AJS traces back to 1909, when it was founded in Wolverhampton, England, as A.J. Stevens and Company, quickly building a reputation through strong showings at the Isle of Man TT. The original company passed through a long chain of ownership changes, being acquired by Matchless in 1931 and later absorbed into Norton Villiers in 1967, while continuing to produce competitive racing machines along the way. The AJS name later passed to new ownership under Fluff Brown and was revived as AJS Motorcycles Ltd. Today's AJS keeps its British branding and design oversight but has its models manufactured in China. Rather than the large-displacement and race-bred machines of its early history, the modern range is built around small-displacement, learner-friendly motorcycles, trail bikes, and scooters aimed at budget-conscious riders and new licence holders across Europe and North America.