A bit of background – who is AMC?

There were many, many British manufacturers of motorcycles in the early part of the 20th century but over time, many went to the wall or were incorporated from several.

Briefly, Matchless, a London company from Plumstead, started in 1899. Run by Henry Collier and his two sons, the firm won several TTs to help bring its name into the public eye, which helped as its rivals were awarded contracts for bikes in the First World War.

Nethertheless, it built its own engines, became well-known for its V-twins and later in the ‘30s would supply both Morgan cars and Brough Superior.

Meanwhile, AJS, from Wolverhampton, was founded by the Stevens family around the same time as Matchless. Again it built its own engines and again built an impressive model range. It, too, didn’t make motorcycles for the British war effort but was contracted by Russia for a brief time. It also used racing for marketing, though seemed to be more successful later, whereas Matchless had used its winning earlier. AJS was resourceful, over the years building buses, cars, and even radios, but with some bad luck, unfortunate timing and allegedly bad accounting advice, it was declared bankrupt in 1931 (after clearing debts, we may add). Matchless bought the company, although BSA had also tried.

So, as of 1931, Matchless owned AJS, and in 1937 bought Sunbeam Motorcycles, also of Wolverhampton, from industrial giant ICI. And so AMC (Associated Motorcycles) was formed, making a huge concern with massive power in the industry.

Sunbeam would be sold in 1944 to BSA, Francis-Barnett and James would join the family, and in 1953 Norton would join. The party came to an end in 1966, but that’s all for another day.