J.A.P. V twin for speed

[john.mitchell]

The Ariel was in fact an RH350 and went very well and was extremely reliable. It would easily show 70 mph on the speedo and handled pretty well. The leg shields were alloy and my father had made them and the perspex screen from scratch. (it was originally his bike) The screen may have damaged my street cred but was a lot more comfortable on long wet journey and the daily runs to work at a bank with my suit and tie than was the fly screen on the Hartley Ariel which came later. I don't remember that we commented on the Lambretta screen but the bikes were much more a mode of transport rather than a sporting experience. In retrospect it does look like a mainsail from a four-master though.
I have remembered the tuner's name though - it was Mr Ricardo. That's what we called him when we went round for advice. Looking him up on the net I now realise he was Sir Harry Ricardo. I doubt if we would have dared speak to him had we known!
I will have a look for other pictures but sadly there are none of the Hartley Ariel.

[brenton.roy]

Thanks everyone.
John, you've certainly had some experiences!
Brenton

[Bob.Murphy]

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but Gee, could the exhaust system be any uglier? Nev

Showing my ignorance again . . .

Was it possible to swap the heads on the JAP motors?? It looks as though the motor in the Norton frame has two front heads - allowing two carbs to be fitted. (and therefore the rather tortuous exhaust headers).

It would, I think, look better with both exhaust ports on the outside of the 'V' with a single carb and parallel exhaust pipes - a la a Brough SS100.

Hopefully someone will know it they can be re-configured in this way.

Bob.

[nevhunter]

Some KTOR motors had two front heads fitted by MODIFIERS. The seat down tube gets in the way of the rear carburettor on the Brough frame , and the rear camshaft has to be modified to have the timing right for the juxtapositioned ? valve layout. There is more potential for power and I think one of the Pope outfits that went quick at Brooklands, was done this way. I restored a modified one to standard, a few years back. Nev