Also dug-out my (April) 1942 Ariel W/NG after a few months hibernation.........

2 kicks and "thump, thump, thump, etc"...........

Two W/NGs are always better than one. Is that His and Hers?
Wade

email (option): iron_ariel@yahoo.ca

nice looking ariel steve .just in the process of getting another .but the frame no is missing from the book .i think wade is right it being a spare frame .keep up the good work ,were in the country are you steve

email (option): m.wales10@ntlworld.com

There's no way I could start it without fitting a kickstart rubber. I've known people get a broken leg when the boot slips off.

Don't you know there was a rubber shortage during the war? Hence the canvas grips and lack of comfortable foot peg and kick start rubbers. You need to experience the bike as it should be if you want to live the dream. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

'Motor-Cycle' of 27th March 1941 included the following comment :-

It seems that real men don't use rubbers !

email (option): 79x100(at)gmail.com

The article about feet slipping off rubber grips seems utter nonsense! Rubber, when dry is much grippier than bare steel and when wet is still grippier due to the tread, etc. Another fairly sensible reason to fit footrest peg rubbers is to make them less likely to impale oneself in the event of an off. As always, it's a personal choice as to such factors and authenticity. The excellent craftsman and father of three who fixed up our kitchen went out on his modern fast motorcycle a few weeks ago and died in a classic T bone smash ( driver of car arrested)...... Go figure.

email (option): Fergusanckorn@icloud.com

Must get them new non slip steel wheel things put on my bike to replace them slipy tyres,

email (option): warbikesat geee male dot comm

I don't understand it either. How can polished steel be grippier than rubber ? However, this was the generation that never complained about steel hobnails being slippery and I can hardly walk in them on a polished surface.

Pre-war WD Nortons were supplied with a gear change rubber but, as far as I can see, never one on the kickstart.

email (option): 79x100(at)gmail.com