1952 Matchless G80S


$19,900
Specifications
Highlights
A well-restored example of a legendary British motorcycle!

The Matchless is one of the oldest marques among British motorcycle manufacturers, beginning as a bicycle maker and expanding their offerings to motorized units shortly after 1900.  The company enjoyed a considerable amount of racing success, with founder Henry Herbert Collier’s son Charlie winning the inaugural Isle of Mann TT in 1907.  Subsequent Isle of Mann victories followed by family members in 1909 and 1910.

The company was headquartered in Plumstead, London, UK and continued to acquire other brands over the years before forming Associated Motorcycles (AMC) in 1938.  AMC itself was not a manufacturing company, but rather a holding company overseeing a number of brands eventually including AJS, Norton and Velocette.

When Japanese motorcycles began to increase worldwide, AMC did not respond with new models and innovation quickly enough and by 1966 the company fell into bankruptcy.  The marque continued for a few years as part of the Norton-Villiers Company, but that was short-lived as Matchless production ceased in the 1969 model year.

This 1952 Matchless G80S has been a part of the present owner’s portfolio since January 2009 and has been in on static display in a humidity-controlled environment since acquisition.  The Matchless has a 497cc undersquare four-stroke engine with a low compression ratio largely due to the quality of fuel available in the United Kingdom at that time.  The G80S borrows a swingarm rear suspension “borrowed” from AMC stablemate Velocette and continues the use of the Teledraulic front fork pioneered by AMC prior to World War II.  Power is transmitted through a four-speed constant mesh transmission, which in true British motorcycle tradition is shifted with the right foot.  Seven-inch drum brakes front and rear provide the stopping power for the motorcycle, which has a listed top speed of 80 MPH.  There are no production numbers available to substantiate how many Matchless G80S motorcycles were built in the 1952 model year or how many might have been imported to the United States.

Evergreen Digital Showroom offers this 1952 Matchless for a price of $19,900 USD.  Pre-purchase inspection is welcomed and encouraged.  We will be glad to assist with transportation at buyer’s expense or work with the shipper of buyer’s choice.  For additional information or to make an offer, call sales manager Steve Russell at 417-532-8000.