Ariel 3 (moped)
 Ariel 3 | |
| Manufacturer | BSA |
|---|---|
| Class | Moped |
| Engine | 50 cc (3.1 cu in) air-cooled, two-stroke, single |
| Brakes | Drum, front and rear |
The Ariel 3 was a tricycle moped produced by the BSA[1] factory in the UK. The Ariel 3 was a sales flop whose £2M development cost contributed significantly to the demise of BSA.
Even the Ariel 3's promotion was ill-conceived, the sales slogan being "Here it is - whatever it is!".[2] Cohn Atkinson attributes its failure to a remote management at BSA who "didn't even like bikes" and who "made the most appalling decisions" on production and marketing.[3]
Design[edit]
The engine was a Dutch Anker 50 cc (3.1 cu in) 2-stroke, situated between the rear wheels. The pressed-steel forward section of the frame, supported by torsion bars, could swivel to enable the rider to lean the vehicle into bends like a motorcycle.[3][4][better source needed] The front "fork" was a single-sided down tube with a rudimentary rubber block suspension. All three pressed steel wheels were interchangeable. Drive was to just one of the rear wheels, and only one of the rear wheels had a brake, a small drum item. There was a similar front drum brake. A true moped, the Ariel 3's engine was started by first pedalling and then releasing a decompressor trigger. The rider could assist the little motor on hills by pedalling. The six volt headlight was single beam, with no dip. There was no rear suspension.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "BSA Motorcycles - the Final Evolution - Rider's Library". 12 December 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
- ^ "1972 Ariel 3 Moped Frame no. 007362". Bonhams. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- ^ a b "That other Ariel two-stroke!". Retrieved 2 February 2017.
- ^ "The BSA Ariel 3". Retrieved 2 February 2017.
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