MATCHES VALUE
We regularly recommend AMC twins as cheap’n’cheerful classics for people seeking a traditional British heavyweight. Perhaps, we mused, it’s possible that all the affordable ones have been snapped up? Henry Gregson says not!
In RC162 we told the story of an MZ 250 Trophy which explained how the road into classic motorcycling needn’t be as expensive as some people believe. That MZ had been purchased, fixed and put on the road, performing well for less than £1500.
‘Ah!’ you may say. ‘ That’s all very well but although the MZ may be a great starter bike, and fine bikes though they are, what I really want is a classic British motorcycle. If possible
I’d like a larger capacity British bike, and they are waaaay too expensive, surely?’ Indeed, some British classic bikes do attract premium prices. However, providing you’re not looking for an immaculate example, there are still some that can be found at prices which represent good value. One such machine is this 1961 Matchless G9, a 500 twin, purchased recently by my friend Colin. He’d heard of the Matchless and the price seemed right so went to see it. After a long drive (and a welcome brew) Colin was introduced to the Matchless and told that the price was firm: no offers would be accepted.
Make no mistake about it, this Matchless is cosmetically challenged. Possibly it exhibits years of valuable patina, depending on your point of view. Either way, £800 had just been spent on the engine alone and surely that is the important thing. The owner talked Colin through the bike and it started up very easily. Colin said he got a really good feeling about it: the 500 felt like a nice, honest bike. The original price seemed fair so Colin was perfectly happy to meet the asking price.
After the long drive home, the Matchless endured a night outside in the rain – probably not for the first time in its life. The following morning Colin was only too keen to get to his new purchase and see if it would start again. It did: first kick. His intuition had been correct. Next, Colin took a really close look to see what work would be needed. Could the G9 be returned to regular use with a minimum of input, or would it require a full restoration? He decided that a full cosmetic restoration would make the Matchless a very expensive bike. Instead, Colin thought that riding it would be more important than winning concours awards so set about turning it into a useable motorcycle which wouldn’t break the bank.
The first item of concern was an anti-wet sumping valve which had been fitted. It looked as though it had originally come
from some domestic appliance, and it needed a screwdriver to operate it. That’s hardly convenient – plus, of course, the rider has to remember to turn it on every time or risk catastrophic damage to the wallet. Colin decided to replace this valve with one operated by a micro-switch; this ensures that the engine won’t start unless the valve is open.
The paintwork was in poor condition but Colin is very handy with a spray gun, so he applied fresh coats of Candy Apple Red that he had left over from a previous project. That’s entirely the wrong colour for the perfectionists, but not a concern to him!
It would’ve been prohibitively expensive to replace all the rusty chrome so – keeping in mind the ‘minimum spend mantra – this was cleaned and improved with a touch of chrome paint. A split in the alloy front mudguard was repaired by welding.
The wiring on the brake light was examined and, not unsurprisingly for a bike of this age, it was found to contain lots of joints and plenty of tape. The entire rear light was therefore rewired with new wire and just one connector per wire.
Next job was a flat rear tyre. The wheel was removed, a new tube fitted and the opportunity taken to examine the brake shoes, which were seen to be new. The only obvious issue with the engine was an oil leak. Colin traced this to one of the pipes to the tank, so the pipes were replaced – but this didn’t entirely cure the problem. Colin subsequently noticed oil weeping from the