No front forks

[oldandsmelly]

Hi all

I'm building a matchless G2 from many boxes of bits. The engine is in the frame and all looking quite natty. I've 2 main items missing; firstly, wheel rims which should be relatively straightforward, but more worthy of a head scratch is the total absence of any front forks. I understand ( probably wrongly) that the 250's had forks special only to themselves and i'm struggling to find any . Could i maybe use roadholder type forks, or something more easily obtainable. I'm not concerned with authenticity, i'd just like to use the bike when finished.

cheers
Bruce

[Rob Harknett]

lightweight non CSR forks should be the easier to find. Some on e bay right now.S/H dealers may have some. Its more straight forward to fit correct parts as one wrong part may need other wrong parts to match. Like forks will need a matching wheel so brake anchors fit also cables. Matching mudguard stays and so on. It may no be straight forward to get wrong forks to fit. Lightweight CSR forks will not just fall in place with other parts.

[nvmat1]

Hi. Firstly it would for you to establish which model of Matchless G2 you have. My basic understanding of the different forks used on the 250s, please correct me if I am wrong, is as follows.

The standard road bikes G2 and G2S (made from 1958 to 1963), used versions of the Francis Barnett/James front forks fitted to the largest of the post-1955 2 strokes (the smaller 2 strokes used a different fork of lighter construction). Similar forks were used on the 250 Norton Jubilee (made 1959 to 1966). These forks are relatively cheap to obtain, are basic, being of all steel construction, with few parts, and are strong. It is worth holding out for a complete set with the correct headlamp brackets etc. I would suggest £40 should get you a set but make sure they are straight. You should familiarize yourself with the correct shape of forks for the year of your bike (if originality is required). For the 1960 model year (September 1959) onwards the headlamp mountings were lowered. Also, for the 1963 model year (September 1962), the bottoms of the fork legs became square instead of round. The main problem with these forks is that the fork bushes are brazed on and are difficult to replace when worn.

If you have either a Matchless G2CS (scrambler) or a G2CSR road bike, although the frames being very similar, these bikes were fitted with a version of the 1953 design forks used on all the ALS/Matchless road singles and twins of that year. These are more expensive to purchase £150 upwards, are more complex in construction, having many more parts, and can suffer thread damage to the alloy fork legs. The G2CS forks had 2 fixings on each leg bottom for mudguard stays, whilst the G2CSR had a single fixing.

Depending on the forks used and the model of bike, there will be different wheel, spindle and mudguard bracket arrangements.

[Ozmadman]

Yes the CSR and the G5/model 8 350's had the later teledraulic forks as mentioned above, a variation of the bigger bike forks but 1and1/8" version instead of 1and1/4" for the heavyweights. Presume you can fit these to a G2/model 14 as long as you get every thing including the headlamp
but not certain about this. Paul

[Rob Harknett]

Don't think G2/M14 wheel and guard fittings will suit csr forks either. Which seem a non starter really as I'm sure as mentioned earlier, the correct forks should be easier to come by. Could not even give complete frame and forks away 10 years ago.

[Ozmadman]

How are you getting on? Did you ever get those forks?

Paul