1951 ariel vh500 red hunter 500cc single road

I’ve owned the Ariel since 2007, having rescued it from under a tarpaulin down the side of a house nearby, where it had sat for 20+ years. Since then I have restored it to as close to new condition as I know how. It's done less than 200 miles since being restored. My riding days are behind me. When I told one of the professionals who worked on the bike with me, that I am reluctantly selling it and the price, he said, "That bike is like brand new from top to bottom - it's the difference between a $100,000 Vincent and a $50,000 one. The bikes dating certificate from Draganfly in the UK as well as confirming matching numbers (Engine RB1402, Frame SA806 and Gearbox G106M50), indicates it was despatched from the factory on 17 January 1951. It was one of the last Red Hunters to have a chrome tank, before the Korean war chromium shortage meant that the tanks had to be painted instead. The original tank is on the bike, repaired and re-chromed by specialists. The restoration is extensively documented with a file of receipts and photographs. The engine and gearbox were rebuilt by Leigh Kier at Headworks in Carnegie including a rebore, a new piston and bearings, valves, seats and guides, gear selectors, etc. supplied largely by Draganfly. Other new parts include: front and rear mudguards, cycle bearings, front fork stanchions, bushes and springs, Anstee link bushes, shrouds, etc, accounting for many pages of detailed receipts. Roy Bogner did the paint and pin striping, Master Platers did the remainder of the chrome. All the aluminium was Hydroblasted. Further parts and work include Overlander stainless steel exhaust, wheels rebuilt with stainless steel rims and spokes (front is 20 inch), BT-H Magneto Ignition System (automatic electronic advance and retard and no points), brand new Amal carburetor (blueprinted to correct specifications), new cables, chains, sprockets, clutch parts (clutch basket restored), Hella bar-end turning indicators and rear repeaters, solid state voltage regulator installed in original Lucas casing, modern horn in Lucas Altette case, new headlight shell with new old stock Lucas reflector, rim, lens, switch and Lucas branded ammeter. The Smiths chronometric speedometer was restored by Lionel Otto Instruments in Brisbane. There is also a tyre pump, toolkit and side-stand. The bike was entered in the Motorclassica Australian International Concours d’Elegance at the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Buildings in 2015 and sports the badge from the event. It’s currently on a non-transferrable VicRoads club permit, so will be sold unregistered, but a RWC and re-registration should be no problem. As shown in the final photo the bike comes with some spare gaskets, other minor spares and some special tools. The original magneto - restored by Gayle Crocker at Blue Spark Magnetos (BSM) in Whittlesea is in the box with them, unused and in pristine condition. Designed by Val Page, the Ariel VH Red Hunter topped out at 85 mph recorded in a 1951 road test conducted by The MotorCycle magazine. This compares to 80 mph by the BSA B33, 79 mph by the ES2 Norton and 78 mph by the Royal Enfield Bullet. In short, I think you’d go a long way before finding a better classic British 500cc single than my restored 1951 Ariel VH Red Hunter. I’ll even throw in a bound copy of The MotorCycle road tests to the successful purchaser.