Matchless purchase

[Scout63]

I pulled the trigger on this old Matchless single the other day. If the sun comes out this week I’ll drive over to NY to pick it up. I shouldn’t have but it is so so pretty and seems like the perfect Vermont gravel road bike for this summer:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-Triumph-Matchless-G80CS-/264703190616

Usually I buy unrestored and spend a year or so and a ton of money on the build.  This one I can hopefully just ride.

[Turin]

 
More pics when you pick her up.

[Cam3512]

Beautiful bike!

[cliffrod]

Congratulations.   What a great looking bike. 

I saw this later Matchless G15 twin on VTc/l a couple of weeks ago.   https://vermont.craigslist.org/wan/d/east-berkshire-rare-vintage-brit-muscle/7094100023.html We had a 67 G15 CSR at the shop back when I had my P11A.  Bob ended up restoring both bikes and did a great job.

[john fish]

Loverly, I'm envious.  I've never seen an air filter like that before.

[Lannis]

Beautiful bike ... and a desirable one too.

But don't get in a hurry to ride it.   I've bought one or two bikes of that description ... restored to a high level .... displayed .... shown at show X, Y, and Z ... all correct ...

And all of that is great as far as it goes.   But taking a 60-year-old bike that hasn't really been ridden since it was restored, and expecting to take off somewhere with it is probably a NG.

Unless I'm mistaken (and it's been known to happen), YOU'RE going to have to do the shakedown of the nuts, the bolts, the electrical widgets, the fueling system, the brakes.

Be patient.   Go over it carefully after it's first started.   Don't get farther away from home than you want to walk back.  ONCE it's sorted and you can trust it, you can ride it anywhere.   Don't get disappointed with it until you've put a bit of yourself (and your wallet) into it ....

Good luck!   Tell us how it all shakes out!

Lannis

[BRG-BIRD]

I’m speechless!

[John A]

Beauty!

[mobiker]

Wow! That's nice 

[Scout63]

Thanks everyone. I’ll go slow with it. I’m guessing it’s been sitting for a while.  I’ll post pictures along the way. I have a great Yamaha SR500 that doesn’t deserve to be upstaged

and probably does everything better.  Even in great condition it isn’t worth enough to sell.  I spent considerable time dialing in the carb without a compression release some years ago so hopefully can apply that to the new bike.

[Muzz]

looking at the pics it appears to have an alloy barrel.  Out here, the alloy barrel only came on the compy model.

Not sure of the designation but does the "CS" designate the competition model.

I put on about 200,000 miles on an old '48 G3L.  Didn't look like a '48 when I finally sold it.

edit: actually, looking at it the setup is probably similar to mine.  I ended up with a '63 650 frame which looks identical, same rear hub, I had '57 CSR forks and the side tanks off a '60 twin.  I had the oil filter externally mounted behind the engine as the twins had the filter in the donk.  I put a twin leading shoe brake off a Suzuki Titan on the front.  The main difference was that I had an 8.5 US gallon tank on it, which meant the end of the dual seat was about level with the back of the rear wheel.  I had to alter the handlebar mounts to clear the tank.

[reidy]

Question for the masses, how does this bike compare to say a 5 year old Royal Enfield 500.

This is not meant to be a trick question and I will play my hand early. For me I think this would be a better bike if the restoration has been done correctly. My guess is that even though there has been 60 years or so improvements in manufacturing technology a well put together matchless would give the Enfield a run for its money.

Am I dreaming? Even if I am, the Matchless looks like a beautiful purchase and if Scout63 is happy that is all that really counts, unless he is married.

Steve 

[Muzz]

Question for the masses, how does this bike compare to say a 5 year old Royal Enfield 500.

a well put together matchless would give the Enfield a run for its money.

Am I dreaming? Even if I am, the Matchless looks like a beautiful purchase and if Scout63 is happy that is all that really counts, unless he is married.

Steve

I would say yes.  It has the duplex frame, which I can assure you is one hang of a lot better that the AJay/Matchys used to run.  Trust me, I still have the gravel in my hand from a tank slapper to prove it.  The duplex was heavy (with 8.5 gallons on board) but very stable.  Don't think the Enfields are exactly a fire breather. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Back in another lifetime, when I was riding enduros.. Fat Jack had a Matchless "woods bike" and I had a Bultaco Matador. We swapped one day just for grins. The Matchless was a handful.. I really like big thumpers, though.

[80CX100]

     I've got a twin for your SR500 in my garage, I've always had a thing for big singles, it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the photos of your new bike.

     I love the look of that Matchless, it seems to be in impeccable condition, beautiful 

     What a classic looking piece of mechanical artwork!

     That exhaust alone puts all modern manufacturers to shame.

     Wishing you many trouble free miles on it 

     Kelly

     

[larrys]

Oh my. That's real purty. As others have posted, it'll need a thorough going through if you're going to ride it. There's an old guy near me in Colchester that's nuts about those old thumpers. All his run.
Larry

[John A]

I remember an article in one of the motorcycle magazines from the 70’s about a team that fiat tracked Royal Enfields. They were competitive and the major modifications I remember were to the oil system so they wouldn’t dynamite the engine.  I don’t remember which model but other than the factory oil system weakness they held together well. Thumpers are great!

[Tusayan]

looking at the pics it appears to have an alloy barrel.  Out here, the alloy barrel only came on the compy model.

Not sure of the designation but does the "CS" designate the competition model.

Yes, CS meant “Competition Scrambler”

[Don G]

Just because its shiny on the outside does not mean that its likewise on the inside, does she have magneto ignition?

[Scout63]

Yes to the magneto.  I've always liked magnetos.  My ex BMW /2 and my Gravely both run them and they are as dependable as dirt.  Plus it lets the bike run 6v electrics on a separate circuit for truly dismal lighting.  What is the consensus whether they are better than battery/coil? 

My research indicates that CS stands for Competition Sprung.  Earlier bikes were hard tails.

[Lannis]

Yes to the magneto.  I've always liked magnetos.  My ex BMW /2 and my Gravely both run them and they are as dependable as dirt.  Plus it lets the bike run 6v electrics on a separate circuit for truly dismal lighting.  What is the consensus whether they are better than battery/coil? 

My research indicates that CS stands for Competition Sprung.  Earlier bikes were hard tails.

On my old Brits, I generally replace the battery-coil ignition on the twins with an electronic ignition ... not because they're more reliable, but you can get both cylinders to fire exactly on time, and with constant "dwell" (or whatever the equivalent is for an EI).   On old Brit twins (like old dual-point Guzzi twins), you have a choice of setting two of these three things to spec:

1) Timing
2) Gap
3) Dwell.    You can't have all three.

On an old Brit, the fact that the two 360 degree-firing-sequence cylinders don't fire at the same time in their stroke (usually) contributes to the vibration felt at higher engine speeds.   On my BSAs, I use an EI, and have the crank dynamically balanced, and (miracle of miracles) the dreaded "All British Bikes Vibrate" vibration goes away, and you're left with the same level of vibration as a Japanese twin.

HOWSOMEVER, on my Magneto-fired Brits (twins and singles), I run the magneto because I like the concept.   No battery needed, powered by engine rotation, and solid and reliable.   There's got to be a reason that 80 years worth of general-aviation aircraft still use magnetos instead of battery-and-coil.   Yes, you have to keep the points cleaned and gapped like any other points bike, but I'm generally not putting 12,000 a year on the magneto bikes.

So the long and the short of it is, I'd make sure that the mag is firing on time with a hot spark, and RUN it!

Lannis

[Don G]

I have found that the Lucas Magnetos will loose spark after getting hot, the explanation to that is the condenser that is in the armature winding, if this has not been addressed you are likely to experience poor running and performance when hot or run hard.  Something to look into.  DonG

[Lannis]

I have found that the Lucas Magnetos will loose spark after getting hot, the explanation to that is the condenser that is in the armature winding, if this has not been addressed you are likely to experience poor running and performance when hot or run hard.  Something to look into.  DonG

That's true, but only if it has the old original paper-layered condenser in it, which given that it would be 60 or 70 years old by now, has every reason to ask to be retired.

It's true that replacing the condenser is a professional job, for me anyway, because you have to disassemble the entire thing down to the magneto body to replace it.

But once that's done, and a modern condenser installed, and new bearings in place, that magneto will last longer than you will!!

Lannis

[Don G]

 I agree that there is nothing wrong with Lucas or BTH magnetos once they have been made reliable! DonG

[Muzz]

Just because its shiny on the outside does not mean that its likewise on the inside, does she have magneto ignition?

That case leading to the front of the engine is the mag drive.  One area that the Ajay and Matchy singles differed was in the position of the mag.  The Matchy had it sitting behind the motor for a considerable period, into the 50's.  The Ajays went to the front of the motor much earlier.  Which was better?  Don't know.  Having it in front it was out of the heat but in the weather, at the back it was in the heat.  They have 4 chains thrashing around, and no matter what I did I was forever having problems with the generator chain ending up in the primary chain.  They run very close together.

In the many years of owning the Matchy (64-88) I never had a mag fail.  I can't say that for the generator.

A guy who used to rebuild them here in Christchurch used to replace the original capacitor with a tantalum one, which helped no end.

The earlier mags through to about 55-56 had a rotating coil and stationary magnet.  Then they changed that round, the mags became bigger but a lot better.  I have been flattened on to the ground by one of those later ones.

[BikeMike]

Nice bike Scout!

Check out the AJS & Matchless Owners website:  http://www.jampot.com

Very good source of information and parts if required.

Cheers,

Mike