Motorcycle Discussions > British Bikes

V2 Matchless

<< < (2/4) > >>

33d6:
Hi mini-me,
There are possibly more surviving V series Matchless out here than in the UK. I've known of several V2. I owned a later V3 myself some thirty years ago and an example of the original Model V did surface locally but disappeared again after the owner received a nasty head injury. They all suffer from the same problem of needing an owner with a decent machine shop to sort them out. Like all Matchless of the period they're under engineered and with poor lubrication. Their engines don't wear well.
Mostly we make our own bits as we are well used to non-existent after sale service from English firms. Of course two world wars and the Great Depression didn't help. Doug just has to find the right local firm but as he signs himself 'barrramundi' I don't think he lives in the engineering south. He might just have to search a little harder.
I look forward to his comments on the roller bearing rocker gear.
As I said earlier and Chater Lea 25 has reinforced, refurbishing roller bearing cam followers is not that hard.

mini-me:
Yes I have long noticed that down under has a store of bikes not often seen here. I suppose not having to battle with rust helped.

Plus the amount of bikes that went into the melting pots in 1939/40 or the great MOT  clearance drive of the 1960s got rid of 1000s of bikes that these days would be worth a bomb.

john.k:
All very true,.....but if the lifters are of the JAP type,then every motor had similar dimensions,because the system was used in a SV motor as well.......so the arms are all about the same effective length.....as mentioned you can buy a complete set of newmade Indian Chief roller lifters,which would be roughly the same dimensions for about $250 US........you can also get a set of new rollers to suit Harleys,with needle bearings ,for around $40 US....Nothing on old bikes is that difficult......I once had a 4cyl Henderson crank profile cut from plate and machined ,without having any dimensions save what could be worked out from measuring the crankcase ,and drawings in old books.......the high values of restored bikes makes this possible.......the days of buying three more bikes for spares are long gone.

33d6:
And we have yet to hear from 'barramundi'. We haven't had an answer to the original question yet. Do you think we've scared him off? The poor bloke probably wonders what sort of nutters has he stirred up.

john.k:
Gone fishin?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page