AJW Motorcycles
AJW of Exeter produced motorcycles from 1926 to 1979.
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The company was founded by Arthur John Wheaton and it was his initials
from which the AJW marque was derived. The Wheaton family were involved
with the printing trade and based in Exeter, Devon. Many of their machines
were distributed by Pride
and Clarke
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1926 Business commenced with two ohv models. One had a 500cc MAG
engine, the other was fitted with a 996cc V-twin British
Vulpine. Both were similarly styled but only the twin went into production,
fitted with a four-speed Jardine gearbox.
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1929 The Super Four was exhibited again at Olympia but it never reached the production line and was dropped.
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1930 The range was extended using engines from JAP,
Blackburne
and Villiers. They were given
names linked to foxes such as Silver Vixen and Flying Fox.
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1931 Some of the triangulated frames had six tubes bolted or brazed to
the headstock and RudgePython
engines were added.
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1932 Other than one JAP
V-twin engine, all the others were now Rudge
and Villiers.
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1934 Only three models were in production.
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1935 The company reverted to using JAP
engines.
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1939 A lightweight model, known as the Lynx, with a 249cc Villiers
engine was added to the range.
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1945 The firm changed hands when Arthur Wheaton sold to Jack Bell. Firstly
it relocated to Bournemouth, Hampshire and then on to Wimborne, Dorset.
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1948 Two post-war models were produced - both with JAP
engines. The Speed Fox was built in small numbers specifically for
speedway, while the Grey Fox, with its sv vertical-twin engine and
telescopic forks was a road model.
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1950 The Grey Fox was no longer listed.
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1952 Two prototypes were exhibited and both had JAP engines set horizontally. Neither was particularly successful and shortly afterwards
the JAP road-engine supply stopped.
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1957 The Speed Fox speedway motorcycle went out of production.
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1958 A new model known as the Fox Cub was launched. This was an
imported lightweight motorcycle with a Minarelli
two-stroke engine.
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1959-1964 The Fox Cub continued together with three other versions.
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1974 After a gap of a decade, AJW returned to the market with imported
mopeds.
1976 The firm was now supplying a range of 50cc, 80cc and 125cc Italian-made,
two-stroke Wolfhound machines
1977/1979 The company ceased trading.
Sources:
Graces Guide
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