Amal (carburettor)

Amal
IndustryMotor
Headquarters
Salisbury, Wiltshire
previously Birmingham
,
UK
ProductsCarburettors
previously also motorcycle controls
WebsiteBurlen Ltd

AMAL was a British engineering company servicing the motorcycle and other light-engineering motor industries between 1927 and 1993[1] based in Birmingham, England.[2]

AMAL is a British carburettor trademark. Amal was the supplier of carburettors to many marques within the British motorcycle industry[3] including the largest of British manufacturers, such as Triumph, BSA and AMC, and to producers of small industrial engines.

The main carburettor types commonly associated with Amal are slide carburettors for motorcycles. These were historically distinguishable as three types: the Standard, with a separate float chamber, the Monobloc with an integral but offset float chamber and the Concentric, a later development with the float chamber directly below the body and air-slide.

Less-common types, known as GP and TT, were mainly for road-racing and other competition use, and were used on high-performance road machines such as BSA Gold Star, BSA Spitfire and Velocette Thruxton.

Amal also produced handlebars and control levers for the motorcycle industry,[2] via a subsidiary business, Lozells Engineering,[4] twist grips,[5] cables and wire, plus ICI silicone grease.[3][6] All AMAL chromium plated components were stated to be finished in "Nickel Chromium Plating, British Standard Approved."[3]

Amal's light-alloy levers with click-stop adjusters 509/001 brake and 509/002 clutch were taken-over by BSA and marketed under their 'Motoplas' accessories branding from 1967, with Doherty taking-over production of the traditional chromed-steel levers.[7]

With the decline of the British motorcycle industry, the use of Amal carburettors declined, but they are still produced under different ownership as spares for the classic market.

  1. ^ Amalgamated Carburetters. Grace's Industrial Guide. Retrieved 2013-07-09
  2. ^ a b Motor Cycle, 10 November 1966, Earls Court Show Edition p.15 Amal factory advert – the 'new' Concentric and "wide range of controls, handlebars, etc. Amal Limited, Holdford Road, Witton, Birmingham 6." and p.632 Show Guide editorial, "New carburettors are rare...the neat 600 and 900 Concentric carbs are at Earls Court for the first time." Accessed 2013-07-08
  3. ^ a b c Motor Cycle, 7 April 1966, p.1. Amal factory advert – "Carburetters supplied suitable for all types of machines for every purpose. Backed by service throughout the world. All AMAL chromium plated components to BS1224/1965". Accessed 2013-07-10
  4. ^ Motor Cycle, 9 September 1965. p.366 Brighton Show 'Bits and Pieces' "New name in the accessories field is Lozells Engineering, an Amal subsidiary, sharing stand space with the parent company and displaying a range of handlebars and levers." Accessed 2013-08-19
  5. ^ Motor Cycle 23 September 1965 Brighton Show Round-up, p.433 "..twin rotor twist-grip (for twin carburettors, of course)...The Amal Type 313...uses a very solid-looking die-cast body..." Accessed 2013-08-07
  6. ^ Motor Cycle, 24 November 1966, Earls Court Show Review edition p.697 Amal LMC-series clip-ons. Accessed 2013-07-09
  7. ^ Motor Cycle 3 August 1967 p.1071 Amal – Motoplas levers "As distinct from the bulk of the erstwhile Amal control-lever range (now made by Doherty) manufacture of Amal solid light-alloy sports levers has been taken over by the BSA group. These will now be sold under the Motoplas name". Accessed 2013-08-09