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MOTORCYCLE U.K. brand to unveil Model X Reloaded at EICMA Henry Collier was a designer, entrepreneur and winning rider. Together with his sons in 1899 he founded Matchless Motorcycles, which went on to become the largest motor- cycle manufacturer in England. In 1907, Charlie Collier rode a Matchless to victory in the first ever Tourist Trophy, the legendary motorcycle race that still takes place on the Isle of Man. His brother Harry then went on to lift the trophy again in 1909 and once more in 1910. With the rise of motorcycling, bolstered by great commercial success, Matchless acquired other major brands such as: AJS, Sunbeam, Indian and Norton to form the 1938 brand AMC (Associated Motorcycles Company), which then went on to become the leader in the global motorcycle market. In the late 1920s Matchless was ahead by leaps and bounds in post-war technology, espe- cially in relation to the Model X, launched in 1929 with a V-twin 990cc engine. After that, Matchless developed a V-engine with overhead valves, which was considered the most innovative engine of that period and was the engine of choice in prestigious models by both Brough Superior and Morgan. During World War II, the Matchless G3L was adopted by the Allied Forces, which led to more than 80,000 units being produced. After World War II, Matchless became the undisputed leader in single-cylinder engines. The G3 and various versions of the G80 reached huge commercial success, while the G50 Racing became the more competi- tive bike for private racers and brought many successes with legendary riders such as Mike Hailwood, Jack Findlay, Peter Williams, Phil Read, Sammy Miller and many others. The parallel twin cylinder engine, used in both Matchless and Norton models, is another innovative piece of craftsmanship that was developed and produced in the famous factory located in Plumstead Road, London. VISIONARY ENTREPRENEURS The Collier brothers were visionary entrepre- neurs. In fact, Matchless was the first manu- facturer to take care of riders' safety, creating a department to design protective clothing for motorcyclists, which was then tested by the best riders of that era. From the '20s to '40s, Matchless developed great expertise in leather, especially for top riders to wear in races. Even in the postwar period, the company developed off-road clothing brought in and tested by the great Malcolm Smith, a true icon in endurance and motocross. There are various Matchless advertising pages from the '40s, which ahead of their time, emphasized the combination of motor- cycling and elegance. Famous pilots of all specialties, as well as everyday motorcycle enthusiasts, chose Matchless for the innova- tive combination of design, performance, safety and elegance. In 2012, Matchless was purchased by the Malenotti family and is currently in the wake of a great revival, intended to bring the legend of Matchless back to the forefront and reveal it to the new generation. The clothing line Matchless London, man- aged by Michele Malenotti, is present in the most prestigious stores in the world as the best representative of the "luxury-urban lifestyle" that faithfully continues the work begun by the Collier brothers in the '30s. Used in the past by iconic figures such as Marlon Brando and James Dean, Matchless Wear today dresses stars such as Gerard Butler, Bradley Cooper, Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, David Gandy, Stephen Dorff, Arnold Schwar- zenegger, Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Sylvester Stallone, Scarlett Johansson, Pippa Middleton and many more. It also recently became the jacket of choice of the best Holly- wood productions such as "24 - Live Another Day," "Mortdecai" and the upcoming epics "Life," "Our Kind of Triator," "Avengers 2," "Terminator 5," "The Expendables III" and "Batman vs. Superman." EICMA REVEAL At the 2014 EICMA exhibition in Milan, Matchless will celebrate, along with other leading manufacturers, overcoming 100 years of age. It is precisely on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the cycle and motor- cycle show of Milan that Matchless marks its 115th anniversary by presenting the Model X Reloaded, a design inspired by the legend- ary Model X originally produced more than 80 years ago. The bike was designed by Franco Malenotti, along with the Matchless design team. The fuel- injected 1,916cc V-twin engine is Matchless designed on S&S Cycle mechanics. Malenotti has a renowned reputation in the motorcycle industry, having previously collaborated with manufacturers such as Honda, Morini, Ducati, Bimota, KTM and Aprilia, and drawing historical models such as the 1000 Laverda Jota, the 1000 Laverda RGS, Morini 500 turbo among many others. He has also designed various accessories and clothing, collaborating with Shoei, Oak- ley, JT Racing, Millet, Lewis Leather, Dainese and finally Belstaff, where he was creative director from the early '90s until 2011. Today, he is in charge of the Matchless style. The operation was conducted in close contact with the Collier family to under- stand and comply with the spirit and tradi- tion of Matchless. "Mr. Malenotti, together with the new Matchless team, has been able to perfectly center the mix of tradition, technology and elegance that was fundamental to the suc- cess of the Model X back in 1929," John Keller Collier said. "My family is proud to see that the legend of Matchless is now being relived and, most importantly, shared with new generations." PSB S&S-powered Matchless to debut new bike 38 • October 6, 2014 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com U.K.-based Matchless Motorcycles turned to S&S Cycle to power its 115th anniversary model, the Model X Reloaded. The worldwide launch will be at EICMA in November.