AJS & Matchless Owners Club

The seat looks original, just the cover wrong. Perhaps the bars are also correct??? I recall some one saying years ago. Bikes exported to us have cowhorn bars fitted. Why do they think, if they export a bike to us it must have cowhorn bars.

Those guys grew up riding longhorn steers

Rob C

SPRIDDLER wrote:Yes, it's up to you.
I only fettle in order to ride, not for show, fun, or profit.

Don't you have fun when it's fixed?

I only fettle to give everyone else a laugh.

Janet wrote:

SPRIDDLER wrote:Yes, it's up to you.
I only fettle in order to ride, not for show, fun, or profit.

Don't you have fun when it's fixed?

Yes, but being stuck in t' shed fettling isn't fun, just a necessary evil to be able to ride.

Fortunately I have chums who prefer (no doubt encouraged by their 'significant others') to fettle'n faff off in t' shed all day. They can always be relied upon for a brew and a Hobnob when I'm called to a private viewing of their latest eBay find of the rare interim NOS domed nut for the mudguard stay, or to choke in the blue haze accompanying a demo of easier starting since re-timing the mag at 119/256ths BTDC rather than the old-fashioned 1/2" recommended in the manual.
It's fun watching, and a good excuse for avoiding getting my own hands dirty

I get it now. You like fettling by proxy.

Rob Harknett wrote:The seat looks original, just the cover wrong. Perhaps the bars are also correct??? I recall some one saying years ago. Bikes exported to us have cowhorn bars fitted. Why do they think, if they export a bike to us it must have cowhorn bars.

I know them as "rams horn bars" because of the distinctive downward slope of them. They're very common here in the states and where very popular in the 50's among the biker community. They are likely NOT stock as the cable routing is all wrong. Additionally this bike took a bad spill at one point on the left side and some how the bars managed to remain undamaged (very unlikely). In any point, I've always considered them ugly as sin and the factory bars are going back on when they arrive.

The seat pan itself is original the cover isn't (unless the AJS upholstery shop really sucked), the seat is still full of hay.