Thinking about a new AJS, Help....

itma · Post by **itma** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:28 pm

In that case may I retract my "curmudgeonly" suspicions
and suggest that you overrule your preference for style and go for practicality
and chose something along the lines of this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AJS-ECO-125-C ... 5d3339049d

rather than something like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AJS-Bobber-/1 ... 19cfc911ea

believe me you and your missus will be more comfortable and safer on the former than the latter.

There is good reason traditional motorcycles are what they are.

As a Yorkshireman you will also appreciate you will lose far less money on it.

Watch ebay for a month, there are people begging someone to take those chopper/bobber horrors off their hands.

even if the first type becomes worthless you can still chuck it to the back of the garage as a spare, and you wont get laughed at when riding into the rain with the rain driving up your trouser legs, and down your outstretched arms.

I look forward to the day when you see the light, buy a proper AJS, and join in the best pastime in the world.

As for site security there is nothing to give away in your profile that anyone can gain from.
The profile is the thing I read first with any newcomer.

shirt_r · Post by **shirt_r** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:36 pm

Itma,

Thankyou for your post, I will look at your suggestions when I get home as I am on my phone and it wont re-direct to ebay (technology ) !!
“As a Yorkshireman you will also appreciate you will lose far less money on it.” Good point well made

“I look forward to the day when you see the light, buy a proper AJS, and join in the best pastime in the world.” – I have noticed a few on the ebay, very nice you never know might be persuaded.

Thanks

dave16mct · Post by **dave16mct** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:07 pm

A couple of years ago I organised a 5 day tour around the Antrim coast for 10 members of the North West section. Very nice it was too. We ended up at Port Rush and kept seeing a new AJS 125, eventually we flagged the young lad down to say hello and have a closer look. He was amazed that there were older bikes than his. He was very interested in our bikes too. This one was the standard model and looked almost identical to the Yamaha YBR125. I think they're made in the same factory. Dave.

shirt_r · Post by **shirt_r** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:12 pm

quote:
This one was the standard model and looked almost identical to the Yamaha YBR125. I think they're made in the same factory. Dave.

Yes I believe they are, think it was a YBR that was in the sales garage today and the AJS125, both had the same vin plates on made in same factory only one said 'Yamaha'. You could see a slight difference in material used but same design...Edited by - shirt_r on 18 Apr 2012 9:12:30 PM

itma · Post by **itma** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:21 pm

heading towards the light....

Janet · Post by **Janet** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:55 am

quote:
Thankyou very much for all the constructive comments.
I'm nipping to see the new AJS bikes today, but only nebbing and to have a look at the 350cc as most of you have said a 125cc will not do what i need.
I am looking into the Honda's and Yamaha's more now.

For the people that have not given constructive feedback I am unsure why you have wasted your time even replying on this post. If you dont have anything nice to say then dont bother!!
If i was to buy a new or old AJS i wouldnt be using this site due to the way some of the members have responded.
Oh and by the way I found your forum from the link on the AJS website.

I know you want to keep the AJS brand truely british but the manufacutures have decided to invest in these new chinese bikes and I would suggest people might be visiting this site more often and asking the questions I have, so in future 'Itma' and 'Wilco' i suggest not posting on this part of the forum as its obviously not for you.

And this is where we have the problem.

Some time ago, someone bought the AJS name and started manufacturing motorcycles that had no connection whatsoever with the old firm or old bikes, unlike Royal Enfield who never stopped making bikes in India. Then they put up a website advertising their wares with a link to this club. The impression you would get from it is that they are part of the old company and even have on their homepage "AJS 1910-2010 100th Anniversary" Of course this is untrue but resulted in new and potential purchasers turning up here to ask their questions. Some genuinely thought we would know about their machines. Why wouldn't they? The AJS manufacturer's website told them we are the owners club. others were just here to wind up the old fogeys. The latter group is what has brought about the suspicion.

After a time, because innocent people were being directed here, this section was created for owners of the new AJS models to ask questions separately from the other sections of the forum to keep all such posts in one place for people who know about them to find. Unfortunately, we have very few members who own them, although out President is one and the club raffle has a modern AJS for second prize to prove we're not totally against them. I think they suffer from the same problems that other bikes and cars from the Orient have in the past, which is poor build quality initially. "Them modern Honda things will never last" was the cry. But they did by improving their quality, and there's no reason why the new bikes from that part of the world can't do the same. At the moment they're not very good, but they are cheap. If a buyer understands that, he should not be disappointed.

Don't buy a cruiser of any description for learning on. The best type is something that you sit on the top of with simple steering over the front wheel, such as a CG125.

My suggestion would be to take your Direct Access on a school bike, then buy something bigger than a 125 for your general riding. Remember, 30bhp will get you 100mph so you don't really need huge amounts of power if you're not a boy racer. 500-600cc bikes may be what you want. You will then discover that one is never enough so you will return here ( Say after me " I will return, I will ret..." ) and ask what old AJS or Matchless would be best to buy to go with it. Then you'll see the arguments begin.
I'm a Matchless-single enthusiast myself.

rex.webb · Post by **rex.webb** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:43 am

HERE HERE Janet say i !!!!!!!!!!
Ridewith CARE and LIVE long to ENJOY your Bikes and Scooters.
Insured with Peter James.

g80csp11 · Post by **g80csp11** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:07 am

I guess from these comments that anyone that buys a new Norton will get the same comments form the Norton owners club. It has nothing in common withe the original bike other than the name. Personally I don't care what people choose to ride and if we can encourage younsters to move across to old AJS and Matchless bikes eventually then thats a good thing .

Without new rides encouraged into the fold you will see less of our bikes on the road .

Already in our section we are finding that the milage is dropping , unless you include on the back of a trailer. Do you make members of your section so unwelcome if they drive to clubnight or the Jampot etc.

If you look at Royal Enfield for instance , they have spent millions of pounds on new engines , and modernising to suit the changing market

It's odd that you suggest they buy a Jap bike , when only 50 years ago this was what started the decline of the British bike industry . Eventually most bikes will be manufactured from parts sourced from low cost countries . I bet 50% or more of your car is from India , china , Japan

Most people have no idea what they are driving .

Where do you think the spare parts supliers for AJS and Matchless source most of their parts , certainly not in the UK

itma · Post by **itma** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:29 am

sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind, those that come through will probably stay with us,

quote: If you look at Royal Enfield for instance , they have spent millions of pounds on new engines , and modernising to suit the changing market

and losing a lot of their customer fan base if I read the comments on some other forums correctly.
ebay is full of heavily discounted new enfields, and dealers are going bust.
you can't modernise an antique.

quote: Where do you think the spare parts supliers for AJS and Matchless source most of their parts , certainly not in the UK

can a you give specific instances of that relating to our spares?

I will take a lot of convincing that these chinese AJS will bring new members into this club,in another post its mentioned that an Irish rider of one 125 was amazed to find that AJS had a history before his bike.

Thats the problem kids these days are just not interested in the past, especially the past of this country.

The riding of old bikes, or any vehicles is a doomed hobby, we will sooner or later be legislated/priced out or just denied access to the fuel to run them, till we are off the road, the powers that be have time on their side, and will just wait till there is not enough of us to counter their legislative crap.

Enjoy your bike as much as possible,for now we are dinosaurs.

Its good to start the day sunny

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:11 am

Enjoy your bike as much as possible,for now we are dinosaurs.

Look what happened to them and that was before the yellow peril