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Matchless G 80CS

Make Model	Matchless G 80CS
Year	1951 -
Engine	Four stroke, single cylinder, pushrod
Capacity	498 cc / 30.3 cub in.
Bore x Stroke	82.5 x 93 mm
Cooling System	Air cooled
Compression Ratio	1946 onwards: 5.9:1 From 1956: 7.3:1
Lubrication	Dry sump with external oil tank
Exhaust	Single, right side
Fuel System	Amal 27 mm carburetor
Ignition	Magneto
Starting	Kick
Max Power	21 kW / 28 hp @ 5600 rpm
Transmission	4-Speed
Final Drive	Chain
Frame	Duplex frame
Front Suspension	Girder fork
Rear Suspension	Swingarm, springloaded
Front Brakes	Drum
Rear Brakes	Drum
Wheels	Steel, wire spokes
Wheelbase	1397 mm / 55.0 in.
Dry Weight	177 kg / 390 lbs
Top Speed	126 km/h / 78 mph

The Matchless G80CS was one of the most dominant scrambles and off-road racing motorcycles of the 1950s and early 1960s. Before the arrival of the soon-to be-dominant Husqvarnas and other lightweight two strokes in the 1960s, it was the heavier British four strokes that dominated the world of off-road racing in the United States, Europe, and further afield in places like Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

The secret to the success of the Matchless G80CS largely came down to its combination of a good frame and an excellent high-torque single cylinder engine that could handle the exceedingly rough life of the Californian desert racing scene and come back for more.

Matchless developed the G80 series of single cylinder machines in the post WW2 years. Between 1946 and 1948 the model had a rigid rear but in 1949 it received a sprung rear end and the handling was significantly improved as a result, the model name was changed to G80S with the “S” standing for “Suspension”.

The Matchless G80CS was introduced in 1951 in “long stroke” form, this was a model specifically designed for the American off-road racing market that had been exploding in popularity after the end of the Second World War. The addition of the “C” to the model name stood for “Competition”.

The G80CS was fitted with a modified version of the G80 engine and a four speed transmission inside a tubular steel cradle frame with telescopic shock absorbers up front and twin shock absorbers in the rear. A slew of changes were made to the G80CS including higher performance cams and larger valves, the original engine size of 497cc was maintained and the basic architecture remained the same – a single cylinder with two pushrod actuated overhead valves.

The simplicity of the engine and its toughness won it many fans in the United States, larger twin cylinder machines became increasingly popular in the 1950s and were dominant by the early 1960s but before this time the G80CS won countless races and it took four British 500 Motocross Championships. Matchless would change the frame in 1960 and they offered a 600cc version to try to keep better pace with the 650cc twins, particularly the Triumph TR6C.

Source Silodrome