What the world really needs is more "round tooits" so we can all have one... there's a lot I'm going to achieve when I get one
So I take it my 'bike has the wrong head on it? Does it make a lot of difference?
Does anyone know of a good book/manual/handbook that I can look out for so I can learn a bit more about these? I've seen a few on the 'net but without examining them don't know which are worth having. This is a bit of an unknown quantity to me, I've had BSA, Triumph and Enfield before now but never an Ariel.
I've had a bit more of a play with it and have learned a little more. I think it was rebuilt/tarted up back in the late '80s classic boom when anything worth saving was dragged out for a quick profit, lots of thick paint and some new bits but really not too bad. It was also registered 1989 so probably had its no. sold off at some point. The guy I bought it from had it sat in his garage since 2001.
I've also given it an oil change. No nasty bits or even sludge in the old oil or in the sump/strainer but the new stuff is returning to the tank with a bit more gusto now. Shall run it for a bit and change it again. Cleaned the carb' and fuel filter and was surprised at how little rubbish there was in that as well. Fired it up afterwards and it ran lovely until the headlamp fell out and shattered on the garage floor!
Looks like the dynamo that came with it has been rebuilt at some point, plenty of juice - so just a matter of wiring it in... then it appears to be little more than a drive chain, speedo' cable, regulator, get the brakes working and a bit of fine tuning. After that I'll run it as is for a bit and then decide what to do with it as regards paint etc.
As for "Looks very nice", thanks, it's not quite so clever in the flesh but is passable for now.
Right, end of coffee break - back out to the garage...
