Nothing seemed out of place, and so we spent a half hour
trying to push-start the bike. It would run, but it seemed
super lean and only wanted to go on full throttle. We decided
if that’s the hand we were dealt, that’s the hand we’d play, and
so merged onto Highway 68.
Almost immediately, as if in sympathy with Randy’s balky
’55 G80, my ’54 started to act up. The exhaust note changed
to an explosive rattle, as if the exhaust pipe had come adrift
of the head. Gradually the bike slowed and the engine — or
at least exhaust pipe — seemed to grow hotter and hotter.
The noise, flaccid power and heat had me wondering if the
magneto timing had slipped and retarded, but I couldn’t be
sure. A couple of miles down the highway the symptoms only
got worse and I pulled onto a side road, where I found Randy
already waiting, his bike also done.
Both Matchless had expired together; like brothers in arms,
they had lived, fought and died as one. That was all. We rode
back to The Quail Lodge in the chase truck with the bikes tied
down behind us, appreciative of their effort but disappointed
in having almost — but not quite — made the entire Tour.
And to any other riders who
needed the sweep truck helping
us instead: Sincere apologies!
In 20/20 hindsight, the woe
hamstringing Randy’s ’55 was
nothing more than a loose car-
buretor top, which allowed extra
air into the engine, leaning the
mixture to an unworkable level.
As for the ’54, the mechani-
cal compression release that
opens the exhaust valve to ease
starting had stuck; this kept the
valve open which lowered com-
pression and sent combustion
straight into the exhaust pipe.
Given time to troubleshoot we
surely would have found and
corrected both issues roadside,
but with the afternoon escaping
and the chase truck waiting, we
simply had to cut it off.Let us gather together
Back at the Quail Golf Club,attendees at Saturday’s Motorcycle Gathering were likely
shocked (or amused, quizzical, irate?) to find the road-weary
black Austin-Healey, Allstate trailer and Matchlesses reunit-
ed and on display, vestiges of the great life and times of three
gentlemen who preceded us in their moto-passion. One was
Marcie Lawwill, the daughter of 1969 AMA Grand National
Champion Mert Lawwill, who had spotted the ensemble
with her friends, and wanted a closer look.
With hundreds of machines and thousands of people to see
in a short six hours, admittedly I didn’t check on the rig much
during the day. But once, I was astonished to find quite a
crowd around it. Then as I drew closer, the reason was clear:
On Any Sunday, Baja 1000 and ISDT star Malcolm Smith was
studying the bikes. It seems Malcolm is a Matchless G80 CS
fan, having raced one early in his career, just prior to stepping
aboard first Greeves and then the Husqvarna dirt bikes that
led him to worldwide success and fame. In addition, Malcolm
used to own a Big Healey, and was intrigued that his mechani-
cal past was represented all in one display. And so, this simple
act by a humble and heroic man had drawn the crowd.
Along with many Husqvarnas,
Malcolm keeps a collec-
tion of Matchlesses in his
Riverside, California, dealership,
Malcolm Smith Motorsports. He
was kind enough to sign the
bare aluminum tank of the ’54
at The Quail, and since Malcolm
seemed to like the G80s, I
offered to deliver them to his
dealership the next week, so
they could join other bikes on
display in his collection. He
agreed, and so they are there
today, fresh (so to speak) from
their Austin-Healey road trip
and The Quail Motorcycle Tour.
While Randy Pobst and I
already have future plans for
these two veteran desert sleds,
I like where they are presently
just fine. In fact, I can’t think of
a better place to honor their his-
tory — and that of their previous
owner. Thanks, Malcolm! MChttp://www.MotorcycleClassics.com 45
Malcolm Smith and the G80s on display at his dealership.AN
DR
EW
KO
HN