I'd expect that someone selling a $20K bike, would spend whatever it took to have it running, to make a sale easier.
"Ran when parked," they aren't that-rare, (it's no Brough Superior, Vincent Black Shadow/Black Lightning, or Crocker) pretty-'cheeky' of 'em to throw that # out, w/o getting the bugger to operate.
Bollocks, I say! From following auction results in the last few years, the British bike market for Post-WW II bikes is pretty-soft, and nowhere-near what it was.
It does look to be in fine shape. Show your trailer queen some of
your TLC (and $) to demonstrate operability.
I recall in N. Miami FL back in 1974, at the Kawasaki dealer on N. Dixie Hwy (today, apparently that name is 'racist,' and rumor has it, they'll soon be doing business on Harriet Tubman Blvd.), they had a Vincent Black Shadow for sale, they wanted $5K for it, which was > a half-year's wages for me at my construction job at the time. I used-to go there to buy parts for my road-rocket two-stroke triple 'widow-maker,' and wonder about how someone could possibly afford to-spend that much-money on a motorcycle?
If you compare the CPI (Consumer Price Index) today to 1974, the Miami Kawasaki dealer wanted >$8,000 more-than this MI collector, for his non-operational Ariel, to take-home that Vincent twin. My AC contractor owned a Black Shadow, unfortunately, he died not long-ago, in an industrial accident.
1952 Ariel Square Four for sale on BaT Auctions - closed on September 27, 2019 (Lot #23,336) | Bring a Trailer BID TO $12,513 ON 9/27/19, no-sale.
No Reserve: 35-Years-Owned 1951 Ariel Square Four for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $23,000 on March 1, 2019 (Lot #16,725) | Bring a Trailer SOLD FOR $23,000 ON 3/1/19
The auction catalog for the results below is an interesting document, auction in MI 2019.
1957 Ariel Square Four Motorcycle ML533 $17,325.00
1957 Ariel Square Four Motorcycle ML533 $17,325.00
PAGE2-8.indd (vanderbrinkauctions.com)
Let's put it this way: the range of vehicles and parts this guy had is an amazing collection. Take a look at the catalog. Everything from pre-WW II racers to 21st century sportscars. His collection is heavy on midget racers, which is a particular interest of mine. They used boat engines (ELCO), Offenhausers, air-cooled VW's, Crosley's, SESCO-Chevy's (a small-block split into two, to make an inline-four:
SESCO Engines - Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed though they also made V-4's), and flathead Ford-based engines, it was an innovative class of racing, and at times, they demonstrated they were competitive with the F1 cars of the day!
Those of you familiar with Allen Millyard's creations, might think, "why, he's the greatest!" should look at Ron Hoettel's work, which was put-onto the racetrack, indeed, that was the
raison d'etre for his designs. One of my MI friends owned a SESCO-Chevy midget engine circle-track car, the engine designed and manufactured by this genius. Take a look at this engine, and tell me what you think was the basis for it.
Can you imagine this in a motorcycle? A Boss Hoss, with even an aluminum V8, is well-over 1,000 lbs, can you imagine this engine (below) with 2.7 litres, at
half the weight of the Boss Hoss, and probably capable of 200 HP/litre, in a bike weighing say, 500 lbs? That's a bit-over 1 lb/HP!
Why, it's a
