Z650 has oil and filter changes every 2000 miles and full service at 4000 mile intervals. That was the factory recommendations of the time.

I guess the modern engines revving that much higher will require relatively frequent oil changes, but since I'm lucky to get past 1,500 miles each year it wouldn't be a problem to me!!

Big Wol
Unfortunately we live in a throw away society, longevity is not in the dictionery. old fossils such as us, like the dynosour, and our mode of transport are doomed, eyh doomed, doomed, We can hold on by the fingernail but, as I said 2 years ago adopt a local youngster, teach him about good old basic engineering, make do and mend, ( I have 3 local lads that are interested and they love it, weilding the spanners) we may get a few more years yet. I blame all political parties Cons, Lab or whatever for their blindness, engineering APPRENTICESHIPS thats what this country needs. Oops gone a bit off tilt there but what the heck, who dont agree?????

We all "go on" about modern poor quality-but so far, o.k. only a couple of thousand miles on my Chinese 125 and the same on my new "Bonnie", but so far not one problem!! I'm sure Malcolm's ankle will heal perfectly-if he wants a light bike he can try my "big port"-it weighs nothing!!!

quote:
Big Wol
Unfortunately we live in a throw away society, longevity is not in the dictionery. old fossils such as us, like the dynosour, and our mode of transport are doomed, eyh doomed, doomed, We can hold on by the fingernail but, as I said 2 years ago adopt a local youngster, teach him about good old basic engineering, make do and mend, ( I have 3 local lads that are interested and they love it, weilding the spanners) we may get a few more years yet. I blame all political parties Cons, Lab or whatever for their blindness, engineering APPRENTICESHIPS thats what this country needs. Oops gone a bit off tilt there but what the heck, who dont agree?????


As someone who decided a few years ago to "put something back" by changing tack and going into post 16 teaching (I teach construction in a further education college) I can tell you that unfortunately many youngsters of today have little interest in learning a trade. When i started teaching 6 years ago our courses were all over subscribed. Now we generally have a few vacancies at the start of each year and engineering courses are in a worse position. Despite hefty investment at my college there may well be staff loses in the engineering dept as student numbers are once again down. Companies wont spend money training people for years when they can employ migrant workers, training subsidies are now almost non existent and manufacturing is on its knees as its cheaper to import than make here. I sometimes despair of how some of our poorly educated youngsters are expected to make a decent living. Many i see at 16 have unbelievably poor literacy and numeracy skills.
Oooops, time to get off the soap box!

Went into the biggest motorcycle dealer in Huddersfield today have a look around and to buy a tube of Clear Instant Gasket (no, I'm not using it anywhere near the engine etc.) and was surprised to be told "We don't sell that sort of thing anymore, no call for it, no-one works on their own stuff these days". A sign of the times...

I got it from Halfords in the end

My Mates son's modern AJS thingy cant go a week without breaking something that keeps it off the road.
This week its an exhaust bolt. But now his daddy wants to redesign the whole exhaust fitting arrangement. poor son!

Salvation, I think, may just be around the corner - if only the UK can build the skills back up. Asia is getting expensive, staff expectations and costs are rising massively. Outsourcing and manufacturing here is not so cheap any more. Anyone catch that program 'Taking on China' about a small cushion manufacturing firm up north that bought manufacturing back to the UK from China as quality was better and the price the same?

Stick a 'made in the UK' on anything here in HK (and China too) and you add a zero or two to the price label; UK manufacturing is still synonymous with quality. And where is almost every F1 car designed and built? - the UK! Give it a few years and the UK may be supplying China with goods, and what a nice little earner that will be. Rich Asians want to buy European - fingers crossed hey!

Not sure where any of that leaves our rusting old steeds though!