Norton Manx or AJS 7R ??
 

If you could have your pick. Or maybe Matchless G50?

Manx...

Honda GB500

I do dearly miss my trident... sold a long time ago.

I'd like to have my '59 AJS Mod. 30 600 back again. 385 lb., magneto, dry sump, kick start, 37 hp. One of the most dependable machines I've owned. I could cruise at 65 mph all day long with that 37 hp. & did that a lot back in the day.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1416702537.jpg

Me too, 900cc, big cams, big valves, better clutches, Dunstall exhaust, different gearing, built for me by Danny Macias.
First bike with front and rear disk brakes, plus it had electric start. If Triumph would have kept making these they wouldn't have had such a long dry spell.

Or a Goldstar.

Speaking of Gold Star - Seattle MC Show this weekend. My good friend (an old school teacher of mine) and his son's bikes. Dad also has 2 AJS, a 500 and a 600. Son is current President of the local Vintage MC club:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1416708312.jpg

Manx. Absolutely.

Here's the three bikes in question, I should've posted them first in case anyone is unfamiliar with them.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1416763213.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1416763290.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1416763365.jpg
I'd be happy with any of these three. Warriors all.

AJS is easier to maintain but parts are less common. Manx is generally regarded as the top single of it's time and there are lots of (expensive) repro parts available, enough to build a whole bike if you have the means.
regards,
Phil

I'm thinking that someone's going to have to die before any of those three are put up for sale ;)
Jim

I was thinking of the BSA DBD34, they also were racers, flat track in the USA. Probably easier to find.

Well, what got me going was the fact a long time friend just sold his '51 Manx last month after owning it for 50 odd years. I was very familiar with that bike and was always kinda wondering if I'd ever get a shot at owning it. But it didn't come to pass. So I was wondering what might have been.

I posted here last month, I think, but will re-post for your FYIhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1416768850.jpg
It was always kinda ratty, and was of course a plunger rear that was modified into some sort of shocked rear but new owner will for sure fix all that as well as seat, fenders etc. I shoulda and woulda. My friend is the slim older gent on the left.

a buddy had a manx
back when they were just an old bike
he need a chase car to pick up the bits
that regularly got shook off it

I'd go for a Kawasaki W650 and mod to suit.

http://www.mensreverie.com/wp-conten...-W650_Open.jpg

http://goodsparkgarage.com/wp-conten...G_3403_web.jpg

I'm thinking that the Matchless and the AJS use basically the same engine - maybe? I think maybe the companies had a close relationship? It's been a long time since I messed with this stuff so I don't remember for sure. Whether they do or don't, I would think they'd be a lot harder to keep running/to find parts for. In any case, for me, it would have to be the Manx. I suspect that one could build a replica almost completely from totally new parts. I also imagine that replica would be significantly faster and more reliable than the original.

Out of the two I'd choose the Triton.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_and_tank.jpg

One has to ask, what is the intended purpose?
As rolling art none of them can be beat.
As vintage machinery wonderful.
As a daily driver? Not so much...
As was said a very nice retro café can be built with a modern thumper.
YMMV

Good choice, the Atlas/Norton engine and the featherbed make it a good ride. Had a 68 Atlas 750 that I shoulda kept, nice smooth ride. The Commando, that came later, was nice too.

well, you had me, I thought that was a Triumph motor in a Norton frame.

Yes, sorry I think you're right. I thought that was an Atlas engine but mistaken on that.

Here's a shot of my Atlas, quite similar especially around the tach drive housing., I should've been more observant.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1417039380.jpg

When I was a schoolboy my best buddy Micheal Southwell had a Triton with the norton featherbed racing frame. He was always pissed off that it was neither a Norton nor a Triumph. Ah, to go back in time. My bike at the same time was a special build Triumph Bonneville called a Saint. I also wished it was a real Bonneville. One sold recently for $40,000 - slap my face.

Yes the Norton frame was good but I think the best frame around at the time was the one that held the BSA Triple and then when Triumph bought BSA they made the Trident with that frame.
Mine, post #7 was the newer frame.

And maybe the best looking Triumph ever too.

I really liked that bike, I raced the hell out of it. Nobody paid attention to it, they would ask me if I wanted to race my Bonneville. The Trident was a 750 stock but I had some work done to mine. It handled good and was faster but not as fast as a Kawasaki Z or a Honda Four, it just went through corners so much better.