AJS SALES 1956

[spurrea]

Does anyone know how many AJay's were sold or built in 1956
I see lots of 1955 & 57 bikes for sale but very few 1956 bikes
Was there a problem in manufacturing that year or amI just impatient and imagining it?

[Rob Harknett]

Looking at just road model bike numbers, approx. 1955 6,645. 1956 11,650. 1957 10,142. So you should see more 56 than 57's, and more 56 than 55's. 1956 out sold both 55 and 57. I wonder why that was ?? Oddly though it may sound , there must have been more lads becoming age 16 in 1956, when they could get a motor bike licence. These were the real war babies, hastily conceived before dad went off to war in 1940 perhaps. I have not checked birth rates for 1940, but I do recall news like in 1961 " all the war babies have just become of age " I think that did not just mean 21, also meant they became of age to vote. Some one will check to see if my guess is wrong.

[ajsm18]

I do recall news like in 1961 " all the war babies have just become of age " I think that did not just mean 21, also meant they became of age to vote. Some one will check to see if my guess is wrong.

In 1961, 21 would still have been the age at which one could vote. I believe that it was reduced to 18 in 1968. Arguably, it should be reduced again, to 16...