UK vehicle statistics / AJS
How many AJS cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 3,596 licensed and 5,386 SORN AJS vehicles in the UK, across 15 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving AJS is currently off the road.
Looking at a AJS?
Population figures describe a model group, not the car in front of you.
Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Is the AJS fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published AJS model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 4,633 in 2018 Q3 and stand at 3,596 in 2026 Q1, down 22%. That is down 19% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 5,386 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 8,982 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Before you buy
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 8,982 AJS vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (5,386 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual AJS — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Rarest AJS models
The published AJS model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Flight — 7 licensed, 94 SORN
- Bilston 125 — 129 licensed, 4 SORN
- Barletta — 129 licensed, 15 SORN
- NAC 12 — 17 licensed, 159 SORN
- Highway — 87 licensed, 100 SORN
Every AJS model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Modena 125 | 1,297 | 1,421 |
| DD 125 | 244 | 1,382 |
| Firefox | 336 | 510 |
| Tempest | 395 | 209 |
| Cadwell | 312 | 277 |
| JS 125 | 84 | 428 |
| Digita | 219 | 288 |
| Modena 50 | 108 | 199 |
| JSM 50 | 42 | 239 |
| Desert Scrambler | 190 | 61 |
| Highway | 87 | 100 |
| NAC 12 | 17 | 159 |
| Barletta | 129 | 15 |
| Bilston 125 | 129 | 4 |
| Flight | 7 | 94 |
How to read these numbers
Licensed means taxed and legal to use on the road at the end of the quarter. SORN means the keeper has declared it off the road — it still exists, but it is not in use. A model group's total is the best available proxy for how many survive, and a shrinking one means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply.
Common questions
How many AJS cars are left in the UK?
3,596 AJS vehicles were licensed and 5,386 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 15 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which AJS is rarest?
Of the published AJS model groups, the Flight has the smallest surviving population at 7 licensed and 94 SORN.
Is the AJS fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 4,633 in 2018 Q3 and stand at 3,596 in 2026 Q1, down 22%. That is down 19% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 5,386 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 8,982 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a AJS population figure describe the car I am looking at?
No. It describes the model group. Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record.
Source and limitations
Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.
Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.