Matchless 500 motorcycles for sale

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1967 Matchless 500

1967 Matchless 500

$21,000

Boulder, Colorado

Year 1967

Make Matchless

Model 500

Category Classic Motorcycles

Engine 500 cc

Posted Over 1 Month

1967 Matchless 500 , 1967 Matchless G85CS Scrambler One of less than 100. Beautiful and correctly restored in 1998 by Robert Allen. The bike was last started in June 2001, ridden around my yard and parked in my family room or office since. I have kicked it over enough to circulate oil a few times a year. Includes a folder containing history, restoration documentation and an original G85CS - G80CS - P11 Maintenance and Instruction MANUAL in near perfect condition. This is a great piece for the Triumph or BSA Collector. Serious offers by serious buyers will be considered. I am selling only because the office spot has been taken by another bike. The Matchless G85CS was a fine, handcrafted off road only scrambles racer built to a higher standard than any previously sold to the general public through dealerships. It had less standard Matchless components on it than anything this side of a G50 road racer! As trim as they were (around 300 lb) these bikes were not overwhelmed with brute horsepower and did weigh a good deal more than the rapidly improving two strokes they ran against. The G85 is the direct predecessor to the P-11 Norton which has basically the same frame. It is commonly reported that the P-11 was born as a result of the west coast distributor installing a 750 Norton twin in a G-85 frame and sending it back to the factory with the instruction "Build This". The frame was bronze brazed Reynold 531 (Brit for Chrome Moly) in a design clearly derived from the Rickman brothers Matisse. The front forks appear standard, the front hub has the cooling fins removed giving it a unique appearance and saving a few ounces of weight. The rear hub and brake plate are "Elektron" magnesium alloy items of G-50 road racer derivation. Foot peg hangers, rear brake lever and other parts are fabricated from tubing rather than cast. The bike came with a fiberglass fuel tank and side covers. The aluminum oil tank was a very complex shape welded up from sheet. This was reportedly done with oxy-acetylene as TIG was not yet common practice. Perhaps the least practical feature was the 1-3/8 AMAL GP carburetor, which has tight inner clearances that do not do well with grit and dust. The ignition is by Lucas Magneto and these generally gave adequate service. Yes they did come with that ridiculous stubby front fender. How many survive today?? 303-499-5186 $21,000.00 3034995186