Matchless Brand Sold & Set for Comeback

I'll park one in the garage next to my new US-certified Norton :wink:


Actually, its probably a more likely success than what Garner is doing - the focus will be on 'retro' motorcycle fashion, with the machines playing a pretty small part in the company's bottom line.

Harley-Davidson is said to make more money on 'lifestyle' than on bikes. Clothing, artwork, coffee mugs, H-D branded pickup trucks, etc.
 
I don't suppose they'll design and produce thier own engines; my guess is they'll be some Italian engine...

(but then, who knows, maybe another norton hybrid?)
 
grandpaul said:
I don't suppose they'll design and produce thier own engines; my guess is they'll be some Italian engine...

(but then, who knows, maybe another norton hybrid?)

why not use an Italian Engine, the 'new Norton' racebike does, doesn't it?
 
grandpaul said:
I don't suppose they'll design and produce thier own engines; my guess is they'll be some Italian engine...

(but then, who knows, maybe another norton hybrid?)

I would imagine a Rotax or engine sourced from the Piaggio group
 
Maybe just bring this one back again?



Ken
 

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If they are talking "drawing their inspiration from the Silver Hawk or Silver Arrow line", then thats v-fours and v-twins. Perhaps something with a VFR engine in it then ???
Or Rotax for the G80 connection, as someone said.

Or perhaps this is just a build up to more t-shirts. ?
Note the prominent logo in the article...
 
Do you think they can deliver a bike to market any faster than Stuart did?
 
You wouldve thought theyd use something a bit exclusive , like Calthorpe . :shock:

Matchless Brand Sold & Set for Comeback


Matchless Brand Sold & Set for Comeback


Its got All the Right Ingrediants . :wink:

Matchless Brand Sold & Set for Comeback
 
Matchless, the oldest name in british motorcycling/racing.

Although you'd think that Royal Enfield might give them a run for their money..
Ariel still exist, in some form too, don't they ?.
 
Rohan said:
Matchless, the oldest name in british motorcycling/racing.

Although you'd think that Royal Enfield might give them a run for their money..
Ariel still exist, in some form too, don't they ?.

Matchless Brand Sold & Set for Comeback

That form has too many wheels for a motorcycle
 
Other than the Ariel name on the "Atom" I don't think there's any of the original brand name involved. Maybe the copyright had expired? The original Ariel Motorcycles company went to the wall after the development cost of the 600cc 4-cylinder 4-stroke version of the Leader and Arrow models got out of hand and the engine turned out to be woefully underpowered. If the rumours I heard in late 1967 were true, they ran the first engine on the dyno and only got about 28 horsepower. A major study to find out why and the cost of significant redesign effort was too much for the company to shoulder.
 
500cc Dommies only put out a claimed 29 horsepowers, with a single carb also, so what did they expect ?? Its not like they built it as a racing engine....
 
Ariel was part of the BSA group, & died with it , after being branded by that horrendous trike...which concept-wise has been revived [albeit with the articulated - two - wheels forward ] by the Italians..
Those new tame-ish 4T road singles do seem to pop up, then vanish again, viz- Gilera, Phillippe Starck Aprilia, Harris Matchbox et-al...
 
In case you missed it, the Ariel Atom is around - & as was tested by Top Gear some years ago now. Although as someone said, it now has 4 wheels - and no visible connection to Ariels of old.
 
Norton has delivered reliably for me, too...but I doubt that the I.T. bunch are connected with S.G...
 
While we are on old brands being revived, here is a BSA v-twin, based on GoldStar dimensions apparently. Although with DOHC, and upsidedownys.

Matchless Brand Sold & Set for Comeback
 
The only new-old British bikes I like are the India-made Enfields that have a continuous history back to the original marque. In second place are the real replicas that have parts interchangeable with the actual vintage bikes. The rest is just the use of old trademarks by corporations and millionaires.

The Enfields are evolving into perfectly useable and practical transportation, most of the other efforts to revive old marques from Britain, the USA or elsewhere usually revolves around style and making toys for those with more money than they know what to do with.

A well-maintained vintage British bike will do anything a practical rider needs done and for less money than any new toy that businessmen have slapped a badge or decal onto to sell to suckers.
 
beng said:
any new toy that businessmen have slapped a badge or decal onto to sell to suckers.

Thats the whole name of the game for the Auto Industry for the past century or more ?!!!
Otherwise we'd all be riding around in Trabants and on Bajas.....
 
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