The Matchless G9 is a British
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...
made by
Associated Motorcycles at the former
Matchless
Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc Four-stroke cy ...
works in
Plumstead
Plumstead is an area in southeast London, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, England. It is located east of Woolwich.
History
Plumstead has been settled since ancient times, and London's earliest timber structure has been found here. ...
, London. The G9 was finally discontinued in 1961.
Development
The Matchless G9 and corresponding
AJS Model 20 were launched at the post-war
Earls Court
Earl's Court is a district of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, bordering the rail tracks of the West London line and District line that separate it from the ancient borough of Fulham to the west, the ...
motorcycle show in late 1948. Initially for export to the US, it was not until the late summer of 1949 that the first examples reached the home market. The styling was modern, and the dual seat, ''megaphone'' silencers, and bright chrome finish justified the name of ''Super Clubman'' for the Matchless and ''Spring Twin'' for the AJS. The rest of the cycle parts were standard AMC, with the engine being housed in a pivoted fork frame with telescopic front forks. The basic design changed little over the course of the next few years, the most significant change being made in 1952 when a new
Burman
Burman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Anneli Burman (born 1963), Swedish curler
*Barney Burman, American make-up artist
*Barry Burman (1943–2001), English figurative artist
*Ben Lucien Burman (1896–1984), American aut ...
gearbox was adopted.
In 1951, the rear suspension was upgraded to the ''Jampot'' unit, derided for its shape in the 28 September issue of
''The Motor Cycle'' magazine. In the same year, minor changes included a new Lucas horn-push on the handlebar and a medallion badge in place of the previously used transfer. Front fork shuttle damping was also replaced with rod and damper-type.
Progressively developed, the G9 was finally discontinued in 1961.
References
{{reflist
External links
Matchless G9 video''Motor Cycling'' Matchless G9 cover
G9
Motorcycles introduced in 1948