AJS is back. What is in a name?

AJS. What is in a name? AJS was one of the leading British brands. Ever.

The brand established in 1909 went under, but the brand name remained alive. Just like the brand names of other British motorcycle brands that ended up wandering under the drafty wings of rightholders, adventurers and dreamers. The British motorcycle industry? That is all water under the bridge with Triumph as the exception that confirms the rule.

Back to AJS. The current owner of the trademark rights, Nick Brown does indeed have historical brand connections. His father, "Fluff" Brown worked and rode competitions for AJS. Since 1999, Nick has been importing motorcycles from China. And he calls those motorcycles 'AJS'. And he has every right to it.

It is a true AJS. Yet?

With the Cadwell, Nick made the switch from pure transport to the retro / fun segment of motorcycling. Chinese motorcycles are only as good as the quality control is. And according to English tests, the quality control for the Cadwell is excellent.

The AJS has - almost naturally - an 125 cc engine block that is a clone from the eighties legacy of Honda. With tight 10 pk you don't pull the vowels out of it, but the small single-cylinder is given up for a top of more than 100 km / h. And whether 104 km / h is 'spacious enough' about the 100?

The fact is that the Cadwell may be inspiring to the youth. Because there must be more than gaming and riding on plastic scooters? The pricing is also such that motorcycling suddenly becomes available again for people who are not baby boomers, but their children or small children. As a baby boomer you can also be seen on it. Because from the nostalgic angle it is only the lack of a double-acting drum brake in the front wheel that the AJS can be 'blamed'. Oh yes: the British testers think that the footrests are too far forward.

The great thing about the story is that the AJS Cadwell is already a classic. Because it is one of the last 'old' 125 cc's with carburation instead of injection and without a coupled braking system. For this year, the importer has kept a whole bunch of 2016 models to hand around those regulations.

In England, such a Cadwell costs £ 1898. While stocks last.