Matchless Silver Hawk

Matchless Silver Hawk

Manufacturer	Matchless Motor Cycles (Colliers) Ltd, Plumstead Road, London
Production	1931-35
Predecessor	Silver Arrow
Class	Standard
Engine	592 cc (36.1 cu in) OHC 26° V4
Top speed	80–85 mph (130–137 km/h)[1]
Transmission	Four speed Sturmey Archer Gearbox
Wheelbase	56in
Fuel consumption	75–80 mpg-imp (3.8–3.5 L/100 km; 62–67 mpg-US)

Matchless Silver Hawk was a Bert Collier designed ^[2] motorcycle produced by Matchless in 1931 and introduced at the Motorcycle Show at Olympia, London as one of two up-market four-cylinder machines from two manufacturers; the Silver Hawk whose production would last less than four years^[3] and the Ariel Square Four, whose production lasted into the 1950s.

Description

Silver Hawk from 1931 showing close up of hand gear change from the National Motorcycle Museum (UK)

The Silver Hawk’s 592 cc design was a development of the Silver Arrow and shared a similar frame design and cycle parts, as well as the monoblock 18 degree V with a one-piece OHC head concept. The single bevel-gear overhead camshaft ran across the cylinder head and four bores with special air cooling housed two pairs of cylinders at 18 degrees to each other. A single carburetor fed all four induction valves through a cross shaped induction that produced an uneven feed. Coil and dynamo ignition was driven by skew gearing from the camshaft-drive vertical shaft. A dry-sump oil system was supplied from a steel tank at the base of the front-down tube, bolted to the engine's crankcase. The engine was flexible, however, and could be started by hand and run in top gear most of the time. This was an important factor for the hand operated gear change.^[4]

In the sales literature Matchless described the Silver Hawk as unquestionably the most fascinating machine to ride that has ever been built. It combines the silence, smoothness and comfort of the most expensive motor car with a super-sports performance. On top gear alone the machine will run from as low as 6 miles per hour to over 80 miles per hour, while the acceleration given by the four-cylinder overhead camshaft engine in conjunction with the four-speed gearbox must be experienced to be believed.^[5]

The main competition for the Matchless Silver Hawk in the top end luxury motorcycle market at the time was the Ariel Square Four. Manufacture of the Silver Hawk was expensive and sales were slow - the Hawk was discontinued in 1935.^[5]

References

1. ^ Holliday, Bob (1974), Motorcycle panorama: a pictorial review of design and development, Newton Abbot, pp. 68–69, ISBN 9780668036474 
2. ^ [1] Is-it-a-lemon Vehicle Histories (Retrieved 21 October 2006)
3. ^ [2] PracticalClassics Auction Description (Retrieved 21 October 2006)
4. ^ Kemp, Andrew; De Cet (2004). Classic British Bikes. Mirco. Bookmart Ltd. ISBN 1-86147-136-X. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Matchless Model B Silver Hawk". http://www.manuk.de/_matchs.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-19.