1953 Ariel “Red Hunter” 500CC VHA
Rare high performance alloy head VHA version of one of the finest of all British singles
Frame number; AS 1545
Engine number XD 151
Ariel may no longer be a household word in the world of motorcycles but at one time their Red Hunter was considered amongst the finest British singles. Veteran motorcycle writer Bob Currie went even further, calling the Red Hunter “the finest single of all time.” Big words maybe, but not unjustifiably so. What began as a pre-war design eventually became a 1950s trials king; Sammy Miller winning nearly 600 awards on a HT 500 Red Hunter. Red Hunters continued to dominate sidecar trials events through until the two-stroke invasion of the 1970s. These were bikes that punched well above their weight, and long after they should have been dead and buried.
The Red Hunter owed its origins to two of the biggest names in British motorcycling; Edward Turner and Val Page. In 1925 Page had provided Ariel with a new overhead valve single cylinder engine, and for 1932 Turner proposed a higher specification single with a chrome-plated tank and red panels. Turner knew the appeal of lots of sparkle and glossy paint and the Red Hunter was born. Initially the Red Hunter had a four-valve engine, but facing bankruptcy, the Ariel range was rationalised for 1933, the top-of-the-range Red Hunter now receiving a two-valve cylinder head. Although sold as a performance model the Red Hunter didn’t really achieve any notable pre-war racing success. The closest the Red Hunter came to a TT victory was in the 1935 film No Limit, where star George Formby road a Red Hunter, thinly disguised as a “Rainbow”, to a win in the Senior TT.
During the 1930s the Red Hunter was Ariel’s most popular model and this continued after Jack Sangster sold Ariel to BSA in 1944. By now the engine had a redesigned cylinder head and a telescopic fork replaced the girder type. The engine was redesigned for 1951, a single camshaft replacing the previous twin gears and camshaft with two integral cams. Then for 1952 Ariel released a high performance VHA 500 with an alloy barrel and head with deeper finning. The valve inserts were also pressed in stainless steel while cast-iron flywheels replaced the steel type that had distinguished the Red Hunter since 1934, The engine was 5.4kg lighter than the iron VH. Maintaining a good sporting reputation was important to Ariel and all Red Hunters were bench tested and tuned. The ports were polished, and as Ariel consistently worked at reducing vibration all the crankshafts were balanced. The long-stroke (81.8x95mm) 499cc VHA single produced 26 horsepower at 6,000rpm, a small increase over the standard VH. This engine was installed in a duplex cradle frame, with the option of a sprung frame with Frank Anstey’s link plunger suspension. Although still basically a pre-war design, even in the 1950s the Red Hunter was considered by many to be a viable alternative to a BSA Gold Star (also designed by Val Page) and Norton International. Exceptionally strong, well finished, and built to last, the Red Hunter lasted as a 350 until 1958 and a 500 until 1959.
With the correct prefix and numbers for a sprung frame 1953 VHA 500, this older restoration example is a practical and reliable everyday touring machine. An Amal Concentric carburettor is fitted. Along with three stands; central, front and prop, it is also fitted with a pillion seat and comes current registration. This Red Hunter has covered thousands of trouble-free miles all over Europe whilst in the custody of an enthusiastic former owner. As the VHA, also known as Hunt Marshall, was only produced for two years this model is highly coveted. Sold with one key, and exportation paperwork.
To view high resolution images of the motorcycles, please follow the below Dropbox link;
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/n5bcjb2nuoc16t4y3k5hs/h?dl=0&rlkey=exyqlbxilyvv4n3ue8jmppkbx
This motorcycle is sold unregistered.
