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| Thread ID: 105925 | 2009-12-19 00:55:00 | For old motorcycle buffers.. | John H (8) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 841111 | 2009-12-19 06:47:00 | I don't think that is an Ariel Square Four SJ. Not like any I have seen anyway. Not sure what you have photographed. Oops, my apologies SJ. I didn't know they had been around that long - I was remembering a bike that a friend had in my university days, which was like this: motorbike-search-engine.co.uk Note the four pipes. Here is a 1951 model for sale: www.trademe.co.nz Trade Me had a later model for sale a wee while ago, more like the model in the photo I have given the url for (above). |
John H (8) | ||
| 841112 | 2009-12-19 06:55:00 | I bought an Ariel Square Four sometime in the 1960s, maybe around 1964, for the 4 seater Carmobile sidecar it had attached to it :) I can't remember the actual model or year, but it had plunger rear suspension, was pig heavy, no oil filter, just a perforated mesh to strain out nuts and bolts, brakes that didn't, a weirdly bolted together primary chain case split vertically and horizontally, designed to lose any oil put in there, a Solex carburettor. It took forever and a day to warm up before the choke could be opened and power output was feeble. I could never see why such a fuss was made over such a crap bike I rode it for a time whilst I was grit blasting all the Shadow frame parts and re-stove enamelling grey. So the bike became a "Grey Shadow". BSAs I had were D1 Bantam, 250cc C11G (I liked that bike, handled ok in a genteel fashion, reliable, and was oil tight), B33 350cc fairly useless and heavy. The Velocette 350cc OHC KSS/KTT conversion I used to borrow at weekends was a dream bike. Edit: My Square Four was just like the 1951 Square Four on Trademe that John's just posted up. |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 841113 | 2009-12-19 09:20:00 | That Ariel of SJ's is an early 1930's 500cc square four. Used to over heat badly on the rear cylinders. ;) | BobM (1138) | ||
| 841114 | 2009-12-19 10:56:00 | I had 2 pommy bikes Ariel 500 single and 750 Norton Commando. The commando was a fantastic cornering bike, nice sound with baffles removed from whistling pipes but like most pommy **** it was unreliable. My school mate had a Suzuki 125 Wolf which would keep up with the single banger. |
prefect (6291) | ||
| 841115 | 2009-12-19 19:15:00 | catalogue.napier.govt.nz My 1968 Suzuki 250 Hustler would keep up with the pommie 650cc bikes of the day. :) |
Trev (427) | ||
| 841116 | 2009-12-19 20:34:00 | catalogue.napier.govt.nz My 1968 Suzuki 250 Hustler would keep up with the pommie 650cc bikes of the day. :) Until it seized. I remember at Gracefield Steve Dundon (now of Wellington Motorcycles, Harley dealers to the Undiscerning fame) had the pistons out of his after every race cleaning them up. |
PaulD (232) | ||
| 841117 | 2009-12-19 20:59:00 | (snip)a weirdly bolted together primary chain case split vertically and horizontally, designed to lose any oil put in there(snip) I learned to ride on a mate's Ariel 500 single, and learned the lovely smell of hot oil from all the leaks... My first bike was a BSA A7, and I organised some custom made oil leaks from the primary chain case - when I put the chain case back together again, I failed to wire up the slipper tensioner bolt to stop it coming loose. At some speed on a country road, the primary case exploded when the slipper tensioner bolt fell out, and was dragged around the case by the chain, thus creating a certain amount of ventilation. It never held oil after that... I could never see why such a fuss was made over such a crap bike My understanding was that two of the cylinders didn't get enough cooling and they tended to seize. I had an Army Indian for a while (ex Army Surplus, on loan from a cousin). Had a heap of fun on that bike - great on shingle roads and farm paddocks. My last Brit bike was a Matchless G9. Sadly I had to sell it to buy a fridge when my first child was born. Later on it was all Jap bikes. At least they didn't spread oil all over the living room carpet. |
John H (8) | ||
| 841118 | 2009-12-19 21:32:00 | My understanding was that two of the cylinders didn't get enough cooling and they tended to seize. I think that was so, but that was the least of the problems.... "The 1949 machine weighed around 435lb dry, produced 35bhp at 5500rpm and matched oil-damped tele forks to the Anstey link rear end. " www.realclassic.co.uk That sums it up, whereas a bog standard Vincent Rapide of the same year had swinging arm suspension, twin front brakes with real stopping power, another 10 bhp and another 20mph or more at the top end, and Rollie Free was breaking the American record at just over 150mph on a Lightning. |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 841119 | 2009-12-19 22:04:00 | I think that was so, but that was the least of the problems.... Stop poking fun at mobility scooters, there's plenty of other V twins to pick on :D |
PaulD (232) | ||
| 841120 | 2009-12-19 22:09:00 | Welcome to 2010. | Metla (12) | ||
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