Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

In Canada-1937 Ariel VH1 Red Hunter. Rebuilt for originality, non matching numbers. Zero miles PA. Original handlebar controls, throttle, switches, lamps and 6V dynamo. Perfectly crafted repro brake light switch. Single strand wiring with correct frame straps. New carb. Engine and gearbox completely rebuilt. Original rear carrier.
GBP £11,500.

hi nice looking Ariel but i think it is a lot of money, in my experience you can pour more money into something than it's worth, but if you are keeping it money is no object , i got a few customers like that and i am the same

Please post pictures of similar machines in your collection. What would your market price be for them? Need direct comparisons.

That is one very nice bike, very well done indeed. I could pick holes in it, but if I posted photos of my 1937 VH2, you could pick more holes in that! The holes might be different though. I would say that your valuation might be a tad optimistic in the current market, but not much.

I trust your evaluation, Paul. Thanks for that.
I think the only reproduction pieces are the clock, the brake light switch and the new carb. Everything else is restored original. Rewired with single strand wires as per original with 6V dynamo. Engine, mag and gearbox rebuilt. The machine has zero miles since completion and requires some fettling for start up. All controls are original. Have a two port head and new fishtail for someone insisting on running a two port.
Very rare to find one in this state of reconstruction with zero miles. As far as valuation? What does it now cost to buy in an original petrol tank, repair, chrome, paint and fit with a rebuilt PA speedometer? New wheels?
Probably not a buy for hardcore Arielists who have fifteen projects ahead of them and who paid pennies on the pound forty years ago for each of them. Great buy for anyone desiring a prewar sport bike without having to start from scratch with hundreds of hours of research and development.

Looks great I'm always confused when a bike has been restored and not run .Why get that far and not following through to completion ?

Very nice prewar Ariel.
I think that restoring from basics up to this standard nowadays costs at least 6 to 7000,- eu.
Perhaps even more if a lot of chroming needs to be done.
A re-chrome of a tank like that would be 1000,- /1500,-eu. Oh, and I forgot the lining!
Buy one of these prewar 500cc in a dilapidated condition and you pay at least 4 to 5K nowadays.
In all, just being able to buy one in such a nice condition as this one is a rare occasion.
And who knows, possibly Wade is open to serious offers .