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The next model to roll out of Ariel's Somerset factory could be a motorbike.
But how should Ariel go about making a bike worthy of the badge that created the Atom track car?
Simon Saunders, owner of Ariel Motor Company, has certain criteria that should be met.
"We don't want to make a faster bike; that's been done. An Ariel bike has to be measurably better in some other way. It could be an electric performance bike, it could be more lightweight, agile and usable, it could even be single...Read the full article

I find it very hard to imagine what an Ariel motorbike would look like, but I have no doubt it would be revolutionary.

I really like the idea of a lightweight, electric-powered performance bike, with a completely naked frame and really futuristic design. But I struggle to see how that could be so usable, and that's one of the things that Ariel wants from its bike.

So here's an idea. Ariel once produced a monstrosity of a thing called the Ariel 3 - a three-wheeled scooter that tilted to aid handling round corners. In the 70s that didn't work, and it was a poorly executed thing. So how about a performance three-wheeler with all those assets that Ariel wants? Usable, lightweight, handling and performance.

Three-wheelers at the moment tend to be heavy things that lack the finesse of a bike, so there's room for Ariel to re-write the design rules. How about it?

Vicky Parrott:

a three-wheeled scooter that tilted to aid handling round corners

sorry vicky but isn't there a piaggio mp3 already?  or going the other way, didn't Merc come up with the "carver", another 3 wheeler that titled?

also aren't most bikes generally pretty naked anyway?

i don't think there is much scope for improvements to bikes (short of them becoming cars a la atom) - my challenge would be for Ariel to build a cheap economical car to rival Gordon Murray.  imagine that, the father of the F1 vs the makes of the Atom, all to make a people's car for the 21st century.

Ariel name for motorcycle seems the property of the AOMCC. Triumph name is on 'japan style' motorcycle, Norton 'modern' production just use the fame of the name what a pity; don't do the same for Ariel. if somebody have money for making a new Ariel bring back to live the famous mono cylinder or the square four using good materials and good technology that's enough to make a great motorcycle. remember that when Sangster sold the factory to BSA the employees made a strike as they want to keep the high level of their work ! in a recent past Yamaha make a single cylindre 500cc not as good as the Ariel VH Red Hunter : 100mph in 1936 the fasted road bike :-)

Merc did have a tilting concept, but the production Carver was conceived and built by the Dutch (a company called Vanderbrink, I think). I drove (rode?) one once, and it was an absolute riot. Expensive though, at the other side of £20,000. I'm not sure about electricity for the power of Ariel's bike. At least, not until there's a small enough fuel cell/nuclear reactor, or they can find a way to avoid charging the bugger for eight hours a time. So, I'd go for an internal combustion engine and take the term 'naked' to a new level: use it as a stressed member, part of the chassis, in a design that's a kind of Supermoto-Plus. Maybe even two wheel-drive. Companies have tried this before without commercial success, driving a front wheel by a cable. Why not both wheels? Single rear swingarm, fairly long-travel forks, and light. Super light. Typically a sports bike might weigh, what, 170-180kg? So, less than 100kg would be my target. Then you wouldn't need more than 50bhp to make it proper exciting, so could use a motor - maybe a twin - with a nice broad powerband. And a name? Ariel was the name of a spirit in one of Shakespeare's plays. So Ariel Tempest it is.

re: the name, i presume this thing is going to be smaller than an atom, so how about the Ariel Electron?

actually no... reminds me too much of my old Acorn Electron... and that was complete pants!