Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

This may sound silly but I need advice on removing the dummy tank cover. I have removed the four screws on the underside, the headlamp shell and released all cables but, although it now lifts at the rear it seems to be retained somehow at a point just rearward of the headstock. I've tried sliding it both forward and backward, to no avail. Help!

There are two more bolts inside the dummy tank at the headstock which are
hard to see let alone reach. These secure the dummy tank to a bracket which
bolts to the frame with two studs on the bracket and nuts inside the coil
compartment.

Incidentally, although 'Forum Help' sounds like the appropriate place to post
this request it will be better in 'technical Help; two-strokes' which is where
our Administrator will probably move it when he spots it.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

As noted by Will...

SG

Thanks! And point noted re location for this query

So, I've taken a look and can now see the fasteners to which you refer - a nut & bolt on each side of a 'channel' bracket set well back from the headstock. I have no idea how these can be accessed as I can't even slide my fingers under the cover to reach these, let alone employ tools. Your advice would be gratefully received.

It's certainly not good access but I did manage it on mine without any
loss of blood. Someone had gone to some trouble to replace the original
fixings with custom-made bent dexion, a feature found elsewhere on the
bike, possibly in an attempt to make refitting less difficult.

Mine is still not reassembled but I'll gather up the parts and see if I can take
some photos
Interestingly, the handbook makes no special mention of the front fixings
in the section about removing the dummy tank. If you don't already have
a copy it's well worth acquiring. It's also well worth joining the club as
there are copies online of the manual and parts lists as well as a spares
scheme.

Ahhh, I've just taken another look and discovered that the 'tank-top' tray lifts out, after manoeuvreing the cover clip and this then enables access to the fixings. I was utterly baffled when under the impression this had to be done from under the front of the cover!

A wonderful example of the folly of assumption on my part. I'd assumed you'd
already removed the toolbox tray. Oops.

Ariel went to some trouble to design a bike which was easy to produce and
assemble and it's worthwhile remembering that someone put them together in
the first place.

Anyway, I'm glad it's sorted. On to the next challenge.

Yes, and the folly of the dismantler failing to properly examine the job! We move on...

Thanks for your help.