Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

The above is altered.

Thank you the lot of help. The cost is 5000 Euro.
The problem is I have to make at least 75% original bike to get the Olditmer pass.It's hard on hungary...
So i have to change silenser, petrol tank, speedo if somebody got these original part please write to me. Maybe we could change.

It sounds like you have already bought the bike?
If so, I don't think you will have any trouble with 75%. How would they know? The parts are almost all Ariel from about the same year.
I don't think the idea is that they don't want you to have Honda parts.
I, and I think everyone answering was thinking you wanted this information to help decide before buying the motorcycle.

A friend of mine had a 1950 single and his also had the same speedo/tank configuration. In 1950 they were changing over from panel tank to plain tank and from tank mounted speedo to top yoke speedo. I understood from him that there was some evolution during the 1950 production year. Anyway yours is correct for 1950 as far as I can tell.

For a Hungarian vehicle inspector I would think that this Ariel is already more than 75% correct. If it was mine I'd get the correct silencer, speedo and levers.

Hi,
I think it is important to get things into perspective.

The bike has a number of things that aren't quite right for the year and some obvious mods, like the speedo mounting, but the original fork yoke is there (and these are a bit rare being 1950 only, the previous ones for telescopic forks were different, see the post earlier this week with photos) so that's good! . However, all of these things can be put right with time - it's a matter of waiting for things to come along............

None of this should stop you from enjoying the machine if you have already bought it. If you are considering purchasing it then, make sure it's mechanically sound and perhaps make an offer based upon what you now know. When all is said and done most machines that are in use (not museum peices) have some minor deviations from the factory original condition, if nothing else because things broke or wore out and were replaced with whatever was available.

Just remember, part of the fun lies in looking for this or that bit with which to replace another.
Don't be discouraged and most importantly I BET THE AUTHORITIES KNOW NO DIFFERENT - you are not going to be rejecetd because it is a Square 4 tank and not a VH!! I probably wouldn't even bother to change it unless it was not serviceable (it looks fine on the bike)!!!

Good luck and enjoy!!

Keith

Thank you again. Today i brought home the bike (looks great). My only question is that which is the correct speedo, switchers and levers (maybe picture). I can't find anybody who got Ariel in the country so this is the only place where i can find answears.
Something about the electric system a draw maybe? I should know what missing and what correct in it.
One more thing I need to buy non metric screws what not avalaible on Hu. nor the near countries. Do you know some kind of webshop for it?

You could try Draganfly Motorcycles and Ame Stainless for Whitworth stuff - just google them.

Correct levers - don't know. I have a 1950 VH and I beleive the controls are after market although almost right. Double controls Magneto and exhaust lifter are hard to get hold of and those incorporated into the clutch even harder still ( I think this is what was used, but it is not what I have - mine are the former). If the speed works, I''d leave it as is. The speedo would usually have been tank mounted (although I beleive a few exported VHs had it mounted in the fork yoke). If you want to tank mount you need to make sure there's a passage through the tank to take the cable and the trip knob.

Wiring diagrams are easy to come by. If you join the AOMCC you can get access to all of the archive material.

Keith

the speedo mounting is actually correct for a 1950 twin. Being a twin frame it is probably an original part of the frame. Only the singles had the panel mounted tank in 1950. The higher mounting is actually much more user friendly, especially with a full face helmet as the chin piece in the helmet means you have to tilt your head considerably to read a panel tank speedo.
David

Hello Miklos, Welcome !
Good chance to get yourself a nice looking Ariel.
As you see it even foxed some for a while !
All in all a very nice Ariel.
Depends what you have to pay for it ofcourse.....
A VH engine in a twin frame, not a problem if you are not from the originality brigade.
The tank is original, not a India one, the twin Ariels have a slightly higher rear end on the tank, please compare the VH and KH tanks on the pictures and you will see the difference.
Go for it !

Vincent

I entirely with Vincent. And on close examination it is definately not a single frame.

I have really only seen these machines in photographs but the tank does look like those in the famous book by Roy Bacon. Concerning the speedo bracket, i had always assumed it would be like the ones fitted to the 1951 onward machines; so, there you go - I learn something every day!!

keith