Currently reading: Ariel reveals premium motorcycle

Makers of the super-fast Atom sports car have produced a bike that will cost around £20,000 and features a skeletal frame reminiscent of the Atom

Somerset-based Ariel, maker of the super-fast Ariel Atom sports car, is launching a premium motorcycle called the Ace for production in 2015 — and plans to demonstrate it this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The bike, whose basis is a skeletal frame reminiscent of the Atom but machined entirely from an aluminium alloy billet, will cost around £20,000 and can be configured as a sports bike or a cruiser — or practically everything in-between. Like the Atom it is based on Honda components.

The new Ariel bike will offer a level of bespoke design and equipment not seen before, according to Ariel boss, Simon Saunders. “The possibilities are almost endless,” he says. “Each Ace will be as individualistic as its owner. Once we understand what an owner wants, whatever it is, we can build the bike he or she requires."

The basic engine is a 1237cc water-cooled V4 from Honda’s 173bhp VFR1200 sports-tourer. Ariel has designed its own engine management, which governs the engine’s riding characteristics. Outright performance figures aren’t yet available, but Ariel estimates a 165mph top speed and a 0-60mph sprint time of around 3.4 seconds.

Ariel will offer a range of seats, handlebars, exhausts, brakes, tank sizes and styles, and will even offer two completely different front-ends — a radical-looking girder fork, or a more conventional twin-tube layout.

The Somerset-based company plans to make 100 to 150 bikes a year, beginning next January, and will use the same bespoke build techniques as it does for the Atom, whereby one technician builds each bike from beginning to end – ands signs the finished article.

“Our motto is Serious Fun,” says Saunders, “and those two words absolutely encapsulate what the Ace is all about.”

 

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Steve Cropley

Steve Cropley Autocar
Title: Editor-in-chief

Steve Cropley is the oldest of Autocar’s editorial team, or the most experienced if you want to be polite about it. He joined over 30 years ago, and has driven many cars and interviewed many people in half a century in the business. 

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Elizbathcarter 26 January 2015

Motorcycle Speeding Options

Most of the new motorcycle's are have better speed options as well as the engines are becoming more powerful. Ariel added new amazing model.
Tatra man 26 June 2014

Ariel Motorcycle

The Ariel name was bought about twelve years ago by Simon Saunders.
pauld101 25 June 2014

I've got an Ariel motorcycle already...

It was made in 1953. Ariel was absorbed into BSA, which became BSA-Triumph, which became Norton-Villiers-Triumph, which became Norton Motors (1971) Ltd. Rights to name went to America and then back to Castle Donington. Wonder who owns the Ariel motorcycle name now?