Re: AJS Stormer - Villiers Starmaker.
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 11:25 am
Hi Cliff,
I hadn't seen that as a relatively new Matchless owner (and new to the forum) but will read with interest when I have a little while. I had an 850 Commando for 20 years and it was a great machine - the clutch was, like the Stormer, a diaphragm spring affair that had the great advantage that when the lever was pulled in it reduced the force on the cable as the spring went over centre, so making quite a light operation for a powerful bike. The sintered bronze plates lasted for ever, with an occasional wash in petrol to clean the oil off, and the location of plates in the drum was a huge improvement over the AMC clutch.
I hadn't seen that as a relatively new Matchless owner (and new to the forum) but will read with interest when I have a little while. I had an 850 Commando for 20 years and it was a great machine - the clutch was, like the Stormer, a diaphragm spring affair that had the great advantage that when the lever was pulled in it reduced the force on the cable as the spring went over centre, so making quite a light operation for a powerful bike. The sintered bronze plates lasted for ever, with an occasional wash in petrol to clean the oil off, and the location of plates in the drum was a huge improvement over the AMC clutch.