My "Trials " Bike

[chris scott]

[JohnnyBeckett]

HI Chris that is a very lovely looking trials bike and look well built looks like it is lots of fun to ride

[tony.barnett]

Looks good. You planning to trial it?

[paul.jameson]

It is undoubtedly a fine machine and I trust it is fun to ride but there is very little original Ariel in it and even less original trials Ariel, if indeed any at all.

Original Ariel bits are (probably standard roadster) crankcases, cylinder, head and rocker boxes. Timing cases also, but these are earlier than HT era ones. It is possible that the rear hub is Ariel, but not the brake plate or sprocket.
I assume the frame is a replica, along with the tank. Gearbox will be AJS / Matchless and goodness knows what the forks, wheels and primary cases are. Clearly, it is not possible to tell what the engine internals are, or what the clutch may be, but the ancillaries don't appear to have come from Selly Oak. The Ariel factory had closed by the time the Amal concentric was invented.

So, a great fun bike, but I am glad it is described as a "Trials" bike rather than an Ariel.

When I was AOMCC Machine Registrar, people used to ask me to certify that bikes like this one were Ariels so that they could get an age-related number from DVLA. I made myself very unpopular by refusing such requests.

[john.whiting]

Before you ride it ,make the front guard safe ......or you will be kissing the bitumen.......seems a very well engineered special ,and the AMC gearbox is almost certain to have an AMC clutch.........if you quote the code from the box ,someone will tell you what its off ,and year of manufacture.......

[nevhunter]

Quite a few times I've looked into building such a bike and have pulled back each time. If you have a group who use this type of bike for what it's designed for and it fits in with their rules all is fine, and it's your bike It looks lovely etc. . Issues come up with roadworthiness and resale (Just what it IS).
I do machine examination for initial permit issue for bikes up to 1948 with a club here in Australia. and have done since it's inception 33 years ago and I've also in past years foolishly made myself available to JUDGE bikes at some annual runs where I plugged for a separate AUTHENTICATION process independently done, with the owner/builder fully involved, well prior to the judging on the day to sort out that aspect of it before it was allowed to be judged on other points Finish and condition etc . The gearbox you have is an AMC and probably the best gearbox available Sort of thing common in Hagon trackers and repro Nortons, G50's etc Nev

[john.whiting]

Bit of clarification.....the box is the Burman made AMC B52,not the "AMC" box as commonly termed,which is still being made in the US.....the so called "AMC" box is the London made one used from 1956 in Nortons and Matchless /AJS heavyweights.

[nevhunter]

There's even a 5 speed with Magnesium cases if your pocket is deep enough. Yes it's the same as the commando 4 speed and I've seen plenty of those cracked between the two bearings on the drive side in wasp outfits.. Usually after a tooth has come off after a jump when you land harder with some revs still on the engine. Nev

[john.whiting]

I also see the bike has a Lucas SR mag,the common industrial one ,so it has no advance and retard........there is a SR with manual advance ,but far as I know only used on late Manx Nortons,and possibly somewhat expensive....And also ,get the front guard fixed before you have a crash,or just take it off.

[simon.holyfield]

I had a mudguard a bit like that in the 70s, on a Matchless. I took it for MOT (my first time) and the guy gave me the certificate along with a couple of feet of aluminium tube saying "make some stays with that".

Happy days.