Buyers Guide

[Rob Harknett]

Sounds good all we need to do is make sure that Eamonn can use it or give it to Mark.

Could be a part time job of about 15 years as the club archives are paper. Same as what Christian loaned from various people over many years. Which he spent ages scanning. I have only been making scans for about 7 years. The club also got scans on DVD. To scan a book takes a lot of time, also not easy to get a good scan. I have to use 7 pound weights to get books to lay flat as possible. Then clean the scans, many of the archives scans are not clean, they appear as primitive B & W photocopies. In recent years I have scanned, photo shopped and cleaned before creating PDF files with very basic software. It could take a whole day to scan etc. just one book. I have worn out quite a few scanner/printers. When I say worn out, I mean used until they will just stop moving freely. They then leave lines on the scans. It is the scanning that takes so long. Only takes a few seconds to create a digital file ( PDF ) Then a few minutes to upload the file of a book to a website, with BB speed I get in my area.

[Rob Harknett]

Agree with a lot that has been stated. It needs something to attract people. Once interested, people can easily be advised. I find many of my enquiries need only advice to show new comers the way. So to speak. Once they know how to get started they can learn how to start understanding what we are talking about. What ever you may buy, you first need something to make you want it. Then you go shopping. A buyers guide is like a shop window. Frank Westworths early editions of Classic Bike guide magazine covered AMC models. You may find all you need in those magazines which I believe the club has, although not listed in the archives. Perhaps someone has copies that could show a sample of CBG mag buyers guide for AMC models.
Or look in the archives. eg. http://archives.jampot.dk/editorial/Roa ... 5-1966.pdf
http://archives.jampot.dk/editorial/Roa ... _singles__(Classic_Bike_May_1991.pdf
http://archives.jampot.dk/editorial/Scr ... Morin).pdf

[Rob Harknett]

I recently had to opportunity to discover how easy it is to get people interest in a subject. By meeting a class of 10 year old children. The same could be done by targeting a group. Perhaps local to Kettering. Invite local young motor cyclists to Kettering via an advert in the local press. If successful news will spread.
Recently I was invited to talk to a class of 10 year olds, about what is was like as a child in my village during wartime and attending the school in the 1940's. Time was set for 30 mins. I was wondering what I could talk about, so drew up notes and a time line. I was amazed at the interest the children took. Almost immediately hands were going up asking questions. I took a few then decided to continue as some questions may get answered along the way. Half way through my time line notes time was almost up. The teacher gave me the nod to carry on. After about an hour children were still all eyes front and paying attention. I said to the teacher should I now end and taking questions. He agreed. Almost every child raised a hand. Time was well exceeded, with half the class still having hands up. I took one last question. " What was the naughtiest thing I ever did " ???? why did I have to pick that kid. It ended in laughter and my giving each child a 1940's ship half penny coin as a little memento of my talk. That evening the village FB page filled with likes and comments from parents of stories they had to listen to when they got their children home from school. Even the little coin was well received. Then followed two local papers wanting to interview me about all I spoke about to the children. 26 children were in the class.

Ashampoo_Snap_2017.11.04_22h38m38s_001_.png

Proof you can go out there and get people interested in a subject. Also get publicity.

[Eamonn]

The Buyers Guide area is now set up for the post-war classic series with an area for each model.
Within each section, there are 10 headings, add your comments and information into the relevant area in order to build up a more complete story for each bike.

Please don't add in new topics, just add replies to the existing headings - that will make it easier to extract the information at a later stage.

[Rob Harknett]

Well done Eamonn, you must had been very busy late into the night Saturday.

" Years in production " could prove a little difficult to be correct. So it should be understood this would only be " post war years in production " ?? As AJS & Matchless are combined. When it comes to the pre war era the two marques will have to be separated. Every year there were different models. So well over 100 different models for both AJS & Matchless. Compared to just 8 in the post war era, due to AJS and Matchless being combined. Some pre war models continued in the post war era, as already mentioned. e.g. Pre war era, G2 introduced 1936 continued for more that one year . AJS Mod 14 1936 only, but it was a 500 SV then. Perhaps the pre war era will prove too difficult to include, in the buyers guide. It will make a great deal of work to complete. Many of the models never to be found or purchase considered by a buyer. The post war era will give most of our members the chance to do a little to help with the project. The pre war era will only find a few members able to help, with a much greater project to complete. If ever it gets completed.

[ma120990]

Would I be OK to surmise that the actual Jampot suspension was a good idea, but probably a weak spot. Base on my dad's views as he said the girling units were far better and the Jampot were an AJS idea that was good in principle, but in practical application something that worked till they bottomed out and then you had effectively a hard tail whereas the girling units had more travel and less likely to bottom out.

[Rob Harknett]

Give me Jampots any day. Huge range of parts available to recondition them.. Girling's a much cheaper and almost a throw away part when worn out. When I was a teen back in the 50's, it was a dream to have a bike with Jampots. They were much admired.

[ajscomboman]

Give me Jampots any day. Huge range of parts available to recondition them.. Girling's a much cheaper and almost a throw away part when worn out. When I was a teen back in the 50's, it was a dream to have a bike with Jampots. They were much admired.

Agreed you can rebuild them but compared to Girlings they're absolute pants!!! They don't have a quick enough rebound damping action compared to a Girling and once you hit several bumps in succession they continue to pogo down the road. For the rider of, shall I say, more solid construction, they just aren't up to the same handling level not even with side car springs in.

[vincentvv]

Superb idea! Best way to make the youngsters familiar with the ajs/matchless bikes!

[Rob Harknett]

I have had Jampots new from the factory to well worn. All my riding life from the 1950's onwards with a girl on the back. Like any suspension it wears & weakens. This is common with all suspension. Fair wear and tear should be accepted. The fact Jampots can be fully reconditioned and spares available is a plus for them.