The Classic MotorCycle – September 2019

04

Cycleparts 05

Suspension

PRICING

With completerideable bikes

at £20,000+, even projects

attract high prices.Before

payi ng,it’sadvisable to check

that missing partsarefew

and thosethat arepresent are

correct for that model (see next

section). Asbasket cases, early

bikescan still go t o£12,000 or

more.Themoredesir able (also,

morecommon) 1937-on could

be as much as £20,000

IN CONCLUSION

Formanymotor cyclists,a

V-twin hasanindefinable

qualitythat makesitthe

engine ofchoice although,in

1929,abuyer considerin ga

Model Xwas prob ably more

concernedabouthowtoafford

asidecar aswell. Referring to

the model as ‘Thepoorman’s

Brough!’rather damnedit

with faintpraise. However,

Matchlessrespondedtoi ts

potential market as trading

conditions improved over the

following years.

AModel Xresto ration will

prob ably no tbeaneasytask.

Bikesseemtomaterialise

almostanywhere. Regrettably,

thehighprices also invite

skulduggery. PatGill regularly

seeskit-for mbikes where

missi ng tinwarehas been

replacedbyverysimilar(but

non-compati ble) items from

sourcessuch as ex-WDsingles.

Bikesfrom1937-onseem to be

more common.They alsohave

the advanta ge of enthusiasts

from the likes of Brough

and Morgan organisingthe

remanufactureofother wise

unobtainable pa rts.The

internet and persistence areas

necessary as anyspanners.

Performance differs.The

original bikes offered a

modesttop speed of ar ound

60mph.Thebrave (orfoolish?)

talk ed of 80mph on later

bikes.Int he modernworld,

butwith 1930s brakes,itis

reallyacademic.TheV-twin

experience istoworkuptotop

gear assoon as is practicable,

thensettle into thesaddle like

an easychair and continue

until either bike, or rider,isin

need of refuelling. End

THE CLASSICMOTORCYCLE|SEPTEMBER 2019 91

Classic

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