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Motorcycle Discussions => British Bikes => Topic started by: cloggy on April 12, 2009, 11:07:31 AM

Title: Ariel redhunter frame / engine number
Post by: cloggy on April 12, 2009, 11:07:31 AM

I have a 500 RedHunter first reg 1944. The letters at the start of the engine and frame number have both been overstamped with XWD and this is what appears on the log book. Does anyone know the significance of the XWD stamping ?

Title: Re: Ariel redhunter frame / engine number
Post by: 52t-bird on April 12, 2009, 11:44:07 AM

Hello, Surely XWD=EX war department i.e it was a military machine?

Title: Re: Ariel redhunter frame / engine number
Post by: cloggy on April 12, 2009, 12:14:38 PM

Thats what I thought.
I have not come across this before and was wondering whether anyone else has seen this / was it common practice for WD bikes to have XWD stamped on the frame / engine numbers before they went into 'civilian' use