Description
Only recently, much has been uncovered and written about one of the most famous of all works-built street legal racers ever offered for sale in this country, the G 50 CSR. What the heck is a G 50 CSR? It’s a long story.

Firstly, MATCHLESS as a motorcycle building company, almost more than any other British concern, was fearless in the design and building of cutting edge motorcycles. For example, prior to WW II, it produced the SILVER HAWK, a single overhead cam, narrow-angle V four engine, transverse to the frame. As well, the R7 was its pre-war, OHC single 350 GP bike. The unbelievably complex Porcupine, in not one, but two iterations. Pre-war supercharged bikes, the list goes on. Post-war, aside from the Porc, the company fared well racing and selling the 7R “Boy Racer” as an AJS, a brand it owned. In the early 60s, it was decided to expand the 7R into a full, Seniors 500 cc racer. This model became known as the MATCHLESS G 50. The name reflected the intial horsepower output. In the years that this GP. Magnesium-cases, OHC engined racer was offered, only about 170 were constructed.

In 1961, it was hoped that by homologating the G50 or a street version thereof, one could be raced by then top rider, DICK MANN to win the DAYTONA 200 race, bringing needed recognition and sales to Matchless and the national title hopes to MANN. A prototype was assembled in the US and this thinly disguised racer sent to the works. They disapproved it would seem as the end result was the G50 CSR which was essentially a G 80 scrambler with a G50 engine stuffed in and shot with a most non-motorcycle colored paint, blue. It had a 60s name too – THE GOLDEN EAGLE. In spite of the name, the homologation bike came to be made. Only 25 were constructed and sent to America only.

Dealers who raced snapped these up, realizing from the price what a bargain they had. Now, the cycle parts were not from the GP bikes, nor the brakes, etc. But, it was indeed a genuine G50 grand prix engine. Dick Mann got two and some controversy boiled, as you might guess as to the spirit of the rules. A good background for the serious considering the acquisition of this bike should be the reading of MANN OF HIS TIME, by Ed Youngblood, published about 2 years ago. It’s a long story and Ed tells it much better than I, but suffice it to say that when the dust settled, Mann had entered, raced and nearly won the Daytona 200 in 1962 on one of these wonderful bikes. The factory had built the bikes, the minimum number to qualify as a production bike for the sole purpose of having Mann race Daytona. Now that it was over, the others were being raced and questions about parts support, etc. were arising. G50s needed far more care and attention than a G80 and so, not surprisingly, as they broke, some were pushed into a corner.

Condition
The G50 CSR presented here was one such bike. It had been purchased by the legendary Sonny Angel of Southern California. Sonny’s distinctions are many, but a few might include working for a time at the Vincent factory, being the first man to race a Yamaha on the Isle of Man and a good many more. The SoCal racing scene was full of names you’d recognize. Two of these are Don Vesco and Cal Rayborn. The story goes that these two friends, very young racers, would race this G50 as a TT racer. I’ve asked Sonny and he remembers two G50s and some connection with Don and Cal, but who knows after nearly half a century?

I can definitely tell you Sonny takes zero credit for the paint scheme gracing this wonderful bike. Yet, look at the recent article on Sonny in CYCLE WORLD a few months back and its very close to the Triumph Sonny is photographed with. Maybe the great man is humble about this great paint. Its metal flake, candy apple, red and yellow with wonderful pin striping of the sort Von Dutch brought into play about this time. Interestingly, the design on one side of the fuel tank (the genuine G50 CSR alloy tank) doesn’t match the design on the other side. Wonderful. The saddle appears to be a period Bates.

The handlebars are my favorite. You can clearly spot several places where a cheater bar was used to straighten them after a track spill.

The engine is genuine and original, it being the opinion of Team Obsolete that the cases have not been split. The bearings are still tight and the top end freshened up by Dave Roper when he put it back together for me. Notably, the cylinder head is numbered to the engine sequence, 120 (#20 of the 25).

The engine is ready to go. The chassis is the correct one I believe for the engine as is the gearbox. While everything is there, I had placed the bike in the hands of a retired dealer to reassemble. It had been some time since he fooled with one and as a consequence, the bolts are in from the wrong side which hold in the gearbox, etc. All the marked spacers are there, but its going to have to have “some assembly required.”

The Dunlop tires and Pirellis are original and from the wear pattern on the Pirellis, they were on it when last dirt raced. Its surely missing minor bits, but the main items are there.

I am informed that there were only 12 of the original 25 left in existence prior to the fire at the National Motorcycle Museum and that it claimed theirs. There seems to be a dispute as to whether theirs exists or not. So, maybe 12, maybe 11. Either way, one extremely rare bike, great racing history and the real thing.

Documentation
This great motorcycle comes with the build sheet from TEAM OBSOLETE from Dave’s reassembly of it. Dave is second to none in the world on G50s, both building and racing.

There is a Bill of Sale from TO also. This motorcycle is not titled and is sold on a Bill of Sale as it is anticipated that you, like me, won’t be riding it around on the street much with that big, bad megaphone and no lights.

Pricing
Pricing an historic racer is difficult. A genuine G50 CSR is expensive, but there were comparatively speaking, many of those built as opposed to only 25 of the CSRs. With its pedigree adding a good deal of value, it is priced at $80K USD.

This item cannot be purchased from the website. Please contact Harris Vincent Gallery to make purchase arrangements.