Ariel launches new Ace motorcycle

25 Jun, 2014 1:40pm Jordan Bishop

Somerset-based Ariel returns to biker roots with new £20,000 173bhp Ace motorcycle

Ariel is launching an all-new motorcycle for the first time in 50 years. Called the Ace, between 100 and 150 versions of the bike will be built each year alongside the Atom sports car at the Somerset brand’s Crewkerne factory.

The Ariel Ace is already available to order, priced from £20,000, and will enter production from the start of 2015. The final cost of any given bike is likely to vary significantly though, as the options list is extensive – changes can be made to the seat height, footrests, brake and gear levers, handlebars, as well as the tank size, wheels, exhausts, bodywork and finish.

That’s because just like the Atom, each Ace motorcycle will be hand built by one Ariel technician in an independent build bay – customers will even be able to visit their bike during the manufacturing process.

• Caterham to build motorbikes

Power will come from a Honda 1237cc V4 engine, offering 173bhp and 131Nm of torque. 0-62 is said to take 3.4 seconds alongside a claimed top speed of 165mph, with Ariel claiming the Ace’s performance “has been aimed at the average rider being able to extract comfortable and consistently attainable performance”.

This unit can be paired to a six-speed manual or dual clutch transmission with sport and manual push button control. Underpinning the Ace is an aluminium space frame that echoes the Atom’s exposed chassis while making use of bespoke materials and design.

Ariel has also guaranteed its new motorbike can be returned to the factory when new upgrades become available. It already runs this option for the Atom, allowing modifications to be fitted at any time as and when customers desire.

To begin with, features for the Ace include five- and seven-spoke alloys with optional lightweight carbon fibre and aluminium wheels. There’ll be a choice of Dunlop tyres, too, and all in-car instruments will come via Race Technologies-developed LCD dash – the same on found on the Atom. This allows for programmable gearshift lights and multi-screen information feedback.

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Submitted by creepcube on Wed, 2014-06-25 14:19.

yer having a laugh 20 000 pounds ........9500 gets a speed triple hahahahh they will fail....

Submitted by WesternYeoman on Wed, 2014-06-25 15:34.

I don't think so, a decent brand new Harley Davidson costs around the £20k mark, with this you're going to be buying something with a bit of exclusivity.

Also it makes it harder to steal, because there'll be so few of them around, that means if it gets stolen, the scumbag that nicks it, won't be able to do much with it other than break it for spares, riding it around would be difficult, without being pulled by the plod, also with GPS trackers, Smartwater & DataTag makes it even harder to BS the plod or lose track of it.

I love the look of these machines and if I had the money, I'd most certainly have one.

Submitted by Porker on Thu, 2014-06-26 05:03.

You can pay £30K for a CVO Harley, but most of their really decent bikes are between £10-13K. Some in the range as low as £7K, all before discounts. The expensive Harleys though, are very different animals.
Stolen one go abroad in the backs of vans.