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==Intro==
'''Ariel''' began in 1847 in Bournbrook, England as a manufacturer of pneumatic-tired wheels for horse drawn carriages. In 1885 Ariel moved into bicycle production under the leadership of [[James Starley]] ("Father of the Bicycle Industry") and [[William Hillman]].
'''Ariel''' is one of the oldest motorcycle manufacturers.  Before starting to build [[motorcycles]] around the turn of the century, they were well known for their bicycles.  Based in Selly Oak in the Midlands, by the 1930s they had became one of Britain's most influential manufacturers. They employed [[Edward Turner]], [[Val Page]] and [[Bert Hopwood]] - who would later become known as three of the British bike industry's greatest designers.  In the 1930s Ariel closed down due to financial problems, but was restarted when Jack Sangster son of Ariel's founder Charles, bought the firm and restarted production of bikes such as the VH500 Red Hunter.


==History==
[[Image:1949-Ariel-NH-Hunter.jpg|right|thumb|260px|1949 Ariel NH Hunter]]
'''Ariel''' is one of the oldest [[motorcycle]] manufacturers.  Before starting to build [[motorcycles]] around the turn of the century, they were well known for their bicycles. The Ariel company started life making bicycles and in 1870, founder [[James Starley|James Starley]] and [[William Hillman|William Hillman]] invented the wire-spoke wheel which allowed them to build a lighter weight bicycle naming it Ariel-the spirit of the air.  The first Ariel vehicle was a Tricycle that used a 2.25 hp De Dion engine mounted at the rear. More tricycles were produced and quadricycles were added in 1901 as Ariel then moved into car production. In 1896 the company began making motorized four-wheeled vehicles followed by a motorized three-wheeled bicycle. In 1902 Components Ltd., owned by [[Charles Sangster|Charles Sangster]] bought the company and began producing motorcycles but their progression over the next two decades was sluggish.


Over the years, the company had financial difficulties including going into receivership in 1911 for a period.  During the 20's, Charles' son [[Jack Sangster|Jack Sangster]] hired some of the best designer/engineers in Britain and the marque was beginning to show promise. Based in Selly Oak in the Midlands, by the 1930s they had became one of Britain's most influential manufacturers.  They employed Edward Turner, Val Page and Bert Hopwood - who would later become known as three of the British bike industry's greatest designers.  In the 1930s Ariel closed down due to financial problems, but was restarted when Jack Sangster son of Ariel's founder Charles, bought the firm and restarted production of bikes such as the VH500 Red Hunter.  The [[BSA]] group took control of Ariel in 1944.
==Red Hunter==


Ariel's parent company went bankrupt in 1932 when Jack Sangster bought the rights to the Ariel name and much of the tooling at a reduced cost and started a new company called Ariel Motors (J.S.) Ltd.. After the Second World War, Ariel voluntarily allowed itself to be absorbed by the [[BSA|BSA]] empire. One of Ariel's most notable engines was the [[Ariel Square Four Engine|Square Four]], the first prototype emerging in 1930. As the name suggests, the cylinders were configured with two cylinders directly behind the front two cylinders. Starting as a 500cc engine, then increased to 600cc and finally the 1000cc configuration. The 'Squariel' was plagued with heat problems as one might imagine having two cylinders directly behind the front pair. Despite the heat issues it remained in production until 1954.
The '''Red Hunter''' was quite a good looking machine for it's time coming in both 350 and 500cc sizes, it was produced from 1932 until the late 1950s. [[Sammy Miller]]'s successful GOV132 trials bike was based on a 1955 Red Hunter 500.  A late 1930s Red Hunter 500 was among the best bikes of its day, capable of well over 75 mph (120kph) and reliable at the same time. The Red Hunter handling was supplied by it's girder front forks and rigid rear end.  Rear suspension was introduced in 1939. The hunter continued to be slowly updated during the 1930s. When production was recommenced after the Second World War, it received telescopic forks and an alloy cylinder head. In the 1950s it received an update frame.




[[Category:Ariell]]
==Huntmaster==
[[Image:1949-Ariel-NH-Hunter.jpg|right|thumb|1949 Ariel NH Hunter]]


In 1944 the firm was sold to [[BSA]].  After the sale, Ariel built two types of twins, the softly-tuned 500cc KH, which debuted in 1949 selling poorly, and the more powerful and successful '''Huntmaster''' which was powered by a modified version of the 650cc engine from [[BSA]'s A10.  The Huntmaster however was it's own bike with a completely different frame from the A10.  The Huntmaster was particularly popular with sidecar fanatics in the late 1950s.
[[Image:1958-Ariel-FH650-Huntmaster.jpg|left|thumb|1958 Ariel FH650 Huntmaster]]
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==Square Four==
[[Image:1955-Ariel-Square-Four.jpg|right|thumb|1955 Ariel Square Four]]
[[Image:1958-Ariel-Square-Four.jpg|right|thumb|1958 Ariel Square Four]]
Undoubtedly, the most famous bike produced under the Ariel marquee was the '''Square Four'''. 






==Leader==
[[Image:1964-Ariel-Leader.jpg|right|thumb|1964 Ariel Leader]]
[[Image:1963-Ariel-Arrow-Super-Sports.jpg|right|thumb|1963 Ariel Arrow Super Sports]]
The '''Leader''' was probably Ariel's bravest foray into motorcycle manufacturing.  It was an innovate, fully enclosed 250cc two-stroke released in 1959.  Producing peak output of 18bhp, with the twin-cylinder engine based on that of the German [[Adler]].  The leader was intended to be a proper motorcycle with the convenience of a [[scooter]].  The Leader actually worked rather well, with a top speed of about 70mph (112kph) and excellent handling.  But the public didn't take well to it.  Ariel later striped the bodywork to produce the '''Arrow''', with a tuned 20bhp engine in the '''Super Sports''' and '''Golden Arrow''' variants.  Although the Arrow sold well it wasn't enough to stop Ariel from going under in 1967.






==See Also==
*[[List of Ariel Motorcycles]]
*[[Ariel Timeline]]
*[[List of motorcycles by country]]
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:English motorcycles]]

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