Ariel Motorcycles

Ariel Motorcycles
Industry Manufacturing and engineering
Fate Sold to BSA and discontinued
Successor BSA
Founded 1902
Defunct 1970
Headquarters Bournbrook, Birmingham
Key people Jack Sangster, Edward Turner and Val Page
Products motorcycles

Ariel Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was one of the leading innovators in British motorcycling, and was part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1944 and the name was discontinued in 1970. Influential Ariel designers included Edward Turner and Val Page.

Contents

History

The original company was established in 1870 by James Starley and William Hillman to make bicycles. The name came from the first penny farthing bicycle, which was so light they called it the Ariel "spirit of the air".[1] It merged with Westwood Manufacturing in 1896 and made a powered tricycle in 1898 with a de Dion engine. Hillman left soon afterwards to found Premier Motorcycles.[2]

In 1902, Ariel produced their first motorcycle, which had a Kerry engine with an innovative magneto ignition and a float carburettor. In 1905, Ariel was taken over by Charles Sangster, who built a three-speed, two-stroke he marketed as the "Arielette", but his small factory closed on the outbreak of the First World War. In 1918, Sangster's son Jack took over and developed a motorcycle with a 4 hp White and Poppe engine that proved successful. Jack increased the range of motorcycles to include 586 cc and 992 cc machines and persuaded the designer Val Page to join the company. Ariel was merged with a company called Components Ltd. but this venture failed and in 1930, Jack was able to regain control and set up a new factory in Birmingham. One of their first bikes was the Ariel Square Four, designed by Edward Turner followed by the Ariel Red Hunter.[1]

During the Second World War, the Ariel factory was turned over to military production, including the Ariel W/NG 350 army motorcycle based on the Red Hunter with higher ground clearance.[1] In 1944, the company was sold to BSA and the 500 cc KH model was produced, together with the more powerful Huntmaster, which had a modified BSA A10 650 cc engine. Reliable and capable of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), the Huntmaster proved popular with sidecar enthusiasts.[3]

The Red Hunter formed the basis for Sammy Miller's 1955 trials motorcycle which proved very successful in competition.[3] BSA decided to close the factory in 1963 to move production to Small Heath. In 1959, Ariel broke with tradition and produced the Ariel Leader, a fully enclosed 250 cc two-stroke that aimed to combine the benefits of the motorcycle with the advantages of a scooter. In 1967, Ariel produced their last motorcycle, a reduced capacity Ariel Arrow.

In 1970, BSA produced the Ariel 3, a 49 cc trike.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c De Cet, Mirco (2005). Quentin Daniel. ed (in English). The Complete Encyclopedia of Classic Motorcycles. Rebo International. ISBN 978-90-366-1497-9. 
  2. ^ "Premier". http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_motorcycle_premier-cycle.html. Retrieved 2008-08-25. 
  3. ^ a b Brown, Roland (2002). Classic Motorcycles. Anness Publishing. pp. ?-?. ISBN 1-84038-433-6. 
  4. ^ "Ariel". http://www.ianchadwick.com/motorcycles/britbikes/index.html. Retrieved 2008-08-15. 

See also

External links

British motorcycle manufacturers
Current
Defunct
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