Matchless Meets Metisse
MATCHLESS MEETS METISSE
... and it's love at first sight, for the beholder as well.
WHEN ASKED WHAT "METISSE" means, we render refined French into basic English, and out comes a very unrefined translation: "mongrel bitch." England's scrambling Rickman brothers have been making Metisse kits for several years now, and they are seen in number on the scrambles (moto-cross) courses all over Great Britain and the Continent. Metisse kits are available in versions designed to receive Triumph or Matchless engines, and soon the 500cc Velocette. The Rickman brothers take turns winning British scrambles races with regularity.
When Pacific Basin Trading Company informed us that they planned on importing the kits and asked if we would like one we almost had to beat the Editor off! Being the owner of a spanking new 50()cc Matchless G-80 single and an inveterate motorcycle collector, the Editor bought the first Metisse and set to it with ferocity.
Ferocity turned to grinding frustration when it became apparent that the use of the word ‘kit' in England is not quite the same as over here. The handsome frame was not stress-relieved in its assembly jig so most of the engine and transmission mounting lugs were slightly out of alignment. After considerable forcing and drilling it dropped into place. The Matchless engine for which the Rickmans built the frame was somewhat different from the one we were trying to stuff into it. as things developed. The Metisse was built for the 1964 Matchless engine and we were trying to force the latest 1965 version in.
Most important difference between the two is the larger gear-type oil pump which now makes a healthy lump on the lower right-hand side of the crankcase casting. Pleating the frame at this spot and the delicate use of a hammer and an automobile body dolly solved the problem. Most of us moaned at this wanton attack on the beautiful Reynolds 531 steel tubular frame. In the end the scar healed.
To summarize the problems in getting the Matchless engine, gearbox, forks with hub and wheel into the Metisse frame: it ain't easy! Nor is it a kit! It's a lot of work, but if it's a 300 pound, 500cc. championship handling scrambler you want, it's worth every minute of it.
In addition to the aforementioned Matchless and Metisse parts, one must obtain the quick-change rear wheel assembly from a BSA Gold Star. Metisse also furnishes a primary case borrowed from a Royal Enfield that is thinner than the Matchless unit which, as things turn out. will not fit in the remaining space after the engine is installed. A small problem was the primary cases' lack of space for the end of the crankshaft that had just shed the Matchless alternator. (The Matchless engine mounts a Lucas racing magneto for ignition). It seems that another small item we overlooked was that the Rickmans had selected the Enfield primary to he used with the Matchless “short-shaft” engine, one that is supplied for purchasers not wishing the alternator.
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More cutting, and some welding and polishing produced a new lump on the primary case, allowing the shaft to clear. We could-of course, have dismantled the engine, removed the shaft, machined off the offending end. rethreaded it in a lathe, and put it all hack together again. A most impatient Editor put an end to that kind of talk.
Other minor problems arose. Such as the transmission plates needing a spot of cutting. Special oil lines needed fabricating since the Metisse carries its 6'q pint oil supply in the frame to save weight. A new mounting plate for the magneto was made since the standard part would not clear the double down tubes of the frame. Special mounting brackets were made for the exhaust pipe, and to brace the top of the engine to the frame. Control cables made the move to the Metisse easily, hut a longer throttle cable was needed, along with some trimming of the handlebars to fit the Matchless twixtgrip over the end.
Metisse kits include: a beautifully bronze welded. 24 pound frame with swing arm for mounting the rear wheel: alloy engine and transmission plates: handsome Mitchcnall fibreglass tank. seat, front and rear fender, and a center section in four pieces that comprises an air-cleaner box using two Eram-type paper elements, alloy skid plate, high-mounted exhaust pipe, foot pegs, moto-cross style handlebars, primary case, carburetor mounting extension and a few incidental mounting brackets that do not all fit the newer engines.
Dry weight of the complete machine is only 3 14 pounds, and a few more ounces could he shaved by using the fiberglass front fender furnished with the package. It was decided to use the standard Matchless scrambler fender as it serves better to hat down the rocks and hits of debris picked up in theuCalifornia rough where the hike will he used most. Among the clever innovations employed in the Metisse is the method erf rear chain adjustment. In place of a slotted axle mounting with locking nuts, the axle for the swing arm is adjustable fore and aft using sets of eccentric mounting discs that arc numbered to correspond with their varying degrees of eccentricity so as to move the swing arm in equal distances. T his system eliminates the many annoyances of chain adjustment, and once in place, it cannot move no matter how rough things get.
Several color finishes arc available: ours is white with big black spots for placing competition numbers. Since the Metisse hardly qualifies under the American Motorcycle Association's broad concepts defining Class C machines, the spots will remain blank for a while. We see no reason whv. should the rules be met. the Metisse could not be accepted for use in at least AM. A. Sportsmen races, hut they become very funny when this subject comes up so time will tell.
No stops for the forks are provided so an extremely short turning radius is available. By this writing we had not determined which, if any. dangers arise in not having something solid to prevent the front end from trying to turn about 90 degrees from its normal straight ahead position. When things get that had. few things do much good anyway.
Handling is superb and will please both expert and novice alike. Steering is on the “quick” side, meaning simply that it responds at once when the bars are turned. Ehe wheelbase is 56'/2-inches, ax opposed to 55-inches for the Matchless, so the inherent riding comfort is retained though it is a trifle bumpier since the hike is 50 pounds lighter. A lower seating position pleased CW's rather runty Editor; it is 114 inches closer to the ground than the Matchless. Ground clearance is 7 inches, measured from the skid plate, mounting the 19" Matchless front wheel. European Métissés use a 21" wheel so their ground clearance is raised a bit.
We have ridden few machines that could equal the Metisse's ability to bomb through the roughest country. This is partly due to the excellent Matchless forks with their extremely long travel, anti partly to the very shallow* angle of the fork mounting. The forks have a great deal of "rake” angle that tends to smooth out the biggest pot holes. Riders not accustomed to the very flat and wide moto-cross type handlebars might prefer a different tlesign. but these could easily he obtained. We prefer the Metisse bars for rough cross country riding, hut for track racing a narrower and slightly higher configuration might be more comfortable for some.
I he lusty Matchless single pumps out enough power, and the machine is light enough, for one to loft the front wheel in good European moto-cross style, but it takes a little more than that to ride it that way for very long! Our only objection to this pretty picture was the price, and though our cost was considerably below* what will be a fair retail price for the kit. it was jolting enough. The complete kit will have to sell for something in the area of S500.00. and that's a lot. hut like we said at the start, it's well worth it. A determined enthusiast could probably assemble a complete Matchless or Triumph Metisse for around one thousand dollars, employing used components. This places it on a par with most 500cc machines, and in the light of what you would he titling. w*e can't think of many better ways to spend money.
