Difference between revisions of "Ariel Leader"

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[[Category:Ariel motorcycles]]
[[Category:Ariel motorcycles]]
[[Category:1950s motorcycles]]
[[Category:1960s motorcycles]]

Revision as of 01:47, 9 February 2011

Leader

1964 Ariel Leader
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.