Harris Matchless G80 walk around and start

1987 Harris Matchless. Made in Devon using a British made frame, Austrian Rotax 500cc four valve single cylinder engine and five speed gearbox, with mostly Italian cycle parts. Fewer than 900 were made with only a third of them being this, the electric start version. A ‘modern’ take on a classic British motorcycle.

[@ianwright3971]

I bought the last one Harris sold to the public..Also in red....It's an unburstable engine and I tuned mine to around 50BHP...With that sort of power and the light weight and good handling it was a match for any other single then in production and better than many....

[@veritasvincit2745]

I considered one along with a Honda VT500, XBR500 and Yamaha SRX600 in 1987 but ended up buying an F2 Gauloises blue YPVS 350 because I was 18 years old and all my mates had fairly fast bikes. Looking back I think that the 350 was the wise choice but I missed out on not getting the Matchless.
If my mate's had not had bikes I'd have probably bought one.

[@robbiem1961]

1988, I was young, beer more important than buying a new motorcycle, I would have loved one of these, a 'classic' looking proper bike: I'd love one still, though they're very thin on the ground

[@TheBugsplat]

Thanks for posting this video, I own an identical bike (on a G plate) and am slowly building it back up, I have most of the parts now to finish it but struggled with the master cylinder which appears to be unobtainable,Ended up milling the switch cluster down so I can fit an independent Magura cylinder.....all part of the fun :)

[@fanbatcher]

I recall when these came on the market.,I don’t think many if any were imported to the USA. The bike aged very well and seems a very practical machine.

[@stevenhackett5876]

My brother in law had one of these. In 1997 we went down to St Ives with camping gear, he with my sister on the back of the Matchless and myself on my curry burning Enfield Bullet. They were quite evenly matched, but the Bullet was better on fuel. Nice pint of Old Speckled Hen in The Sloop on my 40 eth........happy days !

[@alfred-vz8ti]

well, the 'em' is matchless, not much else. looks like a great machine.

[@David-og7di]

I like the Harris ethos, they did there damn best to keep GB bikes around when that was no small thing. FYI there is one for sale new out of storage for $20 000NZ. But the Antipodes has always been expensive for classic bikes

[@Kingsoupturbo]

Great job! a friends parents have one here in Alberta Canada, I'd never heard of it so was looking for info!

[@jibjab351]

Very nice. I had the chance to buy one but turned it down, regret it now.

[@BLUESBOYBENFIELD]

Forks are Paioli

[@silktvPDR1]

Italian frame not British sorry.