AJS 350 H6 Big Port OHV

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Motorcycles were made by AJS from 1910 to 1931 at their Wolverhampton factory, their first bike appearing as a 298cc side valve model.

Jack Stevens came home 16th in the 1911 Junior TT on one of these fine machines and although AJS didn’t contest the 1912 event, they came 10th the following year and when the limit was raised to 350cc in 1914, made a clean sweep - their products filling the first 4 places.

The First World War put paid to non-military machines, but when AJS resumed production in 1920, the design was laid down for the legendary big-port, named after its very large bore exhaust. Offered in both side- and over-head valve sporting versions, improvements gained from lessons learned on the racetrack no doubt helped the firm's products gain 117 world records during the golden era of AJS production. Sadly brought to a premature end in 1931, the firm was sold to Matchless and became a badge engineered version of another manufacturers products.

This AJS big-port OHV machine was purchased by the vendor way back in 1965. Spotted in the hallway of a house in Cheltenham when delivering groceries, he managed to acquire the machine for £5. Its previous owner had bought the bike to take part in grass track events but after removing the side-car, had never got round to using it.

According to the buff log book, it was first registered on 1 August 1927. We are advised that it has a non standard, but functioning ML Magneto, an Amal carburettor instead of the regulation Binks and a larger front brake of BSA origin. It has been running within the last month or so although has not been ridden in anger for some years and will need careful recommissioning before use.

This lovely old machine is being sold with a spare tank, some gearbox and clutch parts and an acetylene lighting kit (not fitted) plus a tin of carbide (that's definately one to keep out of the rain!). There is also a handbook for a 1926 model and the V5 document on file.