Ariel Square 4

fasterspider · Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 8:05 pm Post subject: Ariel Square 4

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/mcy/1761447806.html

fxray · Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 8:55 pm Post subject:

Ray,

Go ahead and do it. You know you want to. Those Hondas need a companion.

fasterspider · Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 10:43 pm Post subject:

Russell · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 12:40 am Post subject:

I remember as a kid pushing one of these with friends for $%#%^&^ hours around and around a paddock trying to bump start it. All we ever got from it was the occasional reluctant belch from one exhaust.This one does look just a tad tidier!

fxray · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 6:21 am Post subject:

Yeah Spider, and the day I pay $15,500 for a motorcycle, the Chicago Cubs will win the pennant. That Square Four is an interesting craigslist post, though. You don't exactly see one come up every day. Matching numbers are a real big deal on Brit Bikes, though, so that will hurt that guy's price.

New bikes these days don't seem to trip my trigger like they once did. I think I'll keep what I have and be happy. It's kind of funny how the older bikes get the attention. For example, when you get that CL 350 back on the road, it will draw a crowd sooner than, say a new R1200RT Beamer. There's the nostalgia factor for sure, but there is also simply more there to look at. On a lot of new bikes, you can't even see the engine. Jay Leno once said that he doesn't trust a bike that he can't look all the way through to the other side.

Russell · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 12:43 pm Post subject:

Perhaps it is because there is less to look at?So you can look at each part and feel you have an understanding of it's function.In the epic Long Way Round ride it was ironic that the Camera-man's big BM twin was made immobile when a bit of welding heated some electronic device that then locked the clever(?) ABS brakes on.So it took a LONG TRIP HOME on a truck!

tbpmusic · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 1:55 pm Post subject:

Russell · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 2:27 pm Post subject:

Bill...the reality is that for the last couple of decades in western countries motorcycling has shifted from the rational transport market to the deep pockets wanker market and in the west that is what ultimately will see the death of motorcycling.One of the great pleasures for a rational (my term)western motorcyclist is to go to an Asian city and see the incredible ways little bikes are woven into the very fabric of daily existence.The incredible ignorance that is part of that modern western motorcycling malaise means that such people see the brilliant(in it's time) 450 Honda as some sort of toy bike for losers.More's the pity!

fasterspider · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:50 pm Post subject:

The Ariel as mentioned above is a Brit bike and I normally would never even think about posting a Brit bike to the VJMOG web site but, the square four is an oddity that I felt you all could appreciate.
I have only seen one Ariel square four actually running and on the road on all my years, that was about 7 or 8 years ago at the Ralph's market on Magnolia & Vineland in North Hollywood.

Russell · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:19 pm Post subject:

Ray, isn't it intriguing that there have been Japanese 'square fours' since that have been phenomenal performers...but 2 strokers!

fasterspider · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:58 pm Post subject:

Swedemoto · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 7:15 pm Post subject:

I lust after the Ariels, mainly for their rarity and uniqueness. Don't know if I would pay that much for one though.

dayll · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:18 pm Post subject: FourSquare

Hi Ray, In Pomona back in 1968 or so I rode a BSA Lightning and my pals rode chromed-out Triumph Bonnevilles. There was lots of Triumphs on the streets in those days. (very dangerous-oil everywhere) There were five or six guys that rode Ariel FourSquares. They looked down their noses at us. We drank beer at the Rocket Room down on 5th Ave. while the big shot Ariel guys drank cocktails at the old Post 'n Beam Tavern. We'd come up on them while cruising Holt Ave or 5th and they wouldn't even acknowledge us. Even today I hold those Ariels in high esteem. Guess those bastards made an impression on me.

Anxious to get those pipes back now. Cleaned the hell out the underside and the engine front of the CB900 and got the crossover pipe thingy. (note-Ray took my exhaust pipes and mufflers to get the cherma-chrome treatment.) -dan

jayel · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 4:57 am Post subject: