Alternator Conversion For Ariel Square Four

Owners of the alloy-engine variants of the Ariel Square Four will be excited by the possibility of fitting a 300-Watt alternator. This conversion unit can be fitted to the standard bike without modification to the engine castings. Re-use of the original Lucas dynamo drive housing and chrome end cap mean that the bike will, at a glance, appear standard.

Square Fours are often converted to 12-Volt by simply changing the regulator and bulbs but this does little to help. More power is available from the dynamo but higher speeds are required before the initial cut in and this can actually make the situation worse. In addition to this, commutators and windings in the elderly Lucas units can disintegrate.

We have seen a number of dynamos where the segments in the commutator have started to move. This give unreliable performance as the uneven running surface gives poor contact with the brushes. This movement may also be the cause of fractured windings where they join the commutator.

Unfortunately little additional space is available over that occupied by the Lucas 3½ inch diameter dynamo. A permanent magnet alternator conversion that was available a few years ago gave reasonable results but unfortunately required some of the fins to be ground away on the back of the cylinder block.

After purchasing a number of modern Japanese bike alternators I came across a Nippon Denso unit which, although too big to fit as a complete unit, turned out to contain a petite 93mm stator. The Eureka moment came when it was discovered that there was room for the naked stator between the standard dynamo drive housing and the original dynamo mounting on the crankcase. Fill in the blank spaces and you have a working alternator!

Tight space and the requirement to attach an extension shaft to the Kawasaki rotor presented considerable difficulties. The coupling must not only be robust but allow the sealing arrangements, distributor drive and drive sprocket mounting of the original dynamo to be replicated. There is also a machined saddle cast on the rear of crankcase that provides a seating for the original dynamo. This represented a problem since the alternator body would need to be of a larger diameter than the 3½-inch Lucas dynamo.

Six months work solved these problems and a first prototype was finished and fitted to my Mk2 Ariel for testing. I was delighted with the results. Enough output was available to balance the headlight on full beam from a shade less than 30mph even extra tall solo gearing fitted. The surplus of power available also maintained a fully charged battery and kept the system voltage at a healthy 13.5-14.0 Volts. At this correct voltage the halogen headlamp bulb was able to provide excellent illumination, night time riding was now a joy and it was immensely pleasurable to burble around town in top gear rather than having to ride in third or even second in an attempt to keep the engine speed up.

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Ariel W/NG 350

The Ariel W/NG 350 is a motorcycle based on the well proven Ariel Red Hunter singles built by Ariel Motorcycles for the British military, and designed by the firm's chief designer Val Page in 1932 around an engine he developed six years earlier. Although the Ariel was not initially selected by the War Department, they were in great demand after the evacuation of Dunkirk when much of the British Army's materiel had been left behind.

Development
On the outbreak of the Second World War, Ariel submitted the 1939 VA 497 cc (30.3 cu in) overhead valve single for evaluation against the War Office's Norton 16H. The 1939 W/VA 497cc side-valve single was also tested. Both performed well and Ariel developed the W/NG specifically for military use. This was a 348 cc (21.2 cu in) OHV single based on a Scottish six-day Trials winning model and went into production in 1940.
Although the French military immediately placed orders for the W/NG, the British War Office rated it as "fair – for use only in emergency purposes". Following the loss of equipment resulting from the evacuation of Dunkirk in May 1940 the "emergency purposes" became necessary, and Ariel turned over as many motorcycles as possible to the war effort, including converted civilian machines – many of which still carried an Ariel badge painted over with green or sand paint. VH & VG (500 OHV singles), NH & NG (350 OHV singles), and even the VB (598 cc or 36.5 cu in SV single) models were put into military service, although most were used for training and civil defence.
The British Army, Royal Air Force, Admiralty, Ministry of Agriculture and Women's Land Army all used Ariel W/NG 350s.
Post War
After the war over 800 W/NG motorcycles were supplied to the Danish Army between 1946 and 1947. The remaining W/NGs that survived were mostly converted back into civilian specification for resale by dealers, so good examples of the military model are now rare.

Ariel W/NG 350 Production Unit Quantity
W/NG 350 cc (21.4 cu in) motorcycles were supplied from 1940 to 1945 and featured dual triangular tool boxes, pannier frames for bags, rear carrying racks and headlamp masks. Rubber items were impossible to source from 1942 because of a shortage of rubber, therefore handgrips were made from canvas and footrests from steel. As the war progressed, aluminium also became scarce and pressed steel was used for the primary chaincase and timing covers.

Date	Production	Notes
10 July 1940	1	First prototype delivered
8 August 1940	2,700	153 delivered to French military
27 August 1940	350	Chilwell
18 September 1940	2,000	Chilwell
7 March 1941	3,500	Tewkesbury (one fitted with a Matchless engine and one with BSA B30
5 July 1941	3,500	Chilwell
12 August 1941	750
10 November 1941	300	Delivered at 75 per week
12 December 1941	2,000	Delivered to Tewkesbury at 650 per month
26 December 1941	100	Delivered at 25 per month
2 February 1942	105	27 Delivered to the Royal Navy (estimated production)
14 March 1942	3,500
9 April 1942	1,800	Delivered to the Royal Air Force
27 August 1942	75	Delivered to the Royal Navy
20 November 1942	40
21 January 1943	50	Delivered to the Royal Navy
3 March 1943	2,250
5 May 1943	100	Delivered to the Royal Navy
9 October 1943	250	Delivered to the Royal Navy
20 September 1943	4,000	Contract price £62 each
6 January 1944	3,000	Contract price £62 each
25 March 1944	5
31 March 1944	2,000	Reduced from original contract for 3,500
16 June 1944	350	Delivered to the Royal Navy
27 January 1945	43	Delivered to the Royal Navy
31 January 1945	249	Delivered to the Royal Navy
15 February 1945	1,122	Delivered to the Royal Air Force (reduced from order for 1,572)
7 April 1945	300	Delivered to the Royal Navy
12 June 1945	300

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Ariel Square Four Motorcycles

The Square Four is a motorcycle built by Ariel and designed by Edward Turner, who devised the Square Four engine in 1928. At this time he was looking for work, showing drawings of his engine design to motorcycle manufacturers.
The engine was essentially a pair of 'across frame' OHC parallel twins joined by their geared central flywheels, with a four-cylinder block (or Monobloc) and single head. The idea for the engine was rejected by BSA, but adopted by Ariel. Thus it became the Ariel Square Four.


Ariel Square Four 4F (1931–1936)
The first Ariel Square Four 4F was shown at the Olympia Motorcycle Show in 1930,in chain driven overhead-camshaft 500 cc form.
Early Square Fours used a hand-change, four-speed Burman gearbox.
In 1932, the cylinder bores were enlarged by 5 mm to give a capacity of 601 cc, specifically to accommodate owners who wanted a sidecar.
This model was used for the Maudes Trophy test, covering 700 miles (1,127 km) in 700 minutes, followed by a timed lap of 87.4 mph (140.7 km/h). (In 1923 a Mr George Pettyt, of Maudes Motor Mart, had donated a "challenge trophy" for the ACU to award each year for the most meritorious, observed endurance test for motorcycles, known as the Maudes Trophy.)
Ariel Square Four 4G 1938 (1936–1949)
The “Cammy” engine gained a reputation for overheating the rear cylinder heads, so in 1936 the engine was completely redesigned, emerging as the 1937 OHV 995 cc model 4G. In 1939 Ariel's patented Anstey-link plunger rear suspension became an option. In 1946, the plunger rear was available again, and oil damped telescopic front forks replaced the previous girder type.
Ariel Square Four Mark I (1949–1953)
In 1949, the Ariel Square Four Mark I saw the cast-iron cylinder head and barrel replaced by alloy head and barrel. This saved about 30 pounds (14 kg) in weight. The 1949 machine weighed around 435 lb (197 kg) dry, produced 35 bhp (26 kW) at 5,500 rpm. The Mark I was capable of 90 mph-plus.
Ariel Square Four Mark II (1953–1959)
In 1953, the ‘four pipe’ 997 cc Ariel Square Four Mk II was released, with separate barrels and a re-designed cylinder head, with four separate exhaust pipes. The Square Four was now a genuine 100 mph (160 km/h) motorcycle, due to 40 hp (30 kW), and weighing 425 lb (193 kg) and costing £336.16.6.
In 1954, Ariel built prototypes of a Mk3 with Earles forks, but the model was never put into production.
In 1959, Square Four production, and that of all other Ariel four-stroke models, ceased.
Ariel Square Four All Production Quantity

Model	Years produced	Production
4F-500	1931–1932	927
4F-600	1932–1940	2,674
4G-1000	1936–1948	4,288
Mk I	1949–1953	3,922
Mk II	1953–1958	3,828
All Models	1931–1958	15,639

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Ariel Leader And Red Hunter Motorcycles Category

1. Ariel Leader
The Leader was an Ariel motorcycle made between 1958 and 1965. A radical design, the Leader was fully enclosed with an integral windscreen and was the first British motorcycle to have flashing indicators.Ariel could not compete against Japanese imports and the last Ariel Leader was produced when the company closed in 1965.

Development
Designed by Val Page and Bernard Knight, The Ariel Leader featured a 250 cc two-stroke engine suspended in a pressed 20 gauge steel 'backbone' frame, welded down the middle for strength. The fuel tank was hidden inside this structure and accessed by lifting the hinged dual seat. A dummy petrol tank was used for storage and was large enough to fit a spare crash helmet. It was the fully enclosed bodywork (first developed by Phil Vincent for the innovative Vincent Black Prince) that was most prominent, as none of the working parts of the motorcycle were visible. As well as a full body, the Leader had a permanent windscreen and specially designed integral luggage 'panniers'. As well as the first flashing indicators on a British motorcycle other 'firsts' established by the Ariel Leader were a parking light and a clock build into a 'dashboard'.
The machine's engine was a copy of the pre-war German Adler design which was seized after WWII as part of war reparations in a similar way that the pre-war German DKW was used for the BSA Bantam range.
Launch
First launched in the summer of 1958 the Leader claimed to offer the comfort of a scooter with the performance of a motorcycle. At first it sold well and it won the Motor Cycle News 'Motorcycle of the Year' in 1959. Ariel backed up the launch with a long list of options (unusual at the time) so few of the 22,000 Ariel Leaders produced were the same. Color scheme were also a break with tradition and included 'Oriental Blue' or 'Cherry Red' with 'Admiral Gray' accents.
Ariel Arrow
This was a cheaper, stripped Leader produced from 1959 and was developed as the Golden Arrow "sport" version in 1963. The capacity was reduced to 200 cc in 1967 to bring it into a lower tax band. In 1960, a prototype Arrow with a four-stroke 349 cc twin cylinder engine was made to sell alongside the Ariel Leader. The budget engine, designed by Val Page to do 75 mph (121 km/h), was canted to fit the Arrow frame. Although it was thought the initial 18 bhp (13 kW) power output could have been increased to 24 bhp (18 kW), development money ran out and the project was dropped.
2. Ariel Red Hunter

The Ariel Red Hunter was the name used for a range of Ariel single-cylinder motorcycles. They were designed by the firm's chief designer Val Page in 1932 around an overhead-valve single-cylinder engine he developed six years earlier. Originally a 'sports' version of the Ariel 500, 250 and 350cc versions were developed and became popular with grass track and trials riders.
All Red Hunters had a distinctive dark red petrol and oil tanks which were painted in the former Bournbrook cinema opposite the main Ariel factory in Dawlish road. The engines were all run for two hours on a test bench to maintain Ariel's record of reliability and quality control. The Red Hunter was a success and formed the backbone of the company, and made Ariel able to purchase Triumph.
On the 500cc, acceleration from 0-60mph could be made in 10.9 seconds, while stopping from 25mph could be made under 24 feet.
Edward Turner developed the design further with added chrome and it became a popular touring road bike. Handling was improved by the addition of rear suspension and telescopic forks and it gained an alloy cylinder head from the 1950s. Champion Sammy Miller had great success with a 500cc Red Hunter from 1955.

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Ariel Motorcycles History

Ariel Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Selly Oak, Birmingham. It was one of the leading innovators in British motorcycling, and was part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1944 but the Ariel name survived until 1970. Influential Ariel designers included Edward Turner and Val Page.

The original company was established in 1870 by James Starley and William Hillman to make bicycles. The name came from the first penny farthing bicycle, which was so light they called it the Ariel "spirit of the air".It merged with Westwood Manufacturing in 1896 and made a powered tricycle in 1898 with a de Dion engine. Hillman left soon afterwards to found Premier Motorcycles.

In 1902, Ariel produced its first motorcycle, which had a Kerry engine with an innovative magneto ignition and a float carburettor. In 1905, Ariel was taken over by Charles Sangster, who built a three-speed, two-stroke he marketed as the "Arielette", but his small factory closed on the outbreak of the First World War.
In 1918, Sangster's son Jack took over and developed a motorcycle with a 4 hp White and Poppe engine that proved successful. Jack increased the range of motorcycles to include 586 cc and 992 cc machines and persuaded the designer Val Page to join the company. Ariel was merged with a company called Components Ltd. but this venture failed and in 1930, Jack was able to regain control and set up a new factory in Birmingham. One of their first bikes was the Ariel Square Four, designed by Edward Turner followed by the Ariel Red Hunter. The Red Hunter was a success, and made Ariel able to purchase Triumph.
The first Ariel to be fitted with an engine was a powered tricycle that appeared in 1898. In 1901 the first Ariel motorcycle proper was launched, powered by a 211 cc Minerva engine.
A range of motorcycles was made with engines either bought in or assembled to other people's designs until 1926 when a new designer, Val Page, joined Ariel from JAP. That year Page created a pair of new engines which used many existing motorcycle parts, and then redesigned the motorcycle for 1927. These new Ariels are known as 'Black Ariels' (1926–1930) and were the basis on which all Ariel 4-stroke singles were based until their demise in 1959 (except the LH Colt of the mid-1950s). During the 'Black Ariel' period the Ariel horse logo came into being as did the slogan 'The Modern Motor Cycle'.
The Ariel Square Four with a 500 cc engine designed by Edward Turner first appeared for the 1931 season. Around this time the company went into receivership and then a new company was formed. The Square Four became a 600cc. The Square Fours had overheating problems with the rear cylinders which resulted in distorted heads throughout their history. A redesign in 1937 resulted in a 995 cc OHV version designated the 4G. In 1939 Anstey-link plunger rear suspension was an option. It was still available when production restarted in 1946, with telescopic forks replacing the girder forks.
In 1949 the Mark 1 Square Four had cast aluminium barrels and heads, instead of cast iron. With the lower weight the bike was a 90 mph plus machine. In 1951 Ariel became part of the BSA group. In 1953 the Mark 2 Square Four had a redesigned cylinder head, and was capable of 100 mph. In 1959, to the dismay of some motorcyclists, Ariel dropped its four-stroke engines and produced basically two models, the 250cc twin-cylinder two-stroke-engined Arrow, and the Leader. There was also a 200cc Arrow version made for a short period. To give Ariel credit, the focus on the Arrow and Leader models was an attempt to bring the company up to date, having recognised the threat from the new Japanese imports. The Ariel Leader had a fully faired body from the headlamp aft. The Arrow was more open, though it kept the enclosed chain case and deep mudguards.
Ariel motorcycles ceased production in 1967. In 1970 BSA used the 'Ariel' name for the 'Ariel 3', a 3-wheel 50cc 2-stroke moped, different at the time because it was a tilting vehicle. The front half was hinged to the rear and could tilt into corners whilst keeping all three wheels on the ground. The design was licensed from G.L.Wallis & Son, who had patented it in 1966 (following the failure of the Ariel 3 the design was licensed to Honda who produced it as the Honda Gyro).
Production of the Ariel 3 was short-lived and it was dropped, along with the Ariel name, shortly afterwards.
Famous models

-Ariel Square Four -Ariel Red Hunter -Ariel W/NG 350 -VB -Models A - G -Ariel Arrow -Leader -Fieldmaster -Pixie -VCH

-KHA -Huntmaster -Cyclone (model owned by Buddy Holly) -The Military Model WNG 350 -Trials HT5 -Trials HT3 -Scrambles HS (Mk1,11,111)

During the Second World War, the Ariel factory was turned over to military production, including the Ariel W/NG 350 army motorcycle based on the Red Hunter but with higher ground clearance.
In 1944, the company was sold to BSA and the 500 cc KH model was produced, together with the more powerful Huntmaster, which had a modified BSA A10 650 cc engine. Reliable and capable of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), the Huntmaster proved popular with sidecar enthusiasts.
The Red Hunter formed the basis for Sammy Miller's 1955 trials motorcycle which proved very successful in competition. In 1959, Ariel broke with tradition and produced the Ariel Leader, a fully enclosed 250 cc two-stroke that aimed to combine the benefits of the motorcycle with the advantages of a scooter.
BSA decided to close the factory in 1963 and move production to Small Heath. In 1967, Ariel produced its last motorcycle, a reduced capacity Ariel Arrow. In 1970, BSA produced the Ariel 3, a 49 cc trike.

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List Of Ariel Motorcycles

Ariel Motorcycles Listing

Model	Year	Notes
Ariel 3 hp	1908	325 cc
Ariel 3.5 hp	1913	499 cc, single-cylinder side-valve four-stroke
Ariel V-twin	1915	700 cc
Ariel 4 hp	1918	White and Poppe engine
Ariel Model D 500 cc	1926	Four-stroke OHV single
Ariel 557 cc	1926–35	Side-valve single variously designated A, B, SB, VA or VB
Ariel LB                1929–32	250 cc	side-valve
Ariel LF & LG	1929–32	250 cc OHV "Colt"
Ariel 4F	1931–40	"Square" four-cylinder engine in 500 cc (1931-32) & 600 cc (1932-40) versions
Ariel VH	1932–40	500 cc OHV Red Hunter
Ariel NH	1932–40	350 cc OHV Red Hunter
Ariel LH & OH	1934–40	250 cc OHV Red Hunter
Ariel LF, LG, & OG	1934–40	250 cc OHV "Colt"
Ariel VB	1926–35	598 cc side-valve single
Ariel 4G & 4H	1937–40	"Square" four-cylinder 995 cc
Ariel W/NG	1940–45	350 cc (Military)
Ariel KG & KH	1945	500 cc parallel twin, later versions called the "Fieldmaster"
Ariel Square Four Mark I	1949–53	"Square" four-cylinder 995 cc
Ariel Square Four Mark II	1953–58	"Square" four-cylinder 995 cc
Ariel FH	1954	650 cc parallel twin called the "Huntmaster" with BSA A10 engine
Ariel 350 cc HT	1954	Trials special with competition frame
Ariel 500 cc HT	1954	Trials special with competition frame
Ariel Leader	1958–1965	250 cc two-stroke
Ariel Arrow	1959	250 cc sports version of Ariel Leader
Ariel Golden Arrow	1963	250 cc
Ariel Arrow	1967	200 cc reduced capacity to place it in lower road tax bracket
Ariel Pixie	1968	50 cc BSA Beagle engine
Ariel 3	1969	Dutch Anker 50 cc three-wheeler

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