HEAVY, MAN

At this point you’d be forgiven for thinking that our bargain Britbike buying budget will only stretch to a lightweight. Not so! Here come the heavyweights, for folks who would rather donk-donk-donk than ding-ding-ding. Pre-war machines and 500s might be beyond our reach, but a rough around the edges Ariel NH350 should be within your grasp – especially the swinging arm editions which tend to be cheaper than their Anstey link and rigid equivalents. The 350 isn’t exactly rapid but it is extremely robust and really rather charming; definitely more refined than the typical working man’s runabout of the time. The brakes aren’t exactly brilliant, but Ariel’s dry clutch is one of the best, making the most of the dependable Burman gearbox.

The 1955 machine seen here had recently come out of storage so would need a once-over with a set of spanners before returning to the road. The 60,000 miles showing on the speedo seems plausible – and we like the fact it’s kept its airbox and has that useful rack already attached.