Lion of God

[wade.edwards]

Ariel in Hebrew-Lion of God: Ari (lion). El (God)

What is the backstory regarding the founding fathers reason for naming their machines, Ariels?

Have been watching Wheels Through Time, which is a private museum dedicated to preserving the rarest of original, American made motorcycles. Really enjoy their presentations that describe the mechanical idiosyncrasies of a particular machine, how it was discovered and who owned it. They always follow through with a start up. Those early V-twins sound awesome, as most of them run with straight pipes.

Has consideration has ever been discussed regarding the founding of a dedicated Ariel museum?

Picture a bare bones, three story, 19th century brick building with an internal elevator.

There could be a building needing adoption because time has passed it by due to de-industrialization. Perhaps someone is in a position to donate or heavily subsidize such an enterprise. Most people’s priorities change as they approach end of life and want to leave a meaningful heritage.

Ariels could be on loan for display by anyone with an interest to share. That way displays could change and the museum would not have to raise funds to buy machines. So many Ariels are rarely seen because they are spread out in private collections. How many can one man ride?

A fundraiser for the project should draw broad support considering the enthusiasm of Ariel owners everywhere.

[adrie.degraaff]

Not Lion of god, see HISTORY on this site.

The club has enough funds to build a museum but the aim is to ride them not collecting dust, if i don't use an Ariel for one year than it will be sold.

[wade.edwards]

Great start to the New Year.

[Bob White]

Hi,
Just on this subject would anybody know which are the rarest Ariels.

[Steven.Carter]

Hi,
Just on this subject would anybody know which are the rarest Ariels.

My mate Tilly would say one of his that actually ran Sorry Tilly

[john.bebb]

Rarest Ariels? - Mk1 Squares which neither seize nor blow head gaskets...

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

A museum dedicated to only Ariels?
Oh please no.
That would be a straight recipe for endless discussions / problems with not only the Ariel owners but also Insurance company's and a plethora of governemental institute's and types, etc.etc.
Only possible way -I think- would be to start it yourself with your own bikes and no interference from others (exept your partner, which will prove enough interference...)
In the Netherlands there are a few examples like the Aermacchi museum from Jaap and Ellen de Jong and the American Motorcycle Museum by Max and Ans Middelbosch. https://aermacchi.nl/ https://www.ammh.nl/
There has been a initiative (long ago) from a few Dutch club members to arrange something like a museum by combining their collections.
It did not last long....(possibly because they where not married )

[jerry.mortimore]

Ariel did use a lion on their advertising material once - this is from the 1932 Motorcycle Show at Olympia.

[wade.edwards]

That is awesome Jerry. Great image. Thanks for the research.

2020 exposed the world to many threats. One of those is the threat to free thought and public collaboration with like minded people who simply attempt to make a difference. Obviously we do not live in a utopian world but one of dystopia but are we now to venture forth demoralized by the failures of those who mismanaged or misspent opportunities to accomplish the seemingly impossible? No.
What is impossible to one is but a hurdle to those who see the light on the other side. The dark side sucks.

[cmfalco]

Not everything that could be done, should be done. I travel a lot (or, I did until ten months ago...), and I've gone out of my way to visit significant motorcycle museums in at least ten countries (e.g. Wheels Through Time, Sammy Miller's, the National MC Museum in Birmingham, etc.). If I were in England and happened to be staying in a city within, say, 20 miles of where an Ariel-only museum housing a random selection of machines on loan from various people was located, and if I had a car, and if I had nothing to do one day, I would visit the museum. Otherwise, not. But, that's just me.