Somerset, UK-based company Ariel, which manufactures the track-focussed Atom sportscar, has revealed its first ever premium motorcycle. Called the Ace, this motorcycle is set to go into production in 2015, and the company plans to give enthusiasts their first peek at the motorcycle, at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The bike's skeletal frame is reminiscent of the Atom’s but constructed entirely from aluminium alloy billet, and the Ace can be configured either as a sports bike or a cruiser. Like the Atom, the Ace is based on Honda components.
The engine powering the Ace is a four-stroke, 1237cc, liquid-cooled and V4 motor from the Honda VFR1200 sports-tourer that pumps out 173bhp. However, the engine management system governing the bikes riding characteristics is designed by the company itself. Performance figures are yet to be disclosed, but Ariel estimates a top speed of 265kph.
The new Ariel bike will offer a level of customisation never seen before, according to Ariel director Simon Saunders. The British manufacturer will be offering a range of seats, handlebars, exhausts, brakes, tank sizes and styles, along with two completely different front ends, a radical looking girder fork and a conventional USD front fork setup.
The company plans to make 100 to 150 bikes a year, beginning next January, and will use the similar building techniques as it does for the Atom, wherein one technician builds one complete bike from beginning to end, and signs off on the finished article.
The Ariel Ace is expected to go on sale in the UK with a price tag of approximately £20,000 (Rs 20.5 lakh).