86 replies to this topic

[SC1980]

Hi Charlie

From what I know when the bike was restored a lot of the original stuff did not survive due to wear and tear.

The seat unit, chain guard and a few other parts were all hand crafted and replaced by Deryk Wylde to bring the bike back to a restored state.

Not being the one to restore the bike you would really have to ask Jock Wilson what happened to the bits.

[Big John]

Remember Jock Wilson did two SSDT's after buying the bike from Comerfords, plus a heap of national trials, so wear and tear was a factor. Jock was a very good rider and darned competitive at that. The bike was well used after Sammy sold it.

Big John

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guys.

I have just found this web site that should be of intrest, it is http://www.twnclub.c...assic_trial.htm
then click on Ariel. on the left hand side. Still looking for GOV info at the moment , will get back later.

Regards Charlie.

Edited by Andy, 08 November 2006 - 10:15 PM.

[SC1980]

Hi Charlie

A good find, I have most of the books that are mentioned on the site, I have all the Sammy Miller books by the way which has some good shots of both bikes.
I have a pile of information on all both bikes which I was gifted or collected over the years, this makes for some good reading.

A good way of telling the GOV / GON bike's apart and you have already spotted this is that GON had the subframe down tubes, it never had the GOV frame mod.

If you look at the numerous shots of Sammy riding the Ariel over the years you can start to see differences in the bike on various events, there are some shots of Sammy riding the bike with the GON plate but most are of a bike with the GOV number plate, but are they the same bike!

I will let your fertile mind wander to see if you can pick up the changes and or spot the difference, also look at shots of Jock Wilson riding GON for comparison because that is a good comparison test after the Miller era with the bikes!

[AtomAnt]

Is this allowed ? an endo on a Ariel HT5 ???

Video Link - Quick Time

[totalshell]

Watched Neil Gaunt on sunday in a pre 65 club trial and the suspension on that Ariel is a supple as any modern bike, and i have seen him do at least one endo on it in a section and as long as the front wheel keeps rolling its perfectly okay both in the rules and by me.
with a shortage of observers at the venue due to it been a wet windy day high on the pennines and riders having to observe each other on a couple of sections it was good to be reminded that whilst trials might have it's 'superstars' they all 'muck in' with Peter Gaunt getting off his bike to observe a couple of dozen riders through a section he had just ridden.

both Father and Son although they clearly spend a lot of time on thier bikes and clearly have a wealth of experience and expertise to call on just simply like to ride trials. Neil has even shown he's not entirely perfect by once asking me which was the best route in a section .... he watched me take it then chose the alternative and cleaned it easily, me I fived big time..

Edited by totalshell, 11 November 2006 - 11:04 AM.

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guys.

I thought there were more than two Sammy Miller Ariel's

I found this in an old "Motor-Cycle" from the 7th May 1964 and I think the registration plate on this one is

372 EOX

What do you think??

Its amazing what you can find if you try.

Regards Charlie.





Hi Guys

Talking about the awesome suspension on Neil Gaunts Ariel, I thought I would post a pic i took over the summer.



Regards
Charlie

Edited by charlie prescott, 23 November 2006 - 11:36 PM.

[Old trials fanatic]

No comment, was gonna say what a nice bike, but apparently he gets touchy when people comment about "the bike"

Edited by Old trials fanatic, 10 November 2006 - 10:04 PM.

[bilco]

That was a damn good topic that,really enjoyed reading that.
Need some more like that.
How about a history forum

[Big John]

Ask Andy!

Big John

[huntmaster]

charlie prescott, on Nov 5 2006, 11:01 AM, said:

How about some of you Guys posting pictures of your GOV look-alikes and giving there spec.
Thanks again Guys for a superb forum.
Regards Charlie.

Greetings all:

Not exactly a "GOV" clone, but a "Millerized" Ht5 replica here you could say. There's no "real" HT's in my area so the replica was a far more practical (and competitive) way to go, with most of the bits available in the pre-65 aftermarket including Miller's of course. A road model Ariel VH basket case was the starting point. Major departures from other Millerized HT's are the use of Ceriani forks instead of Norton (My Norton didn't want to give them up!) and Rickman hubs... as Ariel Leader's are also non-existant here. It's a "work in progress", with ongoing suspension, carburetion and magneto sorting completed, but it works real nice and getting better with additional sorting. Tossing the worn out Amal Monobloc recently in favour of a new manufacture concentric was a step in the right direction. For anyone interested thers a short build article at Bob John's HT5 site here: http://bobjohns.coas...riel/hunter.htm

Regards, Doug

Attached Images

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[charlie prescott]

Hi Guys.
Hi Jim, and Doug. (Huntmaster)
Thanks for the pic , I have been following the progress of your bike. I hope she rides as good as she look's.
It's a long old job to get a bike that's right (rite) isn't it.
Do post some more info on the build of your bike, as it would be very intresting to me, and the rest of the guys over here i'm sure.

Regard. Charlie.

Edited by charlie prescott, 11 November 2006 - 07:03 PM.

[MartinM]

TRICKYMICKY, on Oct 26 2006, 06:54 PM, said:

Big John, on Oct 26 2006, 11:27 AM, said:

I think 788 GON is a typographcal error being 786 GON!

Big John

786 GON (OR 788 GON) is not on the dvla computer(at least not on an ariel) which is odd as i would have expected a bike of historical interest to have had it reinstated even if it had been lost at some time.
GOV 130,131 AND 132 are all on, with dates of original registration for GOV 131 and GOV 132 correctly shown as 1947. For some reason the date of original registration for GOV 130 is shown as 1954.

How do you trace a registration number via the DVLA computer ???

Trying to make some investigations relating to Millers first Bultaco, 669NHO, can anyone remember if there were any other 4 speeds that Sammy was using at the time??

My brother has a very early 4 speed Bultaco that has recently been checked out by Joan Figols as "possibly" a factory prototype.

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers

Martin

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guys.
Hi Martin,
Still trying to find out how to trace an historical reg , have been told you have to pay a fee to the dvla but will explore more.
Dan Shorey had the first Bultaco factory trials bike, the one that Sam tried secretly before joining Bultaco.
I will try to find the registration number of this bike for you in case it helps you with your quest.

Regards Charlie.

[TRICKYMICKY]

If you want to find out if a bike still exists, a start is to go onto www.dvla.gov.uk/vehiclelicence You need the reg no and make. If the vehicle in question still exists AND has a V5 relating to it, it should show up, giving date of registration etc. Obviously frame no's and present/previous owners are not shown.
It goes without saying that a bike can still exist even if the number does not come up. Even a spelling mistake where the make is shown on a V5 would stop it coming up.
Francis Barnett's can be a nightmare, with about 4 or 5 different ways of spelling it.

Bultaco 669 NHO is on- first regd 26/11/1964