Founded: 1909
AJS headquarters: Wolverhampton, England
AJS parent: Norton Villiers Group (1967) Fluff Brown (1974-…)
Website: www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk
Father Joseph Stevens Senior founded forging industry in Wolverhampton in 1984. His son Harry Stevens supported father and begun to learn from him. The motorcycle history of the company started with the purchase of Mitchell’s four-cylinder engine by Joseph. Harry decided that this is his vocation and the history of AJS brand begun.
Soon, Stevens made his own engine that has been recognized by the specialists of the time as one of the best. Stevens Motors Manufacturing Company was founded in 1899. The popularity of AJS engines was so great that soon old factory was overflowed and required a larger factory.
In 1909, Company moved and had been renamed the AJ Stevens Company; that was when large-scale motorcycle production started. First models of the restructured company were motorcycles A and B. Production of new model D started little later.
New model of the racing motorcycle was produced in 1920, and AJS motorcycle took first place in motorcycling again. Company had to fight the customers off.
In the early twenties, motorcycle of B model was modernized with the new engine. Thus B1, B2 was made and more recent modifications B3, B4 have also emerged.
Regardless of comprehensive model range production in 20-30s years, AJS gradually was losing. Further efforts have been carried out to recover sales volumes.
In 1930, Company counted on model R7, became known for its speed 160 km/h, but it didn’t help.
The completely new models emerged, they were really qualitative and not expensive. Company didn’t improve the situation; it got into huge debts. At the beginning of the 30s, Company had to be closed.
At present, AJS Motorcycles Company is headed by Nick Brown and his family.