AJS R6 350 Big Port

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

The AJS firm founded by the Stevens brothers in Wolverhampton was primarily associated with motorcycles, but also manufactured cars and radio equipment.

Motorcycles were made by AJS from 1910 to 1931 at their Wolverhampton base, the first model being a 298cc side valve which was the qualifying size for the Junior TT. In 1911 Jack Stevens came home 16th on his AJS, just behind a private entry by JD Corke on a similar machine.

AJS did not contest the 1912 event but came 10th in the 1913 TT. When the limit was raised to 350cc in 1914, AJS had a clean sweep, their products filling the first four places. The First World War put paid to non-military machines, but when AJS resumed production in 1920, the design was laid for the legendary Big Port, named after its very large bore exhaust which went on to be offered in side valve and overhead valve sporting versions.

Improvements gained from lessons learned on the racetrack were passed onto the sporting machines, no doubt helped by the 117 world records set during the Golden era of AJS production which came to an end in 1931 when the firm was sold off to Matchless and became a badge engineered version of another manufacturer’s products.

This 1930 model AJS R6 350cc OHV is in running order having been started recently. It appears to have a few non-standard parts including a larger brake of BSA origin in the front. Being offered here from a deceased estate, nothing is known of its past history and it comes only with an older style V5 and one tax disc. However its appearance would certainly suggest some sort of competition use in the past.