Any information regarding Ariel EKT 395.

[Nick Young]

Hello,

Can someone please provide any information about the bike shown in the two attached photos.

I came upon these two photos when empting my late parents house having never seen them before. They both show the same bike which I believe to be a 350 Red Hunter? The one with the younger person wearing a scarf is my late father who did tell me he had a 350 Ariel and the other is my late paternal grandfather. The registration number EKT 395 indicates that it originated in Kent. My grandfather although a Royal Navy Engineering Officer borne and living in Portsmouth was sub coned to the Chatham Naval Station during WW2. Thus would make sense with this place of registration. The photos are taken during the war as the headlamp has a black out deflector fitted. Also unfortunately my grandfather went down with his ship HMS Exmoor 25/2/41 so the picture of him was obviously taken before this date.

Also it would be wonderful to know if this bike is still in existence?

In anticipation.

Kind regards,
Nick

[adrie.degraaff]

I think it's 1938 NH (Red Hunter) 350cc.

[Nick Young]

Hi Adrie,

Many thanks for the information.

However not being familiar with Ariels. What does the NH stand for?

Kind regards,
Nick

[alan.moore]

Nick
EKT 395 was issued, as you say, in Kent. The issue date for EKT registrations was between March 1938 and March 1939. The 395 would suggest it was issued in 1938. The machine does not appear to have the additional return springs on the front forks introduced for the 1939 model year and the rear light appears to be consistent with the 1938 pattern (1939 models had a central 'torpedo' shaped light unit)

Regarding the NH, N refers to 350cc and the H designates it as being a Red Hunter model

Here is a copy of the details of the 350NH from the 1938 sales brochure:

The registered number does not come up with a match on a DVLA vehicle search (so it is not on their compurterised system) or on a search of insured UK vehicles. However, this does not mean it is not still out there somewhere.

Hope this info is of some help
Cheers
Alan

[adrie.degraaff]

A friend here has a matching 1938 NH in parts but no papers, so if he should ask the club for the origin it could have bein sold to Kent, a lot of these Ariels where sold to Holland in the 60's.

[Nick Young]

Hi Alan,

Many thanks for all the very interesting and very informative information. Also the very small glimmer of hope that its possibly still out there.

Kind regards,
Nick

[Nick Young]

Hi Adrie,

If your friends bike does not have (or proof of) the original UK registration number the best that could be obtained is an "age related" number.

With regards to EKT 395. I believe that my dad kept the bike following my grandfathers premature demise. I know defiantly for a while and would then have been sold in the Portsmouth or possibly Petersfield areas in Hampshire.

Hoping that its still out there.

Kind regards,
Nick