A.J. Stevenson & Co. Ltd., made automobiles and bikes, below the identify AJS, between 1909 and 1931. Holding 117 bike world data throughout the span of some years, AJS had been actually one of many main sporting marques. Later in its life, the corporate was purchased by the Matchless, then Related Bikes after which the Norton-Villiers group. And AJS is now one of many few surviving names from this time.
In 1897, Joe Stevens constructed his personal inside combustion engine, though his engines entered manufacturing solely after 1900. He constructed a bike with primarily based on JAP V-twin engines in 1905, at Stevens Screw Firm based by his father, the place all of the members of the family had been employed.
In 1909, A J Stevens & Co was based to fabricate bikes. In 1911, the earliest mannequin was launched, a dual-speed 292 cc aspect valve, and AJS entered within the Isle of Man TT races, whereby A J Stevens ranked fifteenth within the Junior TT.
The corporate, Albert John Stevens was truly a household firm by 1926, with Harry Stevens as its Engineer, Joe Stevens junior as its Manufacturing Engineer, Albert John Stevens taking cost of designing, and George Stevens because the Chief Salesman.
AJS had at all times been very intently related to the Isle of Man TT. By 1914, the corporate had developed a 350cc bike, with chain closing drive and a four-speed gearbox. It took half within the Isle of Man TT race of 1914, and received the primary, second, third in addition to fourth locations within the Junior TT. In 1920, chain main drive and inside increasing brakes had been launched. As soon as once more AJS received the Junior within the years 1920 (ridden by Cyril Williams), 1921 (AJS bagged the primary 4 locations of Isle of Man TT, with Howard R Davies profitable the Senior on 350cc AJS) and 1922 (the Junior was received by Manxman Tom Sheard, and G Grinton got here second). In 1929, Wal Handley bought the second place in Junior TT, whereas Jimmy Guthrie received Light-weight TT in 1930, on an AJS.
In 1916, non-military bike manufacturing was prohibited by Ministry of Munitions. Russia gave an order for army automobiles to the Ministry in 1917, and part of it was given as contract to AJS, conserving it busy until the restrictions of the Ministry had been lifted in early 1919.
AJS launched two chain-driven racing fashions with overhead camshaft particularly, the 498cc K10 and the 349cc K7, in 1928. Once more in 1929 the 498cc M10 and 349cc M7 had been launched. A 496cc transverse V-twin with shaft main drive was launched in 1931.
Nonetheless in late 1931, the corporate was in monetary hassle, because it had taken loans to construct its enterprise in making automobiles, buses and coaches. Its bike belongings had been bought by Matchless, run by the Collier brothers, London. In 1938, AJS was taken over by Related Bikes, sharing fashions below completely different badges. The racing heritage of AJS was utilized by Colliers on modern racing equipment, thus conserving the AJS identify alive.
Ultimately, in 1966, Related Bikes, together with the AJS identify had been taken over by Norton-Villiers. The AJS identify was used on an off-road machine, the AJS Stormer, primarily based on a two-stroke engine. In the present day, AJS has a variety of four-stroke bikes of 125cc in each off-road and in-road variations, in addition to cruisers with 250cc, 125cc and 50cc parallel twin engines.
Originally posted 2023-04-12 05:35:33.