When it comes to great British motorcycles, the classic machine produced by Ariel over the better part of the 20th century, truly are something very special indeed. Take a step back in time to enjoy the delights of the Ariel motorcycle, although long gone now, it has never been forgotten.
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Ariel Motorcycles
i used to work at the ariel in the 60's and moved to the bsa with them when they closed the ariel factory
Lovely film but a poor choice for the music.
Wifes computer.
I had a 1939 600 Ariel square four and a 1948 Ariel square four and I pulled a chair on both of them it was music to my ears OH! to have one now!!! pure joy
Loved my VH 500…
I used to travel each year to Chepstow Hospital from Bristol on the piilion of my fathers Ariel. It was so cold and I was about 8 or 9 at the time. Later I bought an Ariel Leader when I got my first job at 16. Later I joined the Navy and used it to ride from Bristol to Porstmouth for a while till one day the crankshaft broke. I was then posted overseas to Aden and when I returned I found my father had sold it off. I returned to Mororcycles in my fifties rding each day from Bournemouth to London.
Hung up the helmet about 15 years ago now. Too old for todays speeds on the road. :)
I had an old reliable 350cc Ariel we bought together and my boyfriend and I used to travel all over the home counties together on it. He liked the seaside and me too and I was interested in country churches so he developed that interest too. I wish I had it now.
I never had a problem I couldn't fix myself.
Where's Hammond or May?
Barely a mention of the square four, a motorcycle that always was a wondrous machine to me.
I have been on MOTOR BIKES almost all of my 85 years ….. And was a SHAREHOLDER TOO … BSA's decline was partly due to the USA being the main overseas market and BSA WANTED TO EXPAND it's influence there by opening two SPARE PARTS and MAINTAINENCE UNITS in PASSAIC NEW JERSEY and CALIFORNIA – – – STERLING was in a state of collapse with a GBP limit of 25 and a PICKET FENCE round the sterling area ……. THE SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT was reticent in releasing any sterling to the USA which it hated due to the SUEZ CRISIS( Fomented by the USA's Irish brothers DULLES as CIA chief and Foreign Policy boss)and asked WOULD BSA BE EMPLOYING AMERICANS ? and the ANSWER WAS A POSITIVE "YES. of course" ….and the result 'Application Denied' sealed the death knell of British dominence of the WORLD MARKET to the JAPANESE !! I was also involved in the SOCIALIST FURORE OVER BSA PUTTING IT"S Latest and best DAIMLER IN GOLD FOIL, for the opening of the motor show with Lady Docker introducing it dressed in a GOLD LAME OUTFIT that caused the BRITISH GOVERNMENT to go into convulsions of rage !!!! ( I'm on a 250cc single Yamaha now )
Love the bike at the end backfiring !!! lol
Areola.
Where are the birds in Cornwall I cannot find them. I am having a heart attack.
Can you stop those fucking flashup`s I won`t click on them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The first motorcycle I rode was a Bantam the second was a 250 Panther the third was a 56 Red Hunter this was the start of my life long passion for bikes, 63 now & its still part of me..
Excellent documentary and I particularly liked the narration.
loved the colour swaps and close ups of small parts. nice film
nice documentary…instilling more interest in owning a classic
Some of us can only Dream. Born too late and now revealing the Modern British Classics. World Leaders once but Classic and Desirable Always..
Every time I hear the words "BSA Bantam" my body starts twitching uncontrollably. No doubt due to the many hours of frustration I experienced with the marque in my simple quest of trying to get from A to B
arrow and leader ,, fantastic .
when i was Stationed in England in 75/76 i purchased a 1950 BSA Bantam from a local chap .torn it down .and shipped it back to the states in my household goods….lol.Sad to say i sold it later in life….not sure where it is today,but it is missed like an old friend….kickin my ass i let her go
My hats off for your dad
-I was never too keen on the Leaders engine.With 2 up it lacked the power to get up hills.A decent four stoke 500 engine would have improved it .Of course that might have been difficult with that design.
why such a boring documentary for such a great bike?
Ponderous and dreary
Almost an hour of Ariel documentary and not even a mention of the 4G MKII? Totally disappointed
With a huge history of great British Rock and Pop music to put with this video, and still someone chose some lame, post-modern techno…… Pity..
thank goodness for progress. piles of crap.
I had a 350 1938 Ariel was it caller the Red Hunter.
Nice documentary. About 40:20 The dude was an honest visionary…couldn't have been more right actually… Tired of looking at hideously styled crap where the works is hidden from the eye and hands with flashy plastic panels…bring back these self-maintainable packages of easy to reach nuts and bolts!
The RE @ 18.33 is a ring in and no Comparison to the other Bikes.