Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

We've been emailed this request from Australia, from a non-forum user. Some photos provided as well and we all love to see those!
All useful info gratefully received (I think we can assume the DVLA's already been checked out).


Hello and thank you for reading

I recently made the same enquiry with the DVLA and was advised to contact an owners club.

I am trying to locate any registration details that may still be available for an Aerial 500 twin that my Father had in the UK (Kent) about 1950-1952 and he and my Mother went on their honeymoon on.

They have both recently passed away and I would very much like to research and perhaps even obtain or restore one.

I wonder if you may know if there is any hope of finding any details still from the registration (NKP 95) in perhaps a local record?

Many thanks and a couple of pictures attached.

Kind regards

Chris Hine
South Australia
SG

This was first registered at the Maidstone, Kent Local Office.
The historic vehicle archives are held at The Kent History and Library Centre, Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent. ME14 1LQ
They can be contacted by email at:-
archives@kent.gov.uk
From the registration they can usually supply the date of first registration, owner and from the records I have from them, the agent and frame number.
With the frame number you can apply for a Dating Certificate from our club (AOMCC), The VMCC or Draganfly Motorcycles and this will give extra information from the Ariel factory logs.
Kent History website (relevant part):_
https://www.kentarchives.org.uk/collect ... archquery=
Oh yes, there will be a small fee for both the archive search and the Dating Certificate.
Good luck with your quest.
Regards,
Keith.

That registration doesn't appear in the club's machine register, although the bike may be there as most records do not have the registration numbers.

Hi Keith and Roger

Thank you so much for your information. A special thank you to Simon also for his offer to post my message!

I wrote to the Kent History and Library Centre and they have already replied and confirmed they have all original details and verified it was registered to my late Father, P A Hine! The complete record is being mailed to me.

I am so grateful!!

My Fathers interest in motor bikes (although ownership was not life long and limited to their time in the UK) was perhaps sparked by his Father who owned and operated a motor garage on Hastings Road Bromley to about 1940. Sadly he died at the age of 41 when my father was 11.

Picture attached and I am not quite sure if the bike with sidecar is an earlier Ariel or perhaps a BSA. I am not yet sufficiently knowledgeable but perhaps I can become so and even a proud Ariel owner and club member too!!

Thank you again gentlemen!!

Regards. Chris

Pretty certain that the bike is a BSA and quite possibly the car beside it is a BSA 3 wheeler.

You were right Roger. I just got back the higher res image I was having done and the SA of BSA is clear

KG is from Cardiff, so a long way from home, issued between August 1931 and February 1937.

Thanks Roger. Yes it was a long way from home!

I was scratching my head over the car on the left but then identified it as a Singer Nine Saloon. We don't see many of them in Aus!

Another pic - A F Hine (my grandfather) who had the garage.

Hi Roger/all

Thanks again for the advice to obtain my father's bike registration records.

The document arrived today (last entry in pic) and although it doesn't include the exact model details, it does record the chasis (frame) number SB 857.

It also limits the bike year to early 1951 or older.

Any further advice or investigations on the frame number very much appreciated.

Regards Chris

Hi Chris,
Using the frame no. you can now apply for a Dating Certificate from the AOMCC, Draganfly Motorcycles or the VMCC which will give you the dispatch information from the Ariel factory records. I imagine either Paul Jameson or Bennet Longman can advise you here.
All the best,
Keith.