Info re the tank number. C 4,812,104 to 4,815,603 were the WD contract numbers of a batch of 3500 Ariels delivered between 29/10/42 and 5/4/43. Engine numbers 21,501 to 25,000 Frame Numbers 37,281 to 40,530 As the frame, forks and engine have all been changed I guess the bike is a classic murphy's broom - very nice too!
When I used to ride old bonnevilles and commandos, I only worried when it didn’t leak...meaning there mustn’t be any oil. BTW, there’s no way that paint is from the ‘30s.
I'm really envious! What a fantastic bike. I used to have an old Triumph 3TA and it needed a bionic right hand to get anything much from the front brake, although it sort of worked most of the time. In theory, the back brake should have been weaker but in reality, was much more effective.
A very careful build, of a drum brake, will increase its effectiveness. They are not modern brakes by any stretch of the imagination but they can work well. Most old drum brakes are glazed, the linings do not fit the drum properly and the bushings are dry. The back brake is more effective on classic bikes because you have a greater mechanical advantage.
An interesting bike. A quick bit of research would soon yield information about the service number on the tank. I believe that the paint colour is post-war. The thing that puzzles me most though, is why so many folks in the "Bike shed" videos don't appear to wear any gloves. Have any of them fallen onto gravel? I have had a few biking accidents over the years, and know how much the human body dislikes tarmac at any speed. Hands are very complicated parts of the body to fix. Gloves highly recommended. Take care out there.
It doesnt have springer forks, it has girders which are completely different. It looks like a bitsa that sombody has cobbled together to make it look like a WD bike. When WD bikes were registered for the road after the WD sold them, the frame numbers were not restamped. If this has had the original number removed, I would think it has been stolen at some point. Mine left the factory in November 1940 and the customer was the war department. It was registered for civilian use after the Army sold it in 1951 and it still has the tank number it was first issued with in 1940 Your speedo is the correct pre war type but should be driven from the front wheel. The gearbox on yours shouldnt have a speedo drive. Lots of things give away that it's not a genuine WD bike, but it looks great and I would just ride it every day as you do 👍.
If the frame IS 1935 it would not originally have telescopic forks (Matchless put the first teles onto a British motorcycle in 1941 on the WD G3L after 'borrowing' the concept from BMW after the outbreak of World War 2) - The original girder forks WOULD have been sprung, by 1935 even lightweight, small capacity British two-strokes had sprung girder forks, even if they were a little more rudimentary than those on your Ariel..
I commuted my 1938 red hunter to work in all weather for 6 years. It was perfectly reliable and only leaked a tiny amount from the valve lifter spindle. I polished it up at the weekends and took it to shows and posed it outside my local Pub. I always hankered after another one, so I got one this week. I wont sell it until I'm too old to ride it. This one however isn't a 1935 at least not the engine as they changed from open valves to enclosed valves for 1938 onwards and maybe no individual part is from 1935 either, except possibly the service number, and it isnt fitted with springer forks it is fitted with Girder forks. However, this is still a beautiful old classic. 👍
Rigid is when the frame came out of the factory (manufacturer or aftermarket) with the rigid frame, and hard tail is when it came with suspension and the frame has been cut and modified to make it a hard tail
I will agree with Art a Rigid motorcycle was factory built not only Brit bikes but also American and from any other manufacturer so not really an Americanism, where I differ with Art is that not only modified frames but also non-manufacturer, aftermarket frames meant for choppers bobbers etc are hardtail. I hate Americanisms our fault for adopting them not their's triple trees - no these are yolks ears - no headlamp brackets sick - no sick is vomit usually complete with carrots springer forks - no girder forks including pre-war Harley"s the forks on this bike are girders, a 1935 Ariel will have girder forks and I believe without closer inspection these are Ariel girder forks. etc etc It's possible it could be ex WD as they did use these it would take more investigation, the number if not decoration will have a record. The speedometer is a chronometric and why he mentioned on how it moves. It's a nice bike whatever, I own a 1938 but in civilian trim with girders, they changed to tellies later in that year.
@@thatguycalledart6270 Yes Art you're correct I should have made that clear, it was the use or abuse of the terms and confusion I was meaning, I have heard people here in the UK and in the US refer to girders as springers, Its lack of knowledge on their part, not their fault and a part of learning. I own a few rigid bikes with girder forks and on more than one occasion heard younger guys (I mean even in their 40's) call them rigid and refer to the forks as springers. Too much OCC I never belittle them but explain the difference.
As an owner of 1955 triumph tiger cub I can relate to the poor brakes and useless headlight, I might as well hold a candle out front. As for the oil leak, the bikes just marking its territory. Cool bike and don’t do too much tlc, that is history and character on show. Just think if that bike could talk, the stories it could tell and your adding your own layer of history by using it.
Many, many, many years ago when I was a kid I had a BSA C-15, with useless lights and brakes, as they all were back then. One night I ran into and over a small roundabout in a housing estate. The light was so bad that I didn't see it until it was way too late for the tiny, useless, drum brakes to stop the bike, or even slow it down much. So, with a bump and thump, over the top I went.
Cool bike, looks like it needs a lot of TLC though some of bits are questionable (front brake, headlight, wiring, muffler). Nothing a good weekend of wrenching cant fix.
The front wheel is wrong, the gearbox is also wrong. The muffler is the correct burgess type with the nipped in top at the tail end. The brass levers are wrong they should be pressed steel. The frame also looks wrong, the W/NG uses the trials frame that has more ground clearance. The tank number does relate to a mid war bike but probably not this one. It's a bitsa but lovely looking.
Never sell this bike, Jack. I sold my 16H nearly 40 years ago and I still regret it. Now I'm in my 60's and old war bikes are way above my budget. Still want one to tinker on. Keep using and caring the old lady.
It's a 'Contract' number, basically the War Department placed contracts with the various manufacturers for batches of bikes to a certain spec. If this bike was part of a WD contract you may be able to trace it to what contract using frame number with the Ariel owners group or guys in 'Historic Military Vehicles Forums may be able to help. (rarely do frames and engine numbers match on WD bikes due to the way military service depots would strip & rebuild the machines). This may be just a random number someone has added to the bike in later life ~ who knows..... enjoy the pleasure of owning it Jack :) I have an Enfield 350sv WDC from '44, attracts more attention than any other bike I have lol. I may get it over to the Shed sometime..... mind you TFL might charge me zillions for the pleasure ;)
And the grips should be canvas not rubber it was at a shortage when that was built not original but nice to see your involved with a wng ariels are few and far between be worth a few quid even as it is in few years time send me a message if you needs any parts
1.15 Er it is a girder fork... Pre war they were ALL girders... the only springer type forks fitted on Brit bikes were the Castle types as on Broughs. Educate yourselves guys before educating the masses on YT. Nice bike by the way. Oh and its a 5 speed?
The front forks are girders not springers .springers are a mainly harley thing though a few brits back in the day used them Brough superior and OEC to mame but two .
Hands down the coolest bike you shown on this channel. But really Jack, put some fucking effort on that bike, you're just being lazy. The front brake does not work? Get yourself a wrench and fix it, that's a serious hazard on the road. Same the headlight. The dents and scratches leave them there, they add to the coolness of the bike, but fix the functional stuff.
Haven’t seen many bikes as old as this still running. Keep it going as long as you can - it’s a real treasure.
You haven't been alive long then?
Info re the tank number. C 4,812,104 to 4,815,603 were the WD contract numbers of a batch of 3500 Ariels delivered between 29/10/42 and 5/4/43.
Engine numbers 21,501 to 25,000
Frame Numbers 37,281 to 40,530
As the frame, forks and engine have all been changed I guess the bike is a classic murphy's broom - very nice too!
Great bike. Great sound. Thanks for sharing it. Great to see it being used.
I think this is my favorite feature bike on this channel so far.
Coolest bike yet!
Absolutely fabulous bike. Ariel have so much character. Love it.
When I used to ride old bonnevilles and commandos, I only worried when it didn’t leak...meaning there mustn’t be any oil.
BTW, there’s no way that paint is from the ‘30s.
Great slice of history! Keep it riding but leave it exactly as it is
I love the style and air filter system is very streamlined.
What air filter system? there is no air filter!
@@nightster6378 Whoosh
Love it, lovely to see it not spoiled.
What sound! Awesome ride!! Music to my ears...
Nice one. Good to see some riders keeping their fenders ("mud guards") over there. They exist for good reason.
I'm really envious! What a fantastic bike. I used to have an old Triumph 3TA and it needed a bionic right hand to get anything much from the front brake, although it sort of worked most of the time. In theory, the back brake should have been weaker but in reality, was much more effective.
A very careful build, of a drum brake, will increase its effectiveness. They are not modern brakes by any stretch of the imagination but they can work well. Most old drum brakes are glazed, the linings do not fit the drum properly and the bushings are dry. The back brake is more effective on classic bikes because you have a greater mechanical advantage.
An interesting bike. A quick bit of research would soon yield information about the service number on the tank. I believe that the paint colour is post-war. The thing that puzzles me most though, is why so many folks in the "Bike shed" videos don't appear to wear any gloves. Have any of them fallen onto gravel?
I have had a few biking accidents over the years, and know how much the human body dislikes tarmac at any speed. Hands are very complicated parts of the body to fix. Gloves highly recommended. Take care out there.
It doesnt have springer forks, it has girders which are completely different. It looks like a bitsa that sombody has cobbled together to make it look like a WD bike. When WD bikes were registered for the road after the WD sold them, the frame numbers were not restamped. If this has had the original number removed, I would think it has been stolen at some point. Mine left the factory in November 1940 and the customer was the war department. It was registered for civilian use after the Army sold it in 1951 and it still has the tank number it was first issued with in 1940 Your speedo is the correct pre war type but should be driven from the front wheel. The gearbox on yours shouldnt have a speedo drive. Lots of things give away that it's not a genuine WD bike, but it looks great and I would just ride it every day as you do 👍.
Cool bike!.....don't change a thing!. Cheers, Steve
except your underwear after taking it on the highway
If the frame IS 1935 it would not originally have telescopic forks (Matchless put the first teles onto a British motorcycle in 1941 on the WD G3L after 'borrowing' the concept from BMW after the outbreak of World War 2) - The original girder forks WOULD have been sprung, by 1935 even lightweight, small capacity British two-strokes had sprung girder forks, even if they were a little more rudimentary than those on your Ariel..
gears are on the proper side of the bike, right hand as they should be.
Amen!
Just like God and The Queen intended.
Right side shift right side shift right side shift...
Sound reminds me of Royal Enfields..very nice sounding bike !
Big smile 😀 sounds great
I commuted my 1938 red hunter to work in all weather for 6 years. It was perfectly reliable and only leaked a tiny amount from the valve lifter spindle. I polished it up at the weekends and took it to shows and posed it outside my local Pub. I always hankered after another one, so I got one this week. I wont sell it until I'm too old to ride it. This one however isn't a 1935 at least not the engine as they changed from open valves to enclosed valves for 1938 onwards and maybe no individual part is from 1935 either, except possibly the service number, and it isnt fitted with springer forks it is fitted with Girder forks. However, this is still a beautiful old classic. 👍
Sweet ride. The gears are on the side that God intended......everyone else is wrong! They never leak oil, they are just marking their territory!
Wow, now that was awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Very cool bike, thanks for sharing. Cheers
It's called a rigid frame (hard-tail is an Americanism, I believe). ;-)
Rigid is when the frame came out of the factory (manufacturer or aftermarket) with the rigid frame, and hard tail is when it came with suspension and the frame has been cut and modified to make it a hard tail
@@thatguycalledart6270 nice, i didnt know that :)
I will agree with Art a Rigid motorcycle was factory built not only Brit bikes but also American and from any other manufacturer so not really an Americanism, where I differ with Art is that not only modified frames but also non-manufacturer, aftermarket frames meant for choppers bobbers etc are hardtail.
I hate Americanisms our fault for adopting them not their's
triple trees - no these are yolks
ears - no headlamp brackets
sick - no sick is vomit usually complete with carrots
springer forks - no girder forks including pre-war Harley"s the forks on this bike are girders, a 1935 Ariel will have girder forks and I believe without closer inspection these are Ariel girder forks.
etc
etc
It's possible it could be ex WD as they did use these it would take more investigation, the number if not decoration will have a record.
The speedometer is a chronometric and why he mentioned on how it moves.
It's a nice bike whatever, I own a 1938 but in civilian trim with girders, they changed to tellies later in that year.
Nightster springer forks isn’t an Americanism it’s a different type of front suspension
@@thatguycalledart6270 Yes Art you're correct I should have made that clear, it was the use or abuse of the terms and confusion I was meaning, I have heard people here in the UK and in the US refer to girders as springers, Its lack of knowledge on their part, not their fault and a part of learning.
I own a few rigid bikes with girder forks and on more than one occasion heard younger guys (I mean even in their 40's) call them rigid and refer to the forks as springers. Too much OCC I never belittle them but explain the difference.
minute 3:46 you can see the clutch cable i assume coming of from what it keeps it in place! ahah hilarious ! love the color!
Fitness Ignition He told me that’s his spare.. he’s learnt the hard way not to get caught without one!
Bike Shed Motorcycle Club ahah! I imagine
really nice vintage bike!!
That is a rad bike love the deatils on it
As an owner of 1955 triumph tiger cub I can relate to the poor brakes and useless headlight, I might as well hold a candle out front. As for the oil leak, the bikes just marking its territory. Cool bike and don’t do too much tlc, that is history and character on show. Just think if that bike could talk, the stories it could tell and your adding your own layer of history by using it.
Many, many, many years ago when I was a kid I had a BSA C-15, with useless lights and brakes, as they all were back then. One night I ran into and over a small roundabout in a housing estate. The light was so bad that I didn't see it until it was way too late for the tiny, useless, drum brakes to stop the bike, or even slow it down much. So, with a bump and thump, over the top I went.
Great Bike, thanks for showing us...
Cool bike, looks like it needs a lot of TLC though some of bits are questionable (front brake, headlight, wiring, muffler). Nothing a good weekend of wrenching cant fix.
The front wheel is wrong, the gearbox is also wrong. The muffler is the correct burgess type with the nipped in top at the tail end. The brass levers are wrong they should be pressed steel. The frame also looks wrong, the W/NG uses the trials frame that has more ground clearance. The tank number does relate to a mid war bike but probably not this one. It's a bitsa but lovely looking.
love this bike
Awesome bike and funny talk through 😂
I wonder how many WD Aerials and BSAs lie at the bottom of the sea?
Include Aerial, BSA, Norton, Ajs and Matchless as well.
Above all are British bikes.
Pure class love it 👍
Never sell this bike, Jack. I sold my 16H nearly 40 years ago and I still regret it. Now I'm in my 60's and old war bikes are way above my budget. Still want one to tinker on. Keep using and caring the old lady.
This is my dream bike
A friend had one years ago, in an even oilier state than this. It was the mellowest motorbike imaginable. I'd love one..
Of course there’s oil on the floor. That’s just stating the obvious. Nice machine! Les
I think that service number starting with c is a service number
It's a 'Contract' number, basically the War Department placed contracts with the various manufacturers for batches of bikes to a certain spec. If this bike was part of a WD contract you may be able to trace it to what contract using frame number with the Ariel owners group or guys in 'Historic Military Vehicles Forums may be able to help. (rarely do frames and engine numbers match on WD bikes due to the way military service depots would strip & rebuild the machines). This may be just a random number someone has added to the bike in later life ~ who knows..... enjoy the pleasure of owning it Jack :) I have an Enfield 350sv WDC from '44, attracts more attention than any other bike I have lol. I may get it over to the Shed sometime..... mind you TFL might charge me zillions for the pleasure ;)
Surely that's a girder front-end?!
It is, and Ariels didn't have telescopic forks until after the war.
@@rickmancr You kept calling them springers ... lol!
@@christopher3048 Not me, I know better! :-)
And the grips should be canvas not rubber it was at a shortage when that was built not original but nice to see your involved with a wng ariels are few and far between be worth a few quid even as it is in few years time send me a message if you needs any parts
Sounds well, looks cool, but how do you stop it? Just on the back brake, which I assume works?
Use the gearbox and engine braking. Today's riders don't know they're born...
Vow!! We also have ariel 350 on our channel
Huh, I have the same riding jacket hung up on the back of my chair as I type this.
What kind of ignition system would it have been originally?
points ignition
Five gears? I find that hard to believe.... unless its a special box for off road?
@Jackson Motocycles It's a beauty
Check out Andy Tierman!
what the backsound is?
Ariel always look beautiful.
1.15 Er it is a girder fork...
Pre war they were ALL girders... the only springer type forks fitted on Brit bikes were the Castle types as on Broughs. Educate yourselves guys before educating the masses on YT. Nice bike by the way. Oh and its a 5 speed?
Gears 1up 4 down ?
Wonder what make is the gearbox, the motorcycle sounds cracking.
Wicked bike. 👍 That number on the tank, it's the local Chinese takeaway number I believe.. 😉
"HAYCH!"
Ahaaa young blood old ariel i have some too, but my type ariel nh/ng 1951 350 in indonesian. If i do it review classic motorcycle
The front forks are girders not springers .springers are a mainly harley thing though a few brits back in the day used them Brough superior and OEC to mame but two .
Sound like Royal Enfield
Hands down the coolest bike you shown on this channel.
But really Jack, put some fucking effort on that bike, you're just being lazy. The front brake does not work? Get yourself a wrench and fix it, that's a serious hazard on the road. Same the headlight. The dents and scratches leave them there, they add to the coolness of the bike, but fix the functional stuff.
Sadiq won't like it
Definite cut scene between starting the bike and riding away, the clutch cable fell out of the arm on the gearbox......
Cool bike even if it seems like a death trap to ride especially in the city with those sketchy brakes and no blinkers.
Jack me lad that IS a girder front end, I don't know why you think it's a springer
Royal Enfield
Good museum piece but I would not ride that thing .
His lack of knowledge is quite sad since he's supposed to be into motorcycles.