A Day In The Life Of a Matchless G3L

First task prior to a Bike Club, run is to open my side gate and the shed door, this may seem obvious but more later.

The cover is removed from the bicycle and reaching over the seat the tap in the oil line is turned ON, very important! The tap is to prevent the engine wet sumping but when on rallies I neglected to do this there was no detrimental effect.

Now the machine is heaved off its stand and I have to negotiate its passage out of the shed round two ninety degree bends and out of a narrow side gate. This is where the Matchless's extreme weight becomes a problem for if it starts to topple it has to be let down gently, it s too heavy to hold. At a claimed 385 pounds weight and 400 a more likely figure, it is just too heavy for a motorcycle. Once outside it can be heaved onto its centre stand while I go for a tool kit and an oil can.

Now it s time to pull in the clutch lever and operate the kick starter. The clutch now freed it's time to turn on the petrol. The corks probably being dry and fuel flowing everywhere it is promptly turned off. Using a 1/2 inch spanner the gear box level screw is removed and the filler cap removed, if oil does not show at the level some is added. The screw and cap replaced the primary chain case bung is removed to check that the oil level just kisses the bottom of the chain; all being well the bung is replaced.

Now the petrol can be turned on again, the corks have probably expanded and all is well. The carb is tickled until the tickler is just damp, the valve lifter is used as the engine is eased over a couple of times to suck in some charge, the air lever is closed and the ignition retarded 1/3. Easing the piston over compression using, the valve lifter, a slow steady push is given to the lever, when half down and the flywheel rotating the kick starter is allowed to return fully and a steady follow through kick is given.(Velocette starting drill). The engine normally fires first time. Now the cap is taken from the oil tank and the air lever fully opened, after a frightening long time oil flows into the tank from the return. Now the bicycle is taken to the petrol station for fuel and the tyre pressures checked and back home and onto its stand so I can get ready. With the Suzuki and Yamaha it s turn on the fuel, choke, ignition on and press the button.

Once running the weight is not apparent and power output is in line with the 350cc singles of the other British manufacturers. Acceleration is leisurely however, partially due to heavy flywheels, they were lightened in the following season, also because it does weigh 6% more than the equivalent Norton, 17% more than a Panther, 11 % more than a Velocette and 19% more than a Triumph 21. Acceleration is aided however by a fine transmission. The slow steady change of the Burman gearbox is always positive and the clutch is sweet and clean in operation. Closing the throttle produces all sorts of 'bands and pops' in the exhaust so it s good to leave the town behind. The cause is a worn carbo and although I have a replacement Mikuni in the shed I prefer to continue with the AMAL. When new testers who had access to these machines said that even for those days the exhaust was too loud.

On the open road progress is gentle and enjoyable with a good riding position and effective suspension. Road holding is also of a high order with just a little nervousness at the extremities. Not the 'oneness' you experience with a Velocette yet the overall dimensions are similar, maybe the C. of G. is higher. My old Theory of Machines lecturers, one a double world sprint record holder, stressed that friction is independent of area and the narrow brake shoes prove this as the braking is very good.

In an attempt to ease the exhaust detonation the mixture settings are rich and I now only get 75 mpg whereas before 85mpg was usual. Returning home I either wash or wipe down the bike, depending on the run, before putting it back into its shed. The rear chain is sprayed with Rocol chain lubricant and thus has plenty of time to solidify before the next run. A quick spray with Inox to prevent corrosion and the cover is put on the bike. The cover is then pulled back as I remember to reach over the saddle to turn OFF the oil tap.

Vietnam 06

Case and I obviously made it back from our trek across Vietnam and neighbouring areas. I have discovered just how tight my son is when it comes to money particularly his; my cash doesn't seem to have the same importance and is spent with far less thought given to it than his is.

We rode push-bikes in Hanoi on the first morning in the city which was such a buzz that we continued to hire push-bikes for the rest of our time in the cities! And, having explained to Case the traffic comes at you from all directions except from above he was just missed by a bicycle falling out of a tree within his first 50 metres on the road. It didn't seem to put him off, either that or he was too busy keeping his eyes on the traffic he didn't have time to let it worry him. Noticeable we were the only foreigners on bicycles and many remarked on how brave we were as we cycled past them.

Case returned with some 100 odd DVDs purchased for around NZ$1.20 each including the latest movies out! He got to fire a M16 which he enjoyed but missed the target entirely. He bought a full size, fully functional crossbow along with arrows from a villager in Mai Chau, and a very dangerous looking bamboo rod which fires large rocks quite some distance with very little effort! I am assured it s a teenage boy thing and perfectly normal but his bartering for 40oz bottles of hard liquor in the dead of night at a market on the Lao border was something I asked him to keep out of his journal for his school. I m not sure they would be very Page 11 understanding about it he got them down under half the starting price I m wasn't stopping him when he was in full swing! The crossbow caused a few issues on aeroplanes and was checked over by the New Zealand police on arrival in Christchurch before being handed over. He s already lost most of the arrows; never hit anything he s aimed at and replaced the bow string but it s still his most treasured mementos from his tour.

Oh yes, we did fall off well actually we were walked into by a pedestrian who was clipped by Case s foot peg sending us down a bank, this in the first hour or so on the bike! It was a fantastic trip, covering some of the same roads as last time and some new.

Following on from my comments last issue on the unbundling of telecom cables I think it s already happened in Vietnam check out the power and telephone cables in Hanoi!