Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hi all. Many thanks for access to this forum. I have an Ariel Colt 200, which has an electrical fault. No ignition however I have power to the horn which works ok. I don’t know where best to start. Any advice would be appreciated. Also looking for advice on where I may be able to get hold of a workshop manual and where if anywhere to buy spares please. I have been told that many parts from the BSA C10 will cross over to my Aerial, is that correct? Many thanks in advance for any help and guidance.

Mark

I'm not very familiar with Colt electrics, but if you've got nothing to the lights or coil, just to the horn (or maybe the brake light works as well?) it seems to me that you've got a problem with the main power feed into the circuit, maybe at the lighting/ignition switch?
For parts and info you probably need Draganfly (usually known as Drags)
https://draganfly.co.uk/product-categor ... riel-colt/
https://draganfly.co.uk/product-categor ... ture-colt/

There's also info available to Club members in the Members' Section of the main website....

Also note the spelling of the marque 'Ariel' - I've corrected the spelling in your original post (hopefully before too many folk get upset)

Welcome!

SG

I doubt your Colt electrics have any similarity with the C10, C 11 Models which had a distributor like points and a coil set up with a chain driven DC Generator. Without the battery charged those bikes are unlikely to start. For me that was a good reason not to have one. I think the Colt would have an alternator, with a starting setting on the switch for a flat Battery situation.. Nev

The bike is registered as 1956 not 1954. Are you sure it's 1954? The wiring is slightly different for the two years. If you know the prefix letters of the frame and engine numbers that will give the year.

Having said that, most Wipac wiring on lightweights of this era are very similar. The horn will be wired from the battery, through the horn to the horn button on the handlebars so all that tells us is that the battery is charged. To check the ignition circuit find the two wires on the coil - one goes to the points (probably maroon), the other to the battery (via the ignition switch -probably dark green). Disconnect these two connectors, turn the ignition switch ON (ign) and check if there is 6V on the dark green. Then check the other wire to the points and check that it goes to earth when the points close. Also check the resistance of the LT and HT sides of the coil. If this is all good you should get a spark when you turn the engine over.

Pete

Gents.
Many thanks for your kind and informative response. Much appreciated.

This is a page from the Wipac catalogue - it might help you learn what was originally fitted to your Colt.

There are 4 wiring layouts for 5 years of Colt, details are at the bottom of this page https://draganfly.co.uk/product-categor ... ment-colt/

Diagrams from Ariel Colt Owners Handbook (model LH) .....

It doesn't appear to have an emergency start system. The Battery has to have charge. Nev

Hi

Both ignition switches have an EMG position on the diagrams

Regards Mick