Ariel VH 500cc Red Hunter
Although re-registered somewhere along the line as a ‘57, to all intent and purpose this machine has all the distinguishing features of a ‘54 model, which was the first year of the swinging arm frame.
The bike came to me as a basic runner and a lot has been done to bring it up to spec. Some low-key cosmetic work to give appearances a bit of a lift without losing too much history. The brakes were virtually non existent, the electrics were iffy, the clutch was heavy/ dragging, there were various dents and scrapes and the paintwork was unacceptable in places.
The motor is identical to and most likely is a special built by a former Ariel club member. The motor (and gearbox) are excellent. The bike pulls well and it is easy to select neutral when stationary.
Some of the work done since:
Brake shoes relined by Villiers Services, new wheel bearings front and rear, new secondhand rims, new steering head bearings, new cables, new tyres – Heidenau K34s, timing chain replaced, valve lifter refurbed and operating correctly.
Complete rewire mostly using thicker 3. 0mm cable for less resistance (I wanted to stick with 6V for better charging at low speeds), new DVR2 electronic regulator, now running LEDs all around from Paul Goff.
Speedometer overhauled, new centre stand (previously absent) nicely made by club member, footrests straightened, new rubbers etc, clutch refurbished including new plates and springs from club spares (very light).
Much stainless. Some fasteners were in a poor state – beyond salvation, really. In addition some things were incorrect – like the handlebar U bolts which had ordinary BSA clamps, battery carrier plates etc. These were replaced with nicely made replicas from Acme Stainless – Ariel specialist.
Starts easily, hot or cold, and the brakes are good (bearing in mind the age of machine). Have done a couple of hundred miles and the bike is all ready for a new owner to ride and enjoy in the summer ahead.
Ariels were always a cut above the more run-of-the-mill machines with some extra refinements and embellishments. '54 is the first year of the swinging arm frame and the bike has a fully chromed fluted tank and lovely details like the handlebar clamps. Later models had chrome flutes attached to an all painted tank and then the tank shape changed entirely. There are many more NH 350s around than the 500 VH, but the VH has more punch with an extra 7bhp on tap (24 in total).
