Circulates throughout the world Established 1903

Archive photo: Not what it seems...

Even a second look and, well, the machine still ticks many of the BS boxes, with its V-twin engine, down tipped handlebars and, most obviously, that shiny, beautifully shaped petrol tank.

However, a closer look will reveal it’s not a Brough Superior at all but in fact a Matchless V-twin, the photograph taken in September 1925 of what would be a 1926 model. The picture also goes to prove that some things never change – the famous white sheet is still the preferred and much used back drop for ‘studio’ shots. The slight movement in the two chaps holding the sheet – particularly the one on the left – would appear to demonstrate that the picture was probably taken outside on what would have been a long exposure/slow shutter speed on the camera, hence the remarkable crispness of the picture but also the picking up of any tiny movement in the background.

The V-twin Matchless Model M3S, as pictured, was the firm’s range topping solo, the Plumstead based concern enjoying status then as one of Britain’s leading motorcycle factories, with a solid foundation built on the competition successes of the company founders, the Collier brothers, Charlie and Harry. The pair were among Britain's leading pioneer era motorcyclists, with their endeavours on their own machines (which included Charlie’s victory in the inaugural 1907 TT and setting the world one hour record in 1908, while Harry won the 1909 TT, then Charlie took another TT win in 1910) giving the firm a profile few other manufacturers enjoyed – though given the similarity in appearance of the Matchless pictured here to a contemporary Brough Superior, it’s worth noting that George Brough was another who believed in ‘practicing what he preached’ and riding his own machinery in competitions.

By the 1920s, with the Colliers retired from active competition, rider manufacturers, so prominent in the Pioneer era, were thinner on the ground though a few were still giving their all – Howard R Davies (HRD) springs immediately to mind, while the likes of Jock Porter (New Gerrard) and Harry Baughan (Baughan) enjoyed success in road racing (Porter) and trials – particularly sidecar – (Baughan) too.

The Matchless and sidecar pictured was the super sports model. The sidecar was a... ‘eight panelled sports sidecar, finished in mahogany. It is of a streamlined form and the polished woodwork is relieved by plated metal strips’. For 1926, the Matchless, powered by a 980cc Matchless-built made side-valve V-twin – until quite recently Matchless had preferred to use either MAG or JAP and indeed there was still a MAG powered V-twin in the range – had a few modifications and updates, among them redesigned front forks, three-and-half inch shorter wheelbase, lower seat height mainly provided by a lower Terry saddle, a new nickel-plated silencer and the shorter, nickel plated bulbous petrol tank. It joined other V-twins in the range – the M3 which was similar to the M3S but had a more-standard looking, squarer petrol tank, different forks and a higher saddle and came in black and gold or Matchless Grey as an option, while the M4 was a la the M3 but powered by the Swiss-made 996cc MAG engine.

The other V-twin in the Matchless range was the H, which in many ways was the most interesting – but it also looked in some aspects the most antiquated as it still had a ‘flat tank’ (with the frame top tube passing over the fuel tank) though what set it apart, and made it the most expensive of the twins, was its rear suspension.

Matchless had launched the Model H some years before, the spring frame having appeared briefly before WWI then reappearing in 1919 and continuing in the lists until it disappeared at the end of 1928. The H also boasted a foot clutch, while electric lighting was an option from its inception onwards.

For 1926, the fullest specification Model H cost a hefty £156-14s-9d (the most expensive M3S Sports Combination was £117-9s-9d) though the big H’s load carrying capacity well-exceeded the M3S. In its ‘fully dressed’ (ie most expensive) state the big Matchy came with a ‘...dual purpose two-seater body and fully equipped with Lucas Magdyno electric lighting set, electric horn, scrape wheel and tyre, rear drive speedometer, two windscreens and dual-purpose hood and cover, leg shields and sidecar step.’ A fully specified machine indeed.

Matchless continued to list a V-twin – latterly coded as the Model X – until the outbreak of WWII, though when the postwar listings were posted, the V-twin had gone and it was never to reappear.