Hi Guys,

I know this sound stupid but GOV132. is lost.

I thought it was still at the National Motor Museum, No reference.

Sammy Miller Museum, No reference.

National Motorcycle Museum. No reference.

The last time I saw "The legend" was in the spring at the Classic show at Malvern.

Where is it Now, Has Colin Dommett got it back? Scott was garding it at the show.

PS, Did'nt a young man named, ? Clarke own it at one time too.

PS<PS Just found a picture of Mick Clarke riding GOV 132, in ORR number 38, will post it when I have zaped it on to my site.

Regards. Charlie.

Edited December 1, 200619 yr by charlie prescott

i didnt relise colin dommett owned gov 132 well you learn some thing new every day as they saying goes

Colin used to own it , not now. Someone ask Sammy- he's going to watch the Scott tomorrow, and post his response here for Charlie- hope he's not sold it!

At one stage there was two, one at beaulieu and one at sams.

The proper one used to be at Beaulieu. The one at Sams is the one he rides in trials, also showing the gov reg.. Is that van behaving itself Dabster?- i wish mine was....

PS, Did'nt a young man named, ? Clark own it at one time too.

Regards. Charlie.

Quite right Charlie......how did you know that?

It was owned at one time by Mike Clark who worked for Wyverns Motorcycles in Weston super Mare and was an expert rider in the Wessex Centre until the mid 70's when he packed in....to breed Budgies!!!!

There you go then

Martin

Hi Guys,

Thanks Martin , my old head Isn't too bad then.

The last person I seem to remember owning it was Ralph Venables, to stop it going oversea's, but I may be wrong.

I found an article on "The Net". that say's its brother 786 GON now lives in Italy in the sun.

I hope GOV 132 as not gone to visit

Regards Charlie.

Edited October 20, 200619 yr by charlie prescott

Here's a pic I took a couple of months ago at the New Milton Museum:

HTH

Edited October 23, 200619 yr by unclebuck

Just to correct Big John, 786 GON was sold to a private collector in the South of England, if it is in Italy now he must have sold it on since I sold the bike.

I still have lots of nice pictures of the bike and a photocopy of the registration document with SHM as one of the registered owners.

Lovely bike to ride Big John but I never used it in anger you know what I am like taking care of bikes!

Hi Guys.

Thank's for the Pic Unclebuck, looks like "GOV" is still in the country then.I must check it out when I'am next down in Hampshire.

Thank's for the info on "786 GON" Big"J". Seems to me there might have been another "GOV132" I qoute from Classic British Trials Bikes.page 68.

"Miller ran two GOV132s,one of which was originally registered as 788 GON, and each machine was set up differently to suit different areas.Though outwardly the same and both carrying the GOV132 number". Could there have been more, only Sam would know?

Regards Charlie.

Here's a pic I took a couple of months ago at the New Milton Museum:

That's the same bike I saw in Beaulieu years ago visting the UK and was equally confused as I thought I had just looked at GOV 132 the previous day in Sammy's museum beside a trophy case!

See Bob John's HT5 site.

http://bobjohns.coastinternet.ca/ariel/

That's when I started suspecting there were a few replicas around....confirmed when just a few days later I was offered a ride on another replica at the Ariel Rally trials in Norwich, and was suitably impressed. It felt as light as my 250 Honda and didn't have to compete against SWM's in the twin shock class! Had to build one!

Regards, Doug

Edited October 25, 200619 yr by huntmaster

Here's a pic I took a couple of months ago at the New Milton Museum:

That's the same bike I saw in Beaulieu years ago visting the UK and was equally confused as I thought I had just looked at GOV 132 the previous day in Sammy's museum beside a trophy case!

See Bob John's HT5 site.

http://bobjohns.coastinternet.ca/ariel/

That's when I started suspecting there were a few replicas around....confirmed when just a few days later I was offered a ride on another replica at the Ariel Rally trials in Norwich, and was suitably impressed. It felt as light as my 250 Honda and didn't have to compete against SWM's in the twin shock class! Had to build one!

Regards, Doug

The caption on Bob Johns site is incorrect- the Ariel pictured in Sam's museum with alloy mudguards is a replica HT5 which Sam has ridden until recently. The Ariel you viewed at Beaulieu that day will have been GOV.

Hi Guys'

Just had an e-mail from Bob Johns.

He said, in February this year,Dario Vergano from Turin told him that 786 GON belonged to a friend of his but did'nt say his whereabouts.

Is there a 788 GON about somewhere as well?

Regards Charlie

If any one is interested there is a HT5 reg is EEC 21 in a local m/c auction on Saturday 28th. H. J. Pugh 01531 631122. Ledbury, Herefordshire www.hjpugh.com Various other trials stuff there also.

Edited October 26, 200619 yr by bo drinker

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.