Albert J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, of Wolverhampton, England was founded in 1909 to produce motorcycles. In 1909 AJS built a motorcycle that utilized a JAP V Twin 1000cc motor, leading link front forks and a swing arm rear suspension. The first “real” AJS that used an AJS produced motor came out in 1911, a two speed, 292cc side valve thumper. One was entered in the 1911 Isle of Mann TT and placed 15th. Pretty good for a first year design.
AJS was a family run operation, with brothers George Stevens as Chief Salesman, Harry Stevens as Engineer, Joe Stevens junior as Production Engineer and Albert John ("Jack") Stevens in charge of the design office (Albert John was the AJ in AJS by the way). AJS produced reliable, thrifty motorcycles for the masses in the UK, and the only real complaint one could pit against the bike was its leaky nature. Early AJ’s utilized a stamped tin primary cover, and other tin bits on the motor that made the bike leak live a sieve
In 1916 World War One saw AJS get a Government Contract to produce motorcycles for Russia, and some 1100 six horsepower model D 500cc V Twin Motorcycles made their way to war.
1916 AJS Model D 500cc V Twin
AJS also produced some excellent road/dirt track racing machines, like the 1914 350 cc, with four-speeds and chain final drive. Enclosed brakes and chain primary drive were introduced. By 1930, the racing bikes had chain driven double overhead cams, dual oil pumps (one for the motor, and one for the transmission), forged engine internals and superior bearing materials, roller and needle types being used wherever possible. 
1930 349cc A7 SOHC Isle of Mann Winner
In 1938 AJS became part of a group called Associated Motorcycles, founded by the Collier Brothers (that was later asorbed by Norton-Villers). After this “merger” AJS and Matchless shared common design characteristics, and were essentially the same motorcycle. Companies belonging to the AMC group included AJS, Matchless, Francis-Barnett and Norton.
Under the AMC group, serious racing motorcycles were being designed and raced, the most fururistic of them was the 1939 water-cooled supercharged AJS V4. This dry sump 495cc V4 was the first bike to lap the Irish Grand Prix at over 100 mph. It weighed 405 lb. and had a top speed of 135 mph.
In 1966 Associated Motorcycles and the AJS name eventually ended up with Norton-Villers at the Plumstead factory. The Plumstead works closed in July of 1969, with the AJS Model 33 being the last AJS badged four-stroke ever produced at Plumstead.
In 1970 a government subsidy allowed AJS to move operations to the North Way/Thruxton facility in Andover, where they produced AJS badged 2 stroke off-road motorcycles that used a Villers Starmaker motor. The Stormer came in 250 and 370cc models. But when AJS hit the financial skids again, the rights to manufacture AJS motor cycles was purchased by Mr. Fluff Brown, a motorcycle financier who moved operations to Goodworth Clatford near Andover, Hampshire in September of 1974.
The Stormer was a good looking motorcycle, and if you’ll notice the rear shocks were kind-of forwarded mounted, which maybe explained why they handled so well. Leading axle Metal Profile, Ceriani or Betor forks were used up front, being about the best forks you could get at the time.
English Akronts were laced to Metal Profile hubs, and were the sexiest wheels anywhere. The Ajs was light, and topped the scales at around 225 lbs. The biggest disadvantage the AJS had was the motor, an old Villers design that used a solid mounted British Amal carburetor, questionable bearings and electrics by Lucas. Also, please note the giant 60 tooth rear sprocket, caused by the Starmakers overly high primary gearing. The bike was a torquer, and not that fast. And If you tried to hop up the ancient Villers design, the motor would blow itself to pieces.
The Ajs Stormer dirt bike was only on the scene for 5 years, and was soon eclipsed by (you guessed it) Japanese MX bikes. Quality control issues plauged the later Stormer series, and I can remember an ad in Dirt Bike magazine for 250 or 370 AJS' being sold new, in the crate for $799.00 in 1975. 
1971 AJS 370 Stormer
Believe it or not, AJS survived (sort of) and now produces a 125 cc four-stroke street and off road bike, a cruiser, and a 250 cc parallel twin sport bike. They also sell AJS Stormer & Villiers Starmaker spare parts.
Comment on this article