Matchless Motorcycles – England (1901–1969, Revived 1987)
The Matchless story began in 1901, when Harry Collier Sr. and his sons Harry and Charlie Collier founded the company in London, England. They initially built motorcycles using De Dion and MMC engines, before adopting the newly emerging JAP engines, which soon became their weapon of choice for racing.
The Collier brothers’ early success on the track helped establish Matchless as one of Britain’s pioneering motorcycle manufacturers. In 1906, after participating in the controversial International Cup Race in Austria, the brothers urged the Auto-Cycle Club to organize a fairer race in Britain. Their efforts directly led to the birth of the Isle of Man TT Races. Between 1907 and 1911, the Collier brothers dominated, winning or finishing second in six TT races and setting numerous speed records at Brooklands and beyond.
Expansion and Engineering Progress
By the 1920s, the company—now joined by the younger brother Bert Collier—was producing motorcycles with engines of its own design. Despite the death of Harry Sr. in 1926, the firm continued to grow and went public in 1928.
Although early post-war designs were rather conservative, Matchless did experiment with innovative concepts. Notable examples included the Silver Arrow (1929), a narrow-angle side-valve V-twin of 400 cc, and the Silver Hawk (1930), a 600 cc overhead-camshaft V-four. Both featured advanced suspension and engineering, but failed commercially.
398 cc Matchless Silver Arrow side-valve V-twin, 1930
Formation of AMC and AJS Acquisition
In 1931, Matchless demonstrated strong financial management by acquiring the struggling AJS company of Wolverhampton, outbidding BSA. The two brands were produced side-by-side under a new umbrella organization— Associated Motorcycles (AMC).
By the late 1930s, AJS and Matchless shared many components, differing mainly in cosmetics and a few overhead-cam race models. AMC also built the extraordinary AJS V-Four, a 500 cc supercharged racing engine that, while technically advanced, proved difficult to handle. It won the 1946 Albi Grand Prix under Jock West, before supercharging was banned from competition.
World War II and the Post-War Era
During the Second World War, Matchless supplied thousands of motorcycles to the British armed forces, notably the G3 and G3L (Lightweight) 350 cc models. The G3L featured AMC’s version of BMW’s telescopic “Teledraulic” front forks and became a favorite of dispatch riders for its reliability and comfort.
After the war, civilian production resumed with refined 350 cc and 500 cc singles, and eventually 500 cc, 550 cc, 600 cc, and 650 cc twins. These were followed by notable racing machines such as the G45 twin and the G50, an enlarged version of the legendary AJS 7R “Boy Racer.”
1965 Matchless G80S motorcycle
The Decline of AMC
In the 1950s, AMC expanded aggressively, acquiring Norton, Francis-Barnett, and James. However, the company’s management faltered after the Collier brothers’ passing. A costly decision to develop AMC’s own two-stroke engines, intended for the James and Francis-Barnett ranges, proved disastrous.
Poor design choices, inconsistent quality, and internal conflicts further weakened the company. A shareholders’ revolt in 1961 failed to spark recovery. By the late 1960s, AMC was in crisis, quarreling with its U.S. distributor Joe Berliner and entangling itself with the failing Indian Sales Corporation.
In 1969, AMC-Matchless collapsed financially and was absorbed by Dennis Poore’s Manganese Bronze Holdings, which focused on reviving Norton, leaving Matchless to fade from production.
The 1987 Revival
Nearly two decades later, in 1987, the Matchless name was revived by Les Harris, the respected British parts manufacturer known for producing the licensed continuation Triumph Bonneville.
Harris introduced a modern Matchless G80, powered by a 494 cc OHC Rotax engine. The frame was British-built and fitted with Italian hubs, brakes, and suspension. Despite solid craftsmanship, the G80’s angular styling failed to capture the nostalgia of vintage enthusiasts, and its performance lagged behind contemporary machines. Production lasted only a few years before quietly ceasing.
Legacy
Though Matchless ultimately succumbed to industrial decline, its legacy as a pioneering British motorcycle brand remains profound. From sparking the creation of the Isle of Man TT to crafting distinctive designs like the Silver Hawk, G50, and G3L, the Collier family’s vision helped define early motorcycle engineering and competition spirit.
Even today, surviving Matchless motorcycles stand as proud symbols of British innovation, endurance, and racing heritage.
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