Highlights
- Offered for sale from a private collection
- Exhibited in the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum until May 2022
- Restored a few years ago to a concours-winning standard
The Appeal
In 1958, Ariel introduced the 250cc Leader, which was a good bike in its own right but was met with tumbleweed by motorcycling enthusiasts who didn’t find its enclosed frame or cumbersome weather protection especially attractive. They became much more emotional the following year, when Ariel announced it was discontinuing one of its best-loved and longest-lived models, the Square Four.
The Square Four was perhaps Ariel’s most famous product, having launched in 1931 with an engine devised by future Triumph design maestro, Edward Turner. The prodigious 997cc engine had its four-cylinders arranged in a most unconventional square layout, with two cranks, but it was an effective design and far more compact than inline-fours.
Through most, if not all, of the 1950s, it was the only four-cylinder motorcycle built in Britain and its merits were many. The powerful and torquey engine made it popular for pulling sidecars as well as riding as a solo machine, and fourth gear was said to stretch from 10 to 100mph. Producing 40bhp, weighing 425lbs and costing £336, it was not just Ariel’s top-of-the-range offering but arguably the best offering of the entire British motorcycle industry.
Although a little on the large side to be sporty, and hence never quite fashionable, it was as good-looking as it was well-engineered. We all like the look of the partially-chromed tanks BSA, Norton and other manufacturers employed, but the ‘Squariel’ had probably the most attractive and dynamic tank design with its swooping chrome teardrops. It was a highly-acclaimed bike for many reasons, and Vincent HRD founder Phil Vincent was among its fans.
This example looks outstanding having been restored a few years ago, well enough for it to win a concours prize. More recently, it has formed part of a private collection, and was exhibited until May in the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum. Obviously well looked-after over the past few years, we expect a little bit of fuel and a fresh service should be all it takes to get it up and running again.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered in Southend-on-Sea in February 1958
- After some time in storage, the Ariel was restored to a high standard and won the concours at a classic car show
- Acquired in July 2015 by a prominent classic car and motorcycle collector
- Exhibited at the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum in Calne, Wiltshire, until May 2022
- Sold with the Atwell-Wilson exhibit sheet
The Exterior
- Presented in outstanding condition following its recent restoration
- Superb paint and chrome
- Seat still very much like new
With its restoration deemed good enough for it to win a concours award, it should go without saying that this bike is in jolly good condition all-round, but, just to eliminate any doubt, we will reiterate that it’s absolutely excellent. The paint and the chrome both possess a very deep shine, and we don’t think there’s much at all we can fault. While it is just about conceivable that it has acquired a few small blemishes in the years following its restoration, there was certainly nothing that we noticed, so we’ll leave it to you to scrutinize and come to your own conclusions.
The wheels and tyres are all in excellent order, but the seat is really remarkable. Obviously recovered when the bike was restored, it still presents as if it were new. Having spent much of its life post-restoration in a museum, it probably doesn’t need to be said that it has barely ever been sat on.
All things considered, this bike stands out as one of the highlights of the seller's collection, and it really is very difficult to fault. We wouldn’t be surprised if it starts winning awards again should you take it back onto the show circuit.
The Mechanics
- One of the most powerful and versatile engines of the pre- and post-war periods
- Ideally suited to pulling a period sidecar
- Easily capable of 100mph
The impressive engineering behind the Square was further improved in 1953, when the Mk II appeared with a redesigned cylinder head, four separate exhaust pipes from two cast-aluminium manifolds and a rocker box combined with the inlet manifold. A redesigned frame allowed clearance for the high-mounted SU carburettor, more commonly seen on sports cars than motorcycles.
The engine, brakes and other mechanical parts on this bike are all extremely clean. This would suggest to us that the engine is free from oil leaks or, possibly, it was rebuilt during its restoration and has scarcely been run since. Either way, it’s a good sign. While there is no MoT record for the Ariel, it has obviously been restored to a high standard and stored well, so we do not think it is likely to have acquired any problems. Of course, we would encourage bidders to undertake precautionary checks and satisfy themselves as to its roadworthiness, but it’s difficult to think that there should be anything major to address.
Again, while the bike has not been started since leaving the museum, it has been kept in good conditions so we do not think anything more than some new fuel and a fresh service should be required to get it running again.
The Summary
The Ariel Square Four was undoubtedly one of the British motorcycle industry’s greatest achievements, but if bikes like the BSA Gold Star and Manx Norton were the motorcycling equivalent of racehorses, the Square Four is more of a shire horse – diligent and massively capable, handsome in its visible strength and powerful enough to go anywhere with any load, quietly doing sterling work while other, more glamorous machines steal all the glory.
This one is wonderfully presented having seen little use following its concours-standard restoration. Looking excellent in both mechanical and cosmetic terms, we don’t think it will take much more than fuel and a service before this bike is traversing the country once more.
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