My 1950 VH

[Keith.owen]

This is my bike, OPB19 or Betsy after 33 years of neglect.

[I rode her regularly from 1975 'till 1978 when I went abroad for six years. It was during this time that she was abandoned.

I have had the frame powder coated and the only things I'm missing are the correct rear mudguard and stays. Unfortuantely I removed some items for storage upon my first return home and they were subsequnently lost hence no saddle cover or mudguard!!

I shall post again when she's back in an identifiable condition.

Keith

[Keith.owen]

After 18 months this is where I'm at.
I put her together so that Ben Mitchell could inspect her for the purposes of applying to retain the original registration number ( I have the buff log book).

I still have to paint thguards, assemble the rocker boxes and wire her up. The mudguard I fashioned from a generic guard that I got from Armours. Sadly I couldn't wait any longer for a Bruce Longman guard via Drags. It looks prety much there - just the profile is a little bit deeper, but who cares!

I really felt quite emotional when after spending all day fitting things I wheeled her outside to take pictures for the DVLA. These hunters are fine looking machines!!!

I can't wait to ride her!!

Keith

[john.nash]

Don't need wiring to run and ride up and down the road, quickly ..
Go on, you know you want to !

[nevhunter]

Hope you have better luck than I did. In my younger days, a mate of mine was a bit late for lectures and insisted that I should take him on the pillion of the ZA7 BSA I had. I got about 1/4 mile before one of the boys in blue motioned me to stop ( from the other side of the road) and come and talk with him. Perhaps John has influence there with the constabulary. He's pretty good with computers, and that requires talent. My youngest seems to have inherited my luck with the boys in blue but he works hard at it, whereas I was a clean cut "pure", inoffensive looking type, and my mufflers had baffles
Regarding the VH. I think they are Ariels best bike. They are nothing very special but they do a good job and in their day acquitted themselves well in circuit work and responded to tuning in the hands of a person with some skill in that area. They were called the " poor mans JAP" here. Was that the same in the UK?. Nev.

[adrie.degraaff]

I don't know about England, a JAP is indeed very good, in the Netherlands only the vibration of the VH is mentioned.

It could originate from the fact that JAP owners didn't like Page to go to Ariel, like NSU (Norton Spares Used).

[Keith.owen]

Nev,
When I was at school I was pretty well behaved. Why? Because on the odd occassions that I did step out of line I (always) got hammered - others did it all the time and got away with it. But you know I am tempted!!!

Keith

[simon.holyfield]

That's a fine looking machine. Is that a Draganfly seat?

I noticed you repainted the tank - concious decision to move away from the 'nickel shortage maroon'?

[Keith.owen]

Hi Simon,
The seat is the one that was on the machine when I bought it back in 1975. Unfortunately the seat cover was lost because I removed it in the hope of stopping it from rotting. I don't remember who it was manufactured by but I think it was Terry's (this was in 1978) so it might not ever have been original equipment; there is unfortunately nothing on the frame that readily identifies the manufacturer. The new cover is, however from Drags. I am having trouble with the springs. These are the ones fitted on the machine when I bought it and are the right style for the year (1950), however they don't fit the studs that i bought from Clay at Acme which are too big to pass through the clooure at the end; they are also rusty. I recently went to Beaulieu and tried some springs but all exhibited the same problem with the stud size (7/16"). I don't know what others owners have experienced here. Perhaps someone knows where I can get some that will fit? According to Bacon, Barrel spring were adopted in 1951.

Concerning the tank, again it was the one that was fitted. I painted it the colour in the pre-restoration photo in 1976 because it had been painted a garish red and looked awful. Unfortunately although not obvious from the pre-restoration photo, when I removed the paint there were just holes at the back of the tank at the point at which the seam was made with the base, which was also holed. It just was not feasible to repair the tank to a standard at which a decent chromed finish could be achieved. The red panels are in post office red cherry the modern equivalent correct colour for the year (as far as I am aware); I beleive that it was in 1951 that the dark crimson was adopted. I am quite pleased with the result which although not quite original does, I beleive, keep with the spirit of things.

Keith

[Keith.owen]

Here we are at last after three years undergoing restoration she is finally on the road.

Well,

The satisfaction is unbelievable, particularly considering how nicely she handles, especially at low speed.

I was asked how long it has been since I last rode her and it is pretty much 36 years, give or take a few weeks!!

To date she's done six miles (taken out last Sunday and ridden to work today); there is a slight weeping of oil from the feed to the rear rocker which I hope a little careful tightening of the dome nut will solve.

It can only get better as I get used to her and she gets run in!!

Tonight I have to spray the front number plate which didn't quite run with the curvature of the front guard and had to be filed to shape (i'd already painted it). A few more minor details to attend to, but she's up and running which is what matters!

[Steven.Carter]

Looks very sweet Keith, let the fettling begin
Steve