Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

British Historic Racing are at Darley Moor Race Circuit, Derbyshire this weekend and have decided to take part with BHR for the first time by having a ride out in one of their PR5 Parade Session at lunchtime, PR5 is for any road bike that is road legal, costs £15 and lasts about 15 - 20 minutes. Plus the cost of day entry to the circuit, actually quite a cheap way to get a ride out on a race track as long as you don't have to spend too much on fuel to get there in the first place and the rest of the time you've got the racing to watch....
I don't live far from Darley so got the Arrow out this morning and had a ride over only to find there was no-one there yet other than the wife of the Clerk to the Course who explained competitors usually start arriving after lunchtime.
Oh well, I enjoyed the 70 mile ride out and was back home for elevensies.
The Arrow I want to ride on track is now in the back of the Bedford Camper van and I'll make my way to Darley in the morning for that Parade Ride.
Next outing on track will be with Classic Racing Motorcycle club race event at Donnington in 2 weeks time, have booked four Parade sessions that weekend and then in September I'm going to give the Arrow a run out at Cadwell for the first time. Flying the flag for the little Ariels.
Picture attachment shows the Arrow in the Race Paddock at Darley Moor at 10 am this morning, I bet its looking rather different now.

Roger J....

Hi All,
Went along to Darley Moor Race circuit this morning arriving at 7.30am to find the Paddock pretty busy already with competitors taking their machines along for early scrutineering etc, contrast that to my visit the previous morning when there was no-one to be seen.
Had a brilliant day, went out on the Arrow for the PR5 road bike parade ride and really enjoyed it, so much so that I returned home this evening to swap Arrows over as I've decided to go back tomorrow to enjoy some more track riding but on a different machine....

Stay cool.... Roger J

Looks like a great event.

There is something about Morgan trikes, they are just lovely.

I have some old slides of them competing in the 'Classic Three-wheeler' event at Mallory Park back in the late 60s (Eric Oliver was there on a Norton Outfit). When I get a couple of wet days I'll post them.

Looking forward to pics of today's visit .

Bob.

Hello Bob,
Pleased you liked the photos, a real nice mixture of machines out together and racing....
I had a brilliant day myself, really enjoyed riding the little Arrow out on track, only have one photo at the moment taken at the hairpin, will have to wait for the official track photographer to post pictures on-line later this week.
I went back home Saturday evening and swapped the Arrows over deciding to return early Sunday morning and do the track ride on the Black/White Arrow, still looks pretty standard but has a tuned engine and 50t rear sprocket so pulls very well, again really enjoyed the run out.
Don't want to clog the forum up with pictures of non Ariels, will let Administrator remove some in due course...
Roger J...

Thanks Roger, very interesting.

I always had a soft spot for the Berkeley three-wheeler. It had a light fibreglass body and a three-cylinder two-stroke motor of around 350cc - a Villiers with a 'Siba Dynastart' I think - if my memory serves.

They looked sporty (but probably weren't). I remember a friend having one that was laid-up in his shed. I think the fibreglass was crazed and the chassis was sagging in the middle. More promise than delivery unfortunately. Like anything with three wheels that could be driven on a Motorcycle licence they had to be less than 8 cwt so couldn't be very robust.

It was all a long time ago .

Bob.

Bob.Murphy wrote:More promise than delivery unfortunately.

Why don't you buy a Bond Bug then?

The Bond Bug - have you seen the prices they are fetching these days. couldn't afford one personally....

Roger J..

Roger James wrote:have you seen the prices they are fetching these days.

They are not expensive in the Netherlands, a friend of mine has one unrestored in parts with papers, they are made English roadside only.

No I don't fancy a 'Bug' .

Power to the twin rear wheels and steering from the single wheel at the front didn't look right to me.

I have visions of Jeremy Clarkson rolling Reliants around the corners of British roads .

Bob.

Bob.Murphy wrote:I have visions of Jeremy Clarkson rolling Reliants around the corners of British roads

Television is like Russian politics .