Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

s, manufactured in Plumstead

Plumstead

Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...

, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models was produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke

Four-stroke cycle

A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two...

 twins. Matchless had a long history of racing success; a Matchless ridden by Charlie Collier

Charlie Collier

Charles R. Collier Plumstead, London a British motorcycle racer famous for winning the Isle of Man TT races 2 times in his career. Along with his brother Harry Collier he raced Matchless motor-cycles manufactured by his father's company H.Collier & Sons...

 won the first single-cylinder race in the first Isle of Man TT

1907 Isle of Man TT

The 1907 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the first of the Isle of Man TT races. The races took place on 28 May 1907 over the Short Course...

 in 1907.

In 1938, Matchless and AJS became part of Associated Motorcycles (AMC), both companies producing models under their own marques.