Motorcycles are about a lonely back road on sunday morning. About finding the rhythm of the road and the engine. About industrial history and the dreams and ideas that drove development. About focusing on internal structure, caring and working with a mind to details. Motorcycles are about contrasts and strong preceptions.

Now, I am not interested in over-engineered plastic rockets, let´s get that out of the way straight away.
A Motorcycle has to be something real basic, built of iron and steel and seeping oil and smelling of gas and soot.
If you want to go fast and be efficient - take a car. After all, the point of riding is feeling alive, not dead. Feeling that the asphalt under your ass is really moving, and knowing by smell that rain has recently fallen in the pine forrest as you pass.
If you can feel close to death and close to life at lower speeds, then your chances are better.
Therefor, I am interested in old Matchless motorcycles.

I have had motorcycles since I was 16. At 37 I revived the interest by acquiring a 1946 Matchless G80L and in 2003, a 1964 Matchless G15CS.

Thoughts

25sept05:Tunnels aren't real in a car. They are merely the transition from daylight to nighttime. The car interior closes around you just like at night.You are safe. You see the tunnel, and hear sounds change. Driving becomes a video game.

You have not experienced a tunnel until you drive through a long one carved out of raw rock on a motorcycle. Its like moving thought the intestines of the mountain, its cold and dusty, its raw, wet. The rock walls are close, you know they will crush you if you hit them. Cars are steel. They belong in tunnels. The air pressure from passing trucks sucks you inn before throwing you towards the rock. There is Noise. The passage if full of sound. The sound pressure is intense. It is not a place for people, people are made for light and air and skin, forliving near trees and the shore. No living thing has been inn a tunnel, it is mountain bored out and forced.

I recommend you drive through one. On a motorcycle.

My bikes

March 2003: Bought a Norton/Matchless G15CS

It is registered as a 1964, probably to do with its being imported as a veteran to Norway in 1994 (30 year tax limit) I have been able to identify the engine number as a 1968 production, which was the final batch to be produced, while the frame is still unclear. Probably 1966 or there about. Some bikes were badge engineered as Norton, which was usually indicated by an N in the engine number. My bike is a concoction of pieces from the type. Norton tank, G15CS engine (a Norton Atlas engine basically) a P11 gear box. Lucas Rita ignition, stainless steel fenders and unoriginal seat cover. Since this pic, I have exchanged the handlebars for 7 inch Tomaselli bars, more consistent with the original scrambler look. These bikes are pretty uncommon, they are easy to handle and fun to drive - so this is a bike I want to keep a long time!

May 2001: Bought a Matchless G80 L 1946 model engine in a 1949 model frame & cycle parts. After 2 seasons of calm and unstressed riding, that's what this kind of bike does to you, I am now doing a deep engine overhaul - sloowly.

Long pause in bike ownership while I borrowed, my fathers Yamaha XT600, my brothers Yamaha FJ1200. It was my brothers restoration of a Ural sidecar bike that triggered my return to motorcycles.

1989: Owned a BMW R75/6 1976 model ex police motorcycle

19XX: Owned a Kawasaki Z200

19XX: Owned a Suzuki GT750

19XX: Owned a Vespa 200 Rally

19XX: Owned a Vespa 50

19XX: Owned a Tempo Panther 330

Links

Yahoo Group on Matchless & AJS - the prime discussion forum

Jampot.com - the AJS and Matchless owners club web site

International Norton Owners Association

Two new bikes I would like to own:

The Godet Egli Vincent Cafe Racer - the most beautiful bike in the world in my eyes

A MotoGuzzi SP1000 with the same styling as the Godet Vincent, because most bikes are to cramped for me. MotoGuzzi Club of Norway

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