An admittedly poor photo of a prototype AJS 500 MX which was under development when Norton-Villiers went broke.
Note the longer travel forks and the flex joint in the expansion chamber.
In 1975, Fluff Brown, a primary member of the Stormer development team, bought AJS from the doomed N-V , and moved production to a facility in the English countryside near Andover. .After the giants of the British motorcycle industry collapsed, after many of the legendary manufacturers of the vintage MX era closed their doors, AJS continued on. The company produced a series of continuously evolving 247cc and 368cc enduro and motocross machines with up-to-date suspension, carburetion and ignition systems. (Unfortunately for USA Stormer fans, as far as I know these machines were not exported to the Colonies). But Stormer and Starmaker owners were not forgotten, as FB-AJS continued to provide worldwide parts and technical support for their machines. The company continues in business to this day.
TOP : A street-legal enduro model. This one has brackets for attaching a side car .
MIDDLE: An MX model, ca. 1976. Note forward mount shocks, "snake"-style expansion chamber and longer-travel forks.
BOTTOM: MX model ca. 1978. By this time the machines offered CDI ignition, Amal Mark 2 carburetion, and other up-to-date features.
