Matchless X 3 (998cc, v twin) 1931; starting and running the bike. in HD

[@rover100bunson]

bloody brilliant

[@rickg.5171]

Beautiful piece of history.

[@colinsvid]

Beautiful British engineering

[@野依梅太郎非効率研究]

Matchless is matching with beautiful garden.

[@alfa75gta]

Wonderful motorcycle.. I appreciate that you have not restored it. I fully restored my BMW R69S but now I almost regret doing so. There is a wonderful charm and patina about un-restored machinery that is lost when they undergo restoration. Thanks for the video, now all you need is for your wife to shoot a few ride-by vid's!

[@thedolphin5428]

Wow!. Amazing start!

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

Lovely old machine, and not restored! Love old sidevalve engines, they have such a nice sound to them. Had the pleasure of resurrecting a 50's HD K model sportster and really fell in love with the engine and how well it ran and sounded.

[@aaronjaben7913]

beautiful machine

[@motocykleiiwojny1423]

Beauty patine. Loved condition, great bike

[@gaffeltroll]

I grew up with old motorcycles. It is just as wonderful each time I see such a work of art. Do I know the smell .. it's something special about this. Thanks for the "video"

[@jim1088]

Wonderful, hard to believe it's 80 years old.

[@needparalegal]

I don't think I have owned a bike that started that easily.

[@dmadureira]

GREAT MACHINE.. AND A PIECE OF HISTORY... CONGRATULACIONS FROM PORTUGAL...

[@TheLintangbuana]

very nice old bike...!! keepin' riddin '....

[@carlosferreira759]

👍nice motorbike

[@zeedoui99]

sound good

[@shtsurfer]

Thats pure oldschool magic, i love it!

[@_1ben]

Stunning,

[@bapakandeh5358]

awakens the sleeper. kudos sir

[@vicromroy5127]

Great classic vintage motorcycle

[@Kennyforever100]

LOove my father had one until 1952,remember it well.

[@flyfishingunlimited]

Hello, I just realized that I took a picture of this exact same motorcycle last Sunday at the European Motorcycle Day... I have already watched your videos, but didn't realize it was the same bike, until I directly compared the pictures. Thanks for posting these videos, I just love old British bikes and Matchless is one of my favorites. Best regards!

[@peterdoe2617]

Wonderful bike. Congrats! How many of them still exist? Greetings from the far north of Germany!

[@allanhuntersmotorcycles2252]

Hello Peter - thanks so much for your comment. There aren't many of these left. The later ones, from 1936 on, are more common, but these early ones are pretty scarce. I know of about 6, total, world wide, but I'm sure there are more.....

[@albion2742]

Wonderful old machine , my granddad had one them the same year I believe.

[@andrewphillips4897]

George Lee, where was your grand father from George? My father a 1938 Matcless 500.

[@andrewphillips4897]

Matchless 500.

[@tomthompson7400]

the oil sight glass is genius

[@Drallanhunter]

I'm glad you like it! Some versions had a pop-up button, but that's really hard to see, so the original owner must have opted for this fitting. It's very reassuring to see the oil flow as you go down the road.

[@bensummers5287]

That is a very impressive machine!

[@Drallanhunter]

I'm delighted to get your message flyfishingunlimited! It's the same bike. Best regards, Allan

[@Drallanhunter]

They were the 'superbikes' of the 30s, really, now we think about it. The Matchless was very similar to the Brough Superior SS80, which was THE bike to have, unless you could afford the Brough SS100!!

[@tleuven]

Amazing machine, I love it!

[@TomvdHeuvel]

Awesome sounding/looking bike, the sound is just awesome! Greetings from Holland.

[@tyrssen1]

Gorgeous! I dunno where people find all these one-kick bikes; I've never had one!

[@Drallanhunter]

It wasn't always a one kick starter, Seth. I had to get the timing just right, and then work out how to get the carb tickled so it wouldn't flood. It took a few days. Now it usually behaves itself well!

[@tyrssen1]

@@Drallanhunter That, I can believe! Beautifully done.

[@joeheitz1833]

good stuff Mr.!

[@doesgodcareanymore]

beautiful bike.

[@Drallanhunter]

Thanks! Personally, I love it!

[@doesgodcareanymore]

if you would like to give me it for safe keeping i would be happy to take it. lol

[@Drallanhunter]

I could do that -- if you gave me a heap of money for me to keep safe, also!

[@Delboy666]

Sweet

[@GouthamRapol]

If you ignore the exhaust noise, the engine sounds like a diesel locomotive.

[@tyrssen1]

Wow!!!

[@1978FTM]

Que motocicleta maravilhosa!!! é uma das maquinas inglesas mais belas já construidas!!!

[@professorpatpending8731]

👏👍

[@ianchristian7163]

CONGRATULACIONS...!!! regards : Antique Motorcycle Club of indonesia

[@bietoinguyencoffee7074]

*Nice*

[@Drallanhunter]

Yes, those exhausts silencers were the best I could do at the time, made up from an old photograph. I can now find the correct ones at vast expense, but not the correct fishtails. So this is it for now. If you know of any please let me know.

[@grahammitchell6435]

What a wonderful motorcycle.Is that the same engine that George Brough used in his machines.?

[@chrisjohns9631]

This one is a side valve engine, Broughs were overhead valve. I think they were J.A.P engines though.

[@Drallanhunter]

Brough used the same engine, from about 1931 onwards (before that they were J.A.P.) in the side valve SS80 models, and a special Matchless engine for the overhead valve models. They altered the con rods to be 'knife and fork' rather than side by side, but they're basically the same engine.

[@bhills73]

so cool

[@gentlerowdy]

Hi what’s the difference in the ajs v twin 1000 cc & the matchless v twin x Can some one throw light

[@allanhuntersmotorcycles2252]

There are plenty of differences, and depending on what year you're looking at. Luckily there's a Facebook page that spends time discussing this. Most of the differences are subtle, at least to the unpracticed eye!!

[@thiwankamapitigama]

I’m sorry to ask is registeration number in your country ?

[@allanhuntersmotorcycles2252]

Thanks so much for your comment. The Registration number on the front mudguard is the original registration from England, the City Of Westminster (London) from Feb 1931 - making this a 1930 model, one could say. It's a nice pressed alloy plate, and very much original. Here in the USA we just need rear numberplate. I've put the new plate on top of the original rear.

[@MotorbikesStyle]

Hey mate, is it OK to feature your clip in a moto edit some time soon? It will be credited in the video section with your name watermarked on the clip. Thanks

[@Drallanhunter]

Sure! As long as you don't use the clip for anything illegal, immoral or political!

[@KirkCrawford1960]

Harley Davidson...EAT YOUR HEART OUT!! You didn't even have anything in 1000 cc in 1931.(936)

[@MrLipyeart]

nice one,brit bikes forever.who needs a hardly able to lol.

[@soldtobediers]

Everything works if you let it! 81518

[@mattd28]

Looks a very nice example, how does it ride?

[@Drallanhunter]

+Trigger HappyTV Thanks for your question: Of all my bikes this one rides the best. It's nimble, brakes well, corners splendidly, and has a good turn of acceleration. It's also very well-mannered in traffic. Better by far than a Brough!

[@planegaper]

+Drallanhunter Cheers from Canada, may I ask what that belt or chain connects to on the right hand side of the bike,,running diagonally up from the crankshaft to nder the seat behind the rear cyl ?, is it the magneto? looks electrical but i don't know shit from shampoo when it comes to matchless' beautiful machine mind you, you would have a blast with it in the rockies out west... thnx for posting

[@bernardlandymore6772]

+plane gaper Its a Lucas mag/dynamo

[@tuaguilareal]

the exhaust pipes are horrible. The motorcycle is beautiful, i want one

[@PROFKW]

wow..

[@Dierwolf2000]

hi dr hunter, thanks so much for the vids! i do have to ask, out of technical curiousity, how much credit must be given to the decompression release, which as i understand it not all brit bikes of the period had? stunning machine all around, they sure dont makem like they did back then.

[@Drallanhunter]

Thanks so much for your kind words! The decompressor is essential on these bikes. It allows the rider to kick the engine through and then, when the engine is turning with the weight of the flywheel, one releases the decompressor lever and the engine starts. Without it not many people could get the engine turning fast enough to get the magneto to spark!

[@Drallanhunter]

hello arcanacelestia, you seem to have missed the point.

[@colinmcdonald8521]

Gasoline? And you're British? A bas les collaborateurs!!!

[@Drallanhunter]

I live in the US, Colin, so I thought it best to use the local language!

[@ckelley63]

Or an Indian!!!

[@jjs4you2]

That has to weigh upwards of 1,000lbs.

[@paulj6662]

Dont be silly; it weighs 435 lbs, which is plenty!

[@amarobuechem7998]

Liga, mas não anda.