Big power for everyday riders. That's a tall order.
To be clear, Ariel doesn't want you to buy this bike if you're looking for an all-out track machine. You can buy a Ducati 1199 Panigale R if you want that sort of thrill, and you should. For a bike like the Panigale R, amateurs need not apply—actually, they should run screaming. Ariel's OK with that. This is a different bike, and maybe it's premature to say so, but it might be our sort of bike, as well.
First, it's properly customizable. There aren't any sissy bars or frilly panniers on the options list. Instead you'll find adjustable controls, various saddle height choices, and several suspension variations, all intended to allow for a personalized fitting of the bike to the rider. Individualizing each bike in practical ways is very smart—not that cosmetic considerations won't play a part, but they aren't the primary concern. A boutique outfit like Ariel can make this happen in a way that a mainstream motorcycle manufacturer can't.
The exposed metal perimeter frame is a visual tie-in to its four-wheeled stablemate, the Atom. As with the Atom, it's not particularly pretty. Purposeful, yes: Everything's exposed for all to see, and the Ace worships at the altar of the billet metal part. Just look at the front girder fork setup with the Ohlins monoshock. Engineering geekery, surely, but classically beautiful? Not really, not that anyone should mind.
Then there's the engine. Continuing the Honda tie-up, it's a V4 out of the VFR1200, making 170 hp and enabling a run to 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds, according to Ariel. Power is through a six-speed or optional DCT gearbox and out to the rear wheel via a shaft drive. Weight hasn't been revealed as of yet; don't expect it to be excessively light.
It won't be cheap, either. Prices in the UK (including VAT) start at £20,000 (around $34,000), which is a very loose indicator of what the Ace might cost in the States. Read: pricey.
Pricey, but promising. As with any ambitious motorcycle, riding is believing.
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