The Cyclone was one of Ariel’s most famous motorcycles, partially due to the fact that Buddy Holly owned one – it sold for $450,000 two years ago and it’s now on display at the Buddy Holly Center. Bike-urious reader Dan Dutra is the proud owner of one of the rare Cyclones and he brought his out to the Quail Motorcycle Gathering – enjoy a brief video as he tells you more about it!
In the film, Dan notes that 172 were built and 12 are left. For more on the Cyclone – check out this article on Motorcycle Classics, which states that there are 175 “definite” Cyclones and a further 76 “possibles.” I don’t really know what that means, but the point is that these are incredibly rare motorcycles. If the specific story behind Buddy’s Cyclone (including getting kicked out of a Harley dealership that didn’t recognize him) interests you, then you have to read this article from The Vintagent.