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Difference between revisions of "Matchless"
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'''Matchless''' is one of the oldest makes of British motorcycles with the first models manufactured at the start of the 20th century. | |||
==History== | |||
Matchless branded motorcycles produced in Plumstead, London from 1899 to 1966 when the name was dropped by its owners. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name ranging from small [[Two stroke|2-strokes]] to 750[[cc]] [[Four stroke|3-stroke]] twin cylinder. Among the most famous early models were the [[Matchless Silver Hawk]] and the [[Matchless Silver Arrow]]. | |||
Matchless had a long history of [[road racing]] participation and success. A Matchless, ridden by Charlie Collier, won the first single cylinder race in the first [[Isle of Man TT]] in 1907 with an average speed of 38.21 mph in a time of 4.08.08. Their machines won again in 1909 and 1910. Matchless have participated in many Isle of Man TT and [[Manx Grand Prix]] races up to 1997 with varying success. | |||
The Colliers bought [[AJS]] in 1931, and in 1938 both Matchless and AJS became part of [[Associated Motorcycles]] (AMC), both companies producing models under their own badging. Matchless bought [[Sunbeam]] in the late thirties, but Sunbeam was sold to [[BSA]] in 1943. | |||
During the mergers that occurred in the British motorcycle industry in the 1960s, the Matchless four-stroke twin was replaced with the Norton twin ending a long history of independent production. By 1967, the Matchless singles had ceased production. It was over. | |||
[[Image:1941-Matchless-G3L-Army.jpg|left|thumb|1941 Matchless G3L Army]] | [[Image:1941-Matchless-G3L-Army.jpg|left|thumb|1941 Matchless G3L Army]] | ||
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[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]] | [[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]] | ||
[[Category:Defunct motorcycle manufacturers]] | |||
[[Category:English motorcycles]] | |||