Matchless G3L WD Ownership Guide

[@grahamguest142]

I bought one of these in 1970, I was thirteen and we brought it from it's postwar resting place in a old outbuilding by a canal lock house in my best mates dad's Morris minor van, it hanging out of the back, they lived in an old rundown farm house by an un metalled road, it had been buried under half of the roof of its resting place for god knows how long, and all we did was put in fresh petrol, trickled it through, checked the plug and on the second kick she fired, and started on the third kick, unbelievable! We had months of fun with the old girl, fell off about a thousand times, she was unbrakable . I suspect mine could have been made late in the war because the timing chest was of cast iron and I gather aluminium was all going to make spitfires? Oh it cost £2. Everyone wanted it so I took an offer of a tenner and bought a Greeves Hawkstone special, but I do wish I still had my old Matchy and it's memories ❤

[@mikenco]

I have photos of my Grandfather riding these in Egypt in the 1950s. He was a Royal Marine Commando. It was this that inspired me to take delivery of a 1929 T4 this week. Excellent video by the way!

[@basilwatson1]

I have a 350 Enfield , and the same as what u said applies ,,,the damn thing just keeps going ! cheap to run , hell yes !

[@simonholyfield3319]

Excellent video Terry, well done. I run an Ariel W/NG as a daily bike and your video hits all the right notes.

[@stevenwatsham5973]

Thank you.. That was a very helpful video.. I have recently just bought a 1952 G80 Matchless and we are both on a journey of getting to know each other..

[@terryjones6229]

Glad it was helpful!

[@01295able]

Brilliant video thanks 👍

[@alistairbernard9574]

Excellent and Very Informative video on the G3L which we know as the Army Super Bike. Great job 👍

[@DavidRussell-n8e]

I had a WD Matchless 350 G 3 with rigid frame , the G3L had a SPRUNG frame. Easy to start ,rode it to work and college daily.

[@terryjones6229]

@@DavidRussell-n8e I think you mean the G3 LS had a sprung frame. The 80 miles I rode today on a G3L were definitely unsprung I can assure you!!!!!

[@DavidRussell-n8e]

@@terryjones6229 you are correct, mine was pre war girder forks

[@bristolfashion4421]

great innit! the bike was little know around our neighbourhood with my mates dad owning a petshop. there was a lathe and he drove along roads and across fields! The others knew all about the secrets and mother cut sandwhiches with tomato. Many pieces were sawn and chopped and the young lad down the road ran along the roofs! Petrol a plenty and hidden delights of tuppence and those tiny coins with wrens on. back then of course it was only hard toilet paper! and the spanners - oh the spanners ! you had to make them all yourself. Nobody had a licence but everybody knew how to strip the carb. the mag. the dynamo and we collected awful tyres. Nice photgraphy - thanks 🙂

[@markhowlett8070]

Outstanding video thank you. My Nan was a ATS dispatch Rider and her bike was a 41.

[@terryjones6229]

One of the nicest things about riding these bikes is the opportunity to experience some of the sensations that people like your nan did when they were on active service. It brings you a little bit closer to understanding how things were for our greatest generation. My best wishes to you and thanks for her service

[@sandyallsopp6778]

Superb. Thanks very much.

[@JagLite]

Excellent video! Thanks for making it.

[@avindersingh9666]

Great effort by u,,,,apriciate

[@Suzukibandit444]

Worked and driven an bit on a '40 G3WO with the girder forks. A great and rather fast bike due to its light weight.' Riding a '44 Enfield WDCO at the moment. Great fun to ride. But to be honest, the G3 is better in handeling at slow speeds. Lower and lighter.

[@Cobra427Veight]

Hi Terry, good video , I don't have a WD, but a 49 G80 rigid 500 , it still needs more work as previous owner did alot of good but , some things weren't quite right , I have to do the crank pin and fit the correct piston and do wiring , I have made a stainless muffler and a side stand , it is very cool I just love it , I have a video of it when I first got it , it had a split pushrod tube and massive oil leaks , which i did a temp fix on . My dad had old Matchys , they were probably very cheap back then .Cheers .

[@terryjones6229]

Sounds like a great project- post some pictures when you get chance

[@Cobra427Veight]

Hi Terry here is my old Matchy kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmm3YaeLf6-qp5o

[@Lucas-uj6bo]

Not wanting to sound like a rivet counter, but the 'L' was the denomination for the fitment of the Teledraulic Forks, later post-war, an 'S' was included to indicate the swing arm rear suspension. The term 'lightweight' was used to describe the 2 stroke models of the late 50's, early 60's. So we had the G3, G3L and the G3LS as well as the competition models with the 'C' post war, G3LC, G3LCS.

[@terryjones6229]

I agree that the term ‘lightweight’ was used to describe later 2 stroke models. However, the L suffix applied after 1940 to Teledraulic equipped G3s did stand for lightweight according to Orchard & Madden, British Forces Motorcycles 1925-1945. The later use of the term has no bearing on how it was used years earlier. Matchless were pretty sore at not winning the War Office contract on the first pass and were totally focussed on reducing weight second time around. It wasn’t just the teledraulic forks that shed the weight of course but it was a major factor.

[@JagLite]

@@terryjones6229 That's my understanding also from reading everything I could find. The "L" was for the modified version to lower the weight for the G3 which was a major requirement for the renamed WD War Department bike (x-War Office). So in 1941 it became the G3L WD and kept that designation throughout the war years. The 1940 G3 WO was a one year only model with girder forks from the 1936-1939 G3 civilian bike but it had the instruments moved from on top of the fuel tank to on top of the forks as well as deleting some civilian standard equipment to lose weight. But the 1941 G3L lost a little more weight and got the tele forks which were a huge improvement for the rider over the girder forks. Rear suspension came after the war. The "Lightweight" designation for the range of 2S bikes was also after the war. The G3L was never called a "Lightweight", it was just the G3L.

[@richardrichard5409]

Prices and sales of WD and brit stuff in general, slipping back now as buyers are getting scare , as with all classic vehicles. Great video😎

[@BrianDias007]

My dad first bike growing up after the war in Kenya

[@wesleycardinal8869]

Very informative and some excellent photography also. I love the Daft Punk helmet, what is the make and model please? 👍

[@terryjones6229]

It’s a Shark Drak helmet. Great for sunny days but my model only has tinted goggles and the clear lenses are very expensive because the helmet was discontinued

[@michaelgarford5702]

Another excellent video and with facts and figures. They were great field bikes as a 14 year old. But you say they will cost more than £7 ! ! ? 😮

[@terryjones6229]

Prices have gone a bit mad for sure. There are two main sellers in the UK and then the auction houses of course. Difficult to buy a ready to ride bike in good condition for less than £7K. My recommendation would be to join the owners club and post a wanted ad. That’s how I got mine and I’m delighted with her. On the field bike point - it’s amazing how many were used on farms as runabouts after the war. There must still be some barn finds out there somewhere! Glad you liked the video and thanks for commenting

[@michaelgarford5702]

May have to think about it tried 4 bikes in the garage once but no room to move my wife can’t be persuaded to move her car out for more bikes. I used to be a member of VMCC SL&P 10 + years ago thats how i spotted your KZbin. My oldest bike now is old enough to join the VMCC but not a nice classic British anyway will keep an eye on your channel

[@mfitzgerald130]

What year did ajs/matchless introduce the swingarm ?

[@terryjones6229]

Not sure of the exact year but post war bikes got sprung rear suspension in the form of twin shocks and primitive swinging arms. The shocks looked like jam pots and that became an unofficial nickname for Matchless/AJS bikes.

[@kjellcarlsson2947]

Hi I live in Sweden and I have both an AJS and a G3l (41). Is it easy to order parts from AMOC, even though one is not a member. Is there another supplier that is as good as them? (my needs for the moment is crank pinions and hub)

[@terryjones6229]

Try Steve Surbey at AMC Classic Spares [phone] website www.amcclassicspares.com

[@RobertLabriola-w1s]

Vallue

[@tonyjennings5986]

I have been a member of the AJS club for over 40years and I have a WD BIKE. I really enjoy your videos and your enthusiasm I would like your email address so that I can forward some modifications for your interest, that I have fitted to my WD. Regards Tony

[@terryjones6229]

Hi Tony - would be great to find out more about your mods. My email is: [e-mail]

[@sheilalucas9154]

Hi Tony, just watched your video on G3L WD, & it was really great. I am about to purchase a G3, which has been stored in a garage for just over 20 years. I know the bike will need recommissioning, but wonder if you could advise me please, of the important key issues to address initially. I intend joining The Matchless M/C Owners Club in due course.. Sorry to have troubled you, but hopefully you may be able to give me a few hints. Cheers, Paul Lucas.