Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hello Ariel enthousiasts,

I have recently bought and just picked up an Ariel square four from 1949 according to the logbook that came with, I am not sure if I will go for a full restauration or try and keep the cosmetic state as it is.

I would like to ask here if you can recommend any sort of documentation that can be of help during the disassembly and rebuild.

Also I am wondering about the siamese style exhaust system on it, as I can only find pictures of square fours with twin exhaust systems.

Jacob

Hello Jacob and welcome to the forum.

That looks like a nicely original 1950 model to me. These would have been on sale
from the last couple of months of 1949 on so the 1949 logbook date could well
be correct. As to the siamese pipes I expect it spent a good part of its life
hauling a sidecar in which case you may well find quite a small engine
dprocket when you open things up and rather stronger springs in the forks
and plungers. The registration is from Northampton.

Some more pictures would be interesting too.

I can recommend joining the owners club as a source of information as they have
online copies of all the works manuals and a host of other information too.

I can confirm that it is a 1949 model from the numbers that were listed by H&H, although as Will says it has the short headlamp ears and steel speedo mount that were features of the 1950 models. There is lots of info on this forum and much literature in the club's library, free to members. Siamese pipes were standard fitment on the 1939-40 4G (iron model) but not available from the factory for the MKI. Try not to restore it, give it a good clean and a mechanical restoration. I have several bikes like this and they are always admired by the general public more than shiny restorations.