Here are some links to motorcycle related websites I’ve found interesting, or that I’ve found provide a great service for parts etc. Last updated: 7th June 2024.
AMC Classic Spares – Both Linda and Steve Surbey have been very helpful to me as far as parts and information are concerned. Their website has a selection of parts lists under subheadings, such as ‘Gearbox & Clutch’, ‘Single Engine’, ‘Wheels & Brakes’ etc.
AJS & Matchless Owners Club – if you own either of these marques, it would be daft not to be a member. They can provide technical advice, machine dating, bike sales and an on-line shop ordering system. Their parts service is at AMOC Parts Service Online and the bike sales are at Kettering Classics. They get some nice bikes to sell.
Working at AMC – a wonderful site, full of pictures and history relating to the AMC factory in London. Created and maintained by a couple of former employees.
Matchless Clueless – another site packed with information and resources, although some parts of it, especially certain images, don’t appear to function correctly. I can’t find any updates since 2017 which is a shame; I’m not sure of its future.
AJS and Matchless Owners Club Australia – it is what it says it is. Their original website has been hacked, and they have decided to take it down for the time being. They are however on Facebook, here.
NZ AJS & Matchless Owners Register – I love New Zealand so much…and they have an owners club similar to ours.
AJS Motorcycles Limited – modern, imported bikes, carrying the AJS logo and name. Most are 125s, but apparently they are quite good.
AJS & Matchless Owners Club – North American Section. Connected to the main UK club.
Andover Norton – the later AJS and Matchless bikes had quite a bit of commonality with Norton motorcycles, which AMC took over around 1952. I find this company very helpful, with a fairly slick on-line ordering system.
RGM Norton – a great, friendly company, not too far from me. A slick on-line ordering system with very fair postage and packing charges.
Norvil Motorcycle Company – great supplier of genuine factory parts as they use the same machines the original factory used.
T J Magnetos – a local company to me near Wolsingham. Jeff restores and rebuilds magnetos, dynamos and magdyno combinations. He does a fantastic job.
Armoto – before I discovered T J Magnetos, Armoto fully rebuilt the magneto for my 1953 Matchless G3LS. It’s the N1 variety of Lucas magneto and came back looking and working like brand new.
Rutland Dynamos – Peter de Kremer runs this company and they fully rebuilt my 1953 Matchless G3LS E3N Lucas dynamo. It also came back looking like brand new, but I needed to make an insulator to go under the contact plate, as the riveted brush holders shorted against the frame. Had I not needed to change the wiring to use a solid state regulator, this would probably not have been an issue.
Andy Tiernan Classics – this is where my 1930 Matchless Silver Arrow originated from. Andy was very helpful with information and photos of the bike. He has a great selection of classic bikes for sale, and his website is well worth a visit…if you are too far away to visit in person.
Jeff Hunter Engineering aka The Rubber Man – this man is a bit of a legend in the classic bike world. Jeff manufactures reproduction rubbers for vintage and classic motorcycles; in many cases there is no other source. He only has a Facebook page and no website, and asks that you e-mail him for his latest price list before placing an order. Jeff is often busy, so can take several days to respond to e-mails. The rubbers for my 1930 Matchless Silver Arrow are on order with Jeff, as I write this.
The Dutch Jampot Archives – a massive repository for AJS and Matchless manuals, books, literature, magazine articles and technical information. Maintained by Christian Gyde, if you can’t find the information you need on AJS and Matchless motorcycles here, it probably doesn’t exist.
Classic Motorcycle Manuals – Steve carries high quality reprints of books and manuals for a wide variety of makes and models. He mainly focuses on Triumph, Norton, AJS, Matchless, Royal Enfield, Ariel, Vincent, Sunbeam, Vincent, Villiers, Velocette…you get the picture, he has most of them. Original manuals are hard to find and often in poor condition. Steve scans and restores many manuals himself…so, if you need a manual for your classic, vintage or veteran motorcycle, take a look at his website.
Norton Owners Club UK – when I was ‘doing my homework’ before buying my 1954 Norton International, the people at the Norton Owners Club were truly wonderful in the assistance they gave me. If you have a Norton, are thinking of buying one or just like Norton…you should join this club.
Timeless Motorcycles – I needed some parts to do a light refurb on my BSA B25 speedometer; essentially it was letting in water…a bit like Neil’s shoe 😉 They were very helpful and whilst they supply spares for speedometers, their main business is the repair, servicing and refurbishment of Smith’s Chronometric and Magnetic speedometers and tachometers. I’ve seen their work and it looks excellent.
Pre-war Norton Brochures, Manuals and Literature – a fantastic resource with most of the manuals available for pre-war vintage Norton Motorcycles.
Post-war Norton Brochures, Manuals and Literature – Ken McIntosh and Ben started a new website based on the pre-war one, but focused on postwar Norton motorcycles. The library section is well worth a visit.