The Ariel Ace is a 2014

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

that is manufactured by the British

Ariel Motor Company Ariel Motor Company Ltd is a British, low-volume performance motor vehicle manufacturing company in Crewkerne, in Somerset, England. History Founded by Simon Saunders in 1991 as Solocrest Ltd., the name was changed in 1999 to Ariel Motor Comp ...

Crewkerne Crewkerne ( ) is a town and electoral ward in Somerset, England, southwest of Yeovil and east of Chard all in the South Somerset district. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Coombe, Woolminstone and Henley – and b ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

, England. It uses the

V4 engine A V4 engine is a four-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The V4 engine is less common compared to straight-four engines. However, V4 engines have been used in automobiles ...

from the Honda VFR1200. It is the Ariel marque's first new motorcycle in more than 50 years.

Design

Ariel has a "long-standing relationship with Honda", who were sufficiently impressed with Ariel's

Atom Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons. Every solid, liquid, gas, ...

sports car A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...

to allow them to use their VFR engine in the Ace. The V4 engine is suspended from "a huge, bridge-like aluminium frame" that resembles a

trellis frame A motorcycle frame is a motorcycle's core structure. It supports the engine, provides a location for the steering and rear suspension, and supports the rider and any passenger or luggage. Also attached to the frame are the fuel tank and battery. A ...

in appearance. Trellis frames are usually fabricated from welded tubes, such as on the Ducati Monster, as well as for the chassis of the Atom. The Ace's frame, however, is not made from welded steel tube; rather the frame sides are machined from a solid aluminium billet. This gives the frame's diagonal stiffeners their distinctive triangular vee section, rather than the usual round-section tube. The Ariel Ace comes with a choice of two alternative front suspensions; either a conventional upside-down

telescopic fork A telescopic fork is a form of motorcycle front suspension whose use is so common that it is virtually universal. The telescopic fork uses fork tubes and sliders which contain the springs and dampers. The main advantages of the telescopic for ...

or Ariel's own girder fork. Rear suspension uses a

single-sided swingarm A swingarm, or "swinging arm" (UK), originally known as a swing fork or pivoted fork, is a single or double sided mechanical device which attaches the rear wheel of a motorcycle to its body, allowing it to pivot vertically. The main component of ...

. The final-drive is a shaft-drive. An unusual feature is that the rider's knees do not grip a shaped fuel tank; instead, one's knees are alongside the frame, which is rather less comfortable.

Customization

Bikes can be ordered from the factory with various options, and upgraded over time. Options include front and rear suspension, handlebars, bodywork, fuel tank size, exhaust, wheels, seat, footrests, colors and finishes.

Reception

Roland Brown, writing in ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'', concludes that the Ace is a "dramatically styled, cleverly engineered and enjoyably powerful V4 roadster that returns the renowned Ariel marque to motorcycling in impressive fashion". Jensen Beeler, writing in ''Asphalt and Rubber'', dubbed it "the most expensive Honda you will ever come across" noting its exclusivity. Loz Blain in ''Gizmag'' called it "one of the best looking motorcycles I've ever seen", also noting the £20,000 price puts it out of reach for many riders. ''Gizmag'' and ''

Jalopnik G/O Media Inc. is an American media holding company that runs ''Gizmodo'', ''Kotaku'', ''Jalopnik'', '' Deadspin'', ''Lifehacker'', '' Jezebel'', '' The Root'', '' The A.V. Club'', ''The Takeout'', '' The Onion'', and ''The Inventory''. Hist ...

'' both noted the unique customization options available to create a cruiser, fully faired sportbike, or naked bike around a common frame and

powertrain A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...

; the latter publication called it an "adult Lego set". A review in '' Road & Track'' compared the design to that of the Atom sports car, calling it "purposeful" but "not particularly pretty".

References

External links

* * {{YouTube, eeeuaETDlKA, Bike magazine tests the Ariel Ace (''

Bike A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

'' magazine, 27 August 2014) Ariel motorcycles Motorcycles introduced in 2014

Design

Customization

Reception

See also

References

External links