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Ariel motorcycles started out as a manufacturer of bicycles in Bournbrook, Birmingham. The British company then progressed to motorcycles. The original company was founded in 1870 by James Starley and William Hillman who created wire-spoke wheels. This product was quickly followed by the manufacture of the ‘penny farthing’ bicycle which they named Ariel.

Ariel’s first motorcycle was produced in 1902. It had a Kerry engine, float carburetor and a magneto ignition. The same year, Charles Sangster’s Compound LTD took over Ariel. The company manufactured the Arielette which was a three-speed two-stroke motorcycle. Production of this motorbike ceased with the onset of the First World War.

Jack Sangster, Charles Sangster’s son took over management of Component LTD’s Ariel division. Under his leadership, a 4hp motorcycle with a White and Poppe engine was manufactured. It was a successful machine and 586cc and 992cc soon added to the range.

The company’s machines were made with engines assembled from outside the company until 1926 when Val Page, a new designer joined them from JAP.

In 1951, Ariel was acquired by BSA. Nevertheless, the brand remained active until 1967. The last motorcycle build under the umbrella of Ariel was a three-wheeled moped that did not last long. This was in 1970.

Interesting Facts about Ariel

• John Kemp Starley, James Starley’s nephew, invented the bicycle whose design is used to make today’s bicycles.
• When Components LTD went down in 1932, jack Sangster bought the Ariel division from the receivers at a discounted price.
• During the Second World War, the Ariel Company was converted to military production.
• In 1959, the Ariel Leader, a machine which claimed to combine motorcycle and scooter in one package, was produced by Ariel in an attempted to compete with Japanese models. The venture was not successful.
• The BSA Company that acquired Ariel produced the Ariel 3 in 1970. It was a 49cc tricycle. A small museum was founded in Bristol, England to honor the tricycle
• The old Ariel name was revived to form the Ariel Motor Company in 1999. It manufactured the Atom, a high-performance road-legal sports car and Ariel Ace, a large-capacity bike.