ARIEL Motor Company has launched a new motorcycle for sale alongside its current car production. The Ariel Ace is the first new motorcycle to carry the classic British Ariel name in 50 years. The first Ariel was a bicycle in 1870 featuring patented spoked wheels, and more recently Ariel was known for its four-cylinder Ariel Square 4 and the two-stroke, pressed steel framed Ariel Arrow motorcycles.
Orders are being taking for the Ace, which will begin production at the start of 2015 in low volume by Ariel at its factory near Crewkerne, Somerset, in quantities of between 100 – 150 motorcycles per annum alongside the Atom sportscar.
The way that Ariel builds vehicles allows each motorcycle to be tailored and fitted to individual customer choice to give them exactly the bike they want and to personalise it to their own use and taste. From low riding cruiser through street and naked machines, to super sport bikes, the Ace will be built to owners’ specific requirements and desires. Adjustable footrests, brake and gear lever, plus different seat heights and handlebar configurations allow the Ace to be personally fitted for each rider.
It is not only the fit of the bike that is tailored to each rider, as there is also the choice of variants of front and rear suspension, low and high seats with pillion options, different sizes of tank, handlebars, wheels, exhausts, bodywork and more, as well as colours, finishes and materials.
Simon Saunders, Director of Ariel, says of the design and styling options: “Motorcyclists have a real passion for their machines. They like them to be individual and they want them to be their bike, not just another bike identical to hundreds or thousands of others. The usual route is to buy a standard bike and then add various aftermarket components to change the bike into what they want. However, with the Ace the uniqueness is built in as the bike is produced, and each one will be as individual as its owner.”
Talking about the performance capabilities of the Honda V4 powered Ace, Saunders says: “We looked at an out and out, super lightweight race bike, but they are already out there, and are so far beyond the abilities of most riders, so we took the decision to produce a really fast bike that was easy to ride and within the capabilities of most riders. Our motto is ‘Serious Fun’, and those two words absolutely encapsulate what the Ace is all about.”
The load bearing aluminium frame, made from six individual billet aluminium sections, carries the engine, various seat packages, front and rear suspension as well as providing a safety cell for the fuel tank. Different head angles, via interchangeable eccentric bearing holders, are achievable to tune the rake angle from 21.8 degrees to 28.4 degrees, with a standard mid-point of 25.1 degrees for neutral handling.
The Ace uses the Honda V4 VFR1200 Unicam engine, which is mounted transversely, and was chosen for its power, flexibility, compact size and advanced technology with a claimed output of 173bhp and 129Nm of torque. Throttle by wire technology has been combined with Ariel’s fuel mapping, intake system, and Ariel’s various exhaust systems.
The Honda VFR engine also gives Ariel the ability to offer the Ace in manual and Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) form. The six-speed sequential manual offers standard motorcycle transmission, while the DCT version can be used in fully ‘Auto’, ‘Sport’ or push button ‘Manual’ mode.
The Ace features front suspension options of telescopic forks, or the Ariel Girder front end. Made from machined aluminium, the Girder fork’s multi-bearing top and bottom suspension arms offer improved compliance and reduced stiction over conventional telescopic forks, providing better response over different road surfaces and undulations as well as under braking to corner.
Rear suspension is by a Pro Link single-sided, cast aluminium swingarm, containing the shaft drive, with options of different gas damper.
Front brakes are Nissin 320mm floating hydraulic discs with six-piston calipers, while the rear are Nissin 276mm with a two-piston caliper. All versions of the Ace have electronic ABS brakes together with switchable traction control.
Wheels are five and seven spoke alloy, with the option of BST full carbon fibre and aluminium lightweight wheels made specifically for the Ace. Dependent on the use of each bike Ariel will choose from a wide range of Dunlop tyres to suit the use and purpose of each bike.
Further components, bodywork, tuning parts and accessories will be developed as part of a continuing Ace design and engineering programme to further expand customer choice. As with the Ariel Atom, new parts will be retro-fit compliant, allowing Ace motorcycles to be upgraded over a period of time or as further developments are made.
ARIEL MOTOR COMPANY
Crewkerne, Somerset, UK
Tel: 01460 78817
sales@arielmotor.co.uk
www.arielmotor.co.uk
