any ideas ???????

[andy]

could someone possiably give me an idea of this bike, thoughts were it was from around the 1920 -25 period harley but really have no idea,  the raised headlight kind of looks like a few "google"pics of harleys but the front hub. says diff,,,,,,,,,, i am lost ,

many thanks andy

[P.V. Motorcycles]

Not a Harley. It looks British, from the first half of the 1920s/mid-20s.
Burman gearbox, with either two or three speeds.

Is the photo not clear enough to make out the lettering on the petrol tank (by the rider's knee) or the magneto chaincase (by the rider's foot)?

SB is an Argyll-series registration.
You could try here for the original registration details:

ARGYLL
Dept. of Administration, Argyll & Bute District Council, Kilmary, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RT.
(01546 602127)
One pre-1921 register (re-written, ca. 1913)

Kithead Trust
Card index to SB 8700
Kithead Trust, De Salis Drive, Hampton Lovett, Droitwich, WR9 0QE
email: kitheadtrust@live.co.uk

Nick

[R]

Is the photo not clear enough to make out the lettering on the petrol tank (by the rider's knee) or the magneto chaincase (by the rider's foot)?

Yes, a higher resolution scan may well let you simply read the name off the tank or the magneto drive.
Or even a good magnifying glass ?

Very distinctive forks, front wheel, muffler, tank and engine shapes.
Can't quite recall what 1920s british make had all those features though...

[64hip]

Single cylinder side-valve engine looks very similar to early 20's Triumphs or even Norton or even Raleigh with the forward, horizontal magneto chain case, but other aspects of the bike such as the gear-change position don't make me think it was produced by any of those marques. If you squint, it almost looks like "ARIEL" on the tank, but it doesn't seem to match their machines of the period. Beaded edge tyres would confirm the date as early to mid 20's. Forks are Druid, but the front drum appears very large for the period. Acetylene lighting set. Brooks saddle. I then thought AJS, but the exhaust usually sweeps in front of the mag on their sv singles...

Has it had a different front end transplanted on, perhaps?

I'm curious! 

[Don Vosper]

Pretty sure that's "Ariel" on the tank.
Don

[chaterlea25]

Here ya go
Ariel 1926

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10983301@N06/3582342294

John

[64hip]

Well done Don and John.

According to Peter Hartley's The Ariel Story, it is likely to be an Ariel Model A featuring the Val Page newly designed 577cc side valve engine, introduced in 1925. The sv engine was fitted in the Model A and Model B, these being a Sports and Touring machine respectively. A new 499cc OHV engine was also introduced at the same time by Page, this being fitted to the Model C (Super Sports) and the Model D (Touring). The Model A was produced between 1925 and 1930.

Further research informs that the models were redesigned and fitted with saddle tanks in 1927 and that in 1926, the poor stopping power of the, then older models was dealt with by an upgrade to 7" brakes. All this would indicate Andy, that the gentleman in the photo, is sat astride a 1926 Ariel Model A.

[andy]

thank you so very much gentleman,  very kind of you all to assist ,

andy