1:SteadyDerk!Ariel
3wasnotexactly
novice-friendly.
2:Ariel3’sfront
suspensionwasthis
rubberblockonthe
single-legfrontfork.
Near-solid rear
endshook up
theshopping.
3:Chaindriveto
theAriel’spedals
forstarting,with
thepulleysallowing
thefronttolean
withoutunduly
distortingthechain.
4:Ariel3rear view.
Reedvalvecarb,
plusbelt drive
from theengineto
thenearside,sole
drivenand braked
rear wheel. Belt
gavenotrouble.
1
2
3
4
Theenginewas mountedabove the rear axle.Itd rove
through anautomatic centrifugal clutch (sothis was
atwist ’n’gowithoutgears), viaatoothedbelt,toa
countershaft;this shaft containedadog clutch, another
BSAcontribution, to allowthe engine tobe disengaged
if the Arielhadtobepedalledhome.Thebelt drivewas
to the leftrear wheel, the only one that wasdriven(and
brak ed)via achain th at connectedittothe countershaft.
Asecond chai nran forward to thepedals,via several
guides andpulleys, whichtensioned t he chain as the
fron tend tilted.
Frontsuspensionwasvia arubber block in the
single-sidedfront fork, while the trailing-link fork
at therear featured polyurethanerubber torsion
bar susp ension.TheAriel rode on three identical,
interchangeable 2.00 x12inpressed steelwheels,and a
sparewas carried.Thebrakeswere4in al lround and the
seat heightwas adjustable.
Duetothe extensiveuse of colour-impregnated
plastics for its panels (whichalsosaved thecostof
painting), the Ariel3weighedinat98lbdry.Extras
includedascreen, awirebasketand coverthatcould
takea50lbshoppingload, andapair of psychedelic
stickers forthe rear side panels.Groov y.
Whatwentwrong?
Theintendedlaunchwas delayed by ayearuntil June
- BSAmanagingdirector LionelJofehwas keen,
despite,onafirsttry-out ,havingcrashed an Ariel3into
his owncar.BSA managementhad high hopes of
2000-a-weekproduction,with 20,0 00 ayearaimed at
theUK.They hadfailedtodisco verthatinall buttwo
exportmarkets (Australia beingone),the 3faile dtomeet
legalrequirements.Nevertheless, 50,000 Ankerengines
were ordered in(Ken b elievesan erroronBSA’s massive
computerwas in volved).
TheAriel 3’sfirstmajor stumbling blockwereits
homely,termi nallyinelegantlooks and anotherwould
emerge duringthe costly launchprocess, whenat
promotions,teams of comely uniformed‘Ariel3girls’
wouldemerge with th etrikesfromaTransit, line up and
pedaloffin formation.Butaschief stylistSteve Mettam
putiti nBradJones’excellentbook ‘BSA Motorcycles –
TheFinal Evolution,’the Anker“... wasadevil to st art. You
neededto pedalforseveralyardsbeforeitwould start,
whichwasnot soeasyfor thelightweight mums itwas
aimedat.”Onthe promotions,the Ariel3girls’“line was
broken,andthe expressionsonthe riders’ face sdid not
inspireconfidence...” By contrast the Honda90had an
electricstartsince 1964.Mettamalsobelieved the promo
efforts were misdirected, that reviewswere neededin
Woman’sOwn,notMotorCycle;and that the 3should
have been soldat supermarkets andhardwarestores, not
just BSAdealers.
As amoped,neitheratop speedof30mph normpg
of 120wereimpressive.Onthe starting troubles,BSA
were soonrecommendingthatthe 8mmreed-induction
Encawi carb should notcontact the chainguard, as
if thecarb wasnot strictlyvertical,weakening of the
mixtureoccur red; and the sedimenttraploop inthe
fuel pipe should be deleted,sinceitcould cause airlocks.
Reportsofi nstability couldhave been dueto, as author
RoyBacon wrote, thefactthat when thedriven inside
wheelranoverabad bump,the twin torsion bars’ spring
wound up and thisreacted againstthe fronthalftryingto
pickitup.
TheAriel 3floppedmightily.Actual salesappearto
46 THECLASSICMOTORCYCLE|SEPTEMBER 2019
