AJS & Matchless Owners Club

John, there is clearly an N in front of the 15CS. Does that mean something else? So, you're thinking this may be a 66?

The letter N would be for Norton and the Letter M would be for a Matchless. So an N15CS is a Norton and a G15CS is a Matchless. AJS never made a CS model, only a 33 Mk2 or Std, and a 33CSR. You will have to ask Roy the club dating officer about the date of dispatch from Plumstead, and the date that it could or was made. There is a link on this web site to contact him, or send him an email.

N15CS/116041 is clearly a 1966 production Atlas Scrambler. It would not be unusual for a bike with this number to be titled as a 1966 or 1967 Norton or Matchless. The N15/G15 were identical, save for the badge on the tank and the starting letter on the engine serial number. In many states in the US, titles were issued in the year in which the vehicle was first registered. Some states were very meticulous in their document requirements, some were very lax. Also, dealers would sell these bikes as either a Norton or Matchless, dependent on what the buyer wanted.

My G15CS is a late 1967 model, G15CS/1235xx, but is titled as a 1968. My Ranger, P11/1289xx, is a 1969 model, but is also titled as a 1968. Each is titled based on the information originally supplied by the selling dealer.

I spoke to a man last year who worked at an English bike dealer in Pennsylvania in the late 1960s. They had a G15CS on the sales floor one morning, and a customer came in who fell in love with the bike. The only problem was he wanted the Norton version. 'No problem,' the salesman said. 'We've got an Atlas Scrambler in the back that just came in. Come back after lunch, and we'll have it uncrated and set up.' After the customer left, they wheeled the bike to a different area of the showroom, and switched the '=M=' badges for 'N' badges. When the customer came back that afternoon, he bought his Atlas Scrambler, G15CS/1xxxxx.

Regardless of when it was titled, 116041 is a 1966 model, and items on the bike should reflect 1966 details, such as alloy fenders, white piping on the seat around the top, Amal monobloc carbs, magneto, etc.

The 1966 N15CS, and G15CS all had chrome mudguards front and rear, and only the G15CSR, and the AJS 33CSR used the alloy veriaty.It had left and right hand Amal Monoblocs with a wedged shaped air cleaner, with a different centre plate. One piece exhaust pipes, with a different type of 2.2 gallon petrol tank, that had an expander cap, and wider badge holes. It had Avon dirt tyres from new, a black metal sump guard with the lower braced handle bars. That is my N15CS in the Classic Bike article Storming Nortons.

I am overwhelmed at the details you men know. I've purchased a copy of Norton Twin Restoration and I was able to find a copy of July 94 Classic Bike so I can see the picture of the Stormin' Norton myself. You guys are great. Thanks