Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hello Folks

I know it's rude to ask a load of questions as you join a forum, but I'm head scratching on my Ariel Arrow race bike build

I've got a Arrow in pretty good nick, it's been turned into a cafe racer in the past, and i'm building it to race with British Historic and maybe some roads.

Does anybody here race their Arrow?

i have questions over suspension, rearsets, wheel changes and ground clearance issues.

Engine wise i think we'll be fine, I've built and tuned a lot of two stroke engines in the past, Japanese all be it, and i have a pipemaker and engine tuner who is eager to see what we can do, there will be questions over the carburation and ignition though

If anybody can offer some advice i would be grateful

Steve

Looking forward to seeing some pictures and following the progress of the project, I'm building a cafe racer at the moment.

I don't have any personal experience but I have attached the definitve article on tuning.

Thanks for that Roger, I had an incomplete version already, that's filled in the gaps

Steve

There have been quite a few posts/threads about tuning/racing Arrows, with (to my mind) some very useful docs, info...and pics!
eg
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=7383&p=49917
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6778&p=46031

I'd suggest using the 'advanced search' facility (top right of screen, the 'cog wheel' opens up the 'advanced' dialogue) which will let you search just the two-stroke forum.

Hope that helps

SG

Thanks Simon, some very useful info there. Food for thought without a doubt

Hi Steve, I've been Parade riding Arrows at BHR and CRMC meetings for the last 10 years (I've never raced). So far I've ridden Arrows at Anglesey, Cadwell, Darley Moor, Snetterton, Silverstone, Castle Combe, Mallory, Oulton Park and Donington, Here's a photo of my Arrow Racer taken at Cadwell in August, unfortunately when I went back to Cadwell again in September with BHR I totalled it and ended up at A & E Grimsby, ten weeks on have still not fully recovered but getting there slowly, its not put me off and will be out again after I've rebuilt the Arrow starting with another frame as it got badly dented after being hit by another bike. The engine is a twin carb unit, Mikuni carbs, also has Yamaha reed valves, revs to 11000 rpm, can't tell you much about the tuning aspects as I leave that to the experts, I just enjoy the performance the Arrow engine is capable of turning out when tuned properly. Note the disc brake on front wheel, this is one Arrow front brake that does work. Jess

Steve, There are not many Arrows being raced these days, here are some pics of those that have been at meetings during the last ten years. Names of their riders are, Mike Hose (Coogan Arrow), Iain Green (Invicta Arrow) and Rob Taylor. There might be one or two more I've heard mentioned but never actually seen them at any race meetings I've been to. There are a few more Arrows that are also Parade ridden and others that are sprinted, I'll try and find some pics of them later on. Jess

Photo of Parade riding the Salt Arrow Production racer at Castle Combe in 2015. This machine was built by the Ariel factory as a Production racer in 1961 and took part in long distance races such as the Thruxton 500 miler and Silverstone 1000 events, in 1961 it also took part in the Barcelona 24 hour race in Spain finishing 2nd in its class and first British machine to finish the race, its riders were Peter Inchley and Robin Good. I last had this machine out on track in August Parade riding it at Anglesey. You don't need to build a full blown Arrow racer to have fun out on track. Jess

Steve, Some photos you might find of interest of my Arrow 350cc triple built by Roy Boughey who used to race Arrows on short circuits and at the TT in the early to mid 1960's. Roy went on to build a number of Arrow racers for others to ride over the decades. This was his last project before he hung up his spanners. All new parts in engine thats not been ridden on track yet. Jess