By 1958 the Ariel Square Four was considered one of the premier motorcycles on earth. A huge powerplant, incredibly smooth, fast. Edward Turner (who would go on to design the Triumph Speed Twin) designed the twin crank 4 cylinder single head motor in the late 1920’s and sold it to Ariel who successfully brought it to market in 1936. It was the marquee leader until 1959 when it was discarded to concentrate on a two stroke 250cc bike for the masses. That one choice killed the entire company.
The 1958 Ariel Square Four (MKII) used a 997 CC (60.8 CIC) air cooled four stroke overhead valve vertical 4 cylinder motor that featured 2 crankshafts and a single head. Gasoline was mixed by a single Stromberg SU carb and the package produced 45 HP. A buttery smooth transmission and a dry weight of 425 LBS brought the top end up over 100 MPH.
This gorgeous Ariel Square Four (VIN: CGM1550) is in Glendora, California and listed as a “frame off restoration”. It has had some changes made to it like front disc brakes and upgraded forks and wheels, but the listing says he has it all including the original tank with original manuals. It is a no reserve auction that ends Wednesday, September 21st and is currently at $14,058 right