AJS & Matchless Owners Club

I'm sure it won't affect performance. It couldn't possibly make it any worse! ..... Joking apart I'm probably going to experiment with sprockets on Project Kate so I am interested in your findings.

Thanks Rob, at less than £5.00 I ordered 15 and 16 teeth, as yes they look the same as the AJS one.
I will post again when fitted, which will be after another couple of hundred miles.

Ordered the two sprockets yesterday afternoon, received this morning at 10.00am. Very good service from Llexeter Ltd.
When I have done a few more miles I will fit the 15 tooth and report.

I fitted the 15 tooth sprocket about 10 days ago, on the recent run out as posted on the forum, there seems to be a noticeable reduction in the revs, at 60mph in 5th reads 7,000 instead of about 7,800.
After it has done more miles I may try the 16 tooth one.

not sure why you want to gear it up ,Dudley as it is a scrambler after all! Mine is not yet run in, but it does seem lower geared than my previous 125. you can over gear it and lose power on hills, specially two-up as I often am.

Alan, I am used to low reving singles, the Tempest seemed to be reving its guts out before fitting the 15 tooth, I had to change down to 4th for some hills. As I don't carry passengers I can live with the higher gear.

39speedtwin wrote:Alan, I am used to low revving singles, the Tempest seemed to be revving its guts out .......

Agreed, Didley. The plonking torque is the main thing I miss as the little modern engines have a very narrow power band; my Honda 125 was screaming at 8,250 rpm at 60 and even though I'm only ten and a half stone wringing wet I had to flip up and down the 5 gears a zillion times, especially on my ride to Spain, but there was a girt great range of hills in the way.
The 250 Mutchless (Suzuki GN250 copy) is a bit better with 7,850 rpm at 60.

I'd like a long stroke (84mm x 90mm) leccy start, disc brake Royal Enfield Classic 500 but it's a bit too heavy (for me) to manhandle at 195kg.

https://www.royalenfield.com/uk/en/moto ... ifications

I understand the point you both make. The Yamaha XJ600S redlines at about 9,500 rpm. Apart from when I get a silly urge (Ooo, madam) and am pottering around the dales. I mostly don't get over 6,000 but it still seems like I'm ripping it up. It does corner well with the new Avons and correct tyre pressures. The PO had them much too high perhaps because he was 3 inches taller and rounder and had put a big sticker under the seat with the pressures on. I've crossed his out and written mine in. Almost identical to the Matchless as the Yam is only a few kg heavier.

There's a rough patch around 4k - 4.75k which apparently they all have. I thought of changing the sprockets, some on the XJ Rider website have done. I'm cleaning the chain next week and if it's poorly that would be the time to do a change.

Aim to be back on the Matchless for Easter 2021.

So Dudley's experiment is of interest

Johnny B

I see that Royal Enfield have just introduced (last week I believe) a long stroke SOHC Meteor 350 having max torque at a plonking-friendly 4,000 rpm which is bit more my sort of riding. Shame it doesn't have the more traditional flat-topped and level dualseat but it could be changed.

https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/motorcycles/meteor/

Have to say that the new royal Enfield is a good looking bike and with modern tech stuff should be reliable too .
I quite fancy one of those but to be able to afford it I would have to sell my old iron barrel bullet and I don't think I could part with it now.
It's slow and rides like a tractor (agricultural ) but I've had many happy hours plonking around on it .
Couldn't consider parting with the G2 or CSR so I guess I will just have to carry on wanting !
Too many bikes and not enough time or money
Cheers Chris