The Ariel Square Four
(Just sold for $15,500)

 

This is my friend Danny Davidson sitting on his 1950 Ariel Square Four. Photo taken about 1953.     When everyone else in Charleston was riding primarily Harleys, (and of course BSA and Triumph ... they were big in the US after WW2), Danny was riding an Ariel Square Four.  An unusual British motorcycle, the four cylinder engine actually had twin crankshafts geared together.  It was a 1000cc, when a large Brit bike was a 650cc, or perhaps the occasional Royal Enfield 750cc. The Ariel was considered one of the hottest motorcycles of it's day.  Unlike the Harleys and Indians, this was a lightweight bike with a lot of power.  To see one in Charleston back then was very rare. Photo taken at 1229 Woodland Drive, West Side.

This is Danny's group of riders.  He's sitting on the Ariel in this photo.  Most of these guys preferred to ride the lighter, faster bikes of the day.  This photo taken on Bigley Ave on the West Side.  Below is the exact same location today.. SO WHERE DID THE SQUARE FOUR GO?

The bike was later sold to Hugh Jones,  llifetime resident of Kanawha City.  Hugh kept the bike in his garage for over 60 years.  You may have noticed that the front end is different than the first photo above.  This is because Hugh wrecked the bike and  installed an earlier Ariel Square Four front end.  Still original parts, just wrong bike for them.

(this money went to the state)

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