Beautifully restored by Fred Rentz, this 1958 Ariel Red Hunter HS scrambler is the last from a model line that established the legacy of the prominent British brand. With origins in early bicycle manufacturing dating back to 1870, Ariel, a word meaning the spirit of the air, built its first motorcycle in 1902. As the company endured financial turmoil and changed ownership at the turn of the century, production remained low, and the machines remained underdeveloped. Following World War I, Jack Sangster, the previous owner’s son, took the company’s reigns and began developing a modern motorcycle, recruiting J.A.P. Engineer Val Page to create its 1927 Black Ariel model. The new model marked the beginning of a golden era for Ariel, with Sangster acquiring the company out of receivership in 1932 and bringing on talented designers like Edward Turner, renowned for his later work for Triumph. The Black Ariel would provide the foundation for Turner’s unique “Square 4” design introduced in 1930, which quickly became the company’s signature model. The single-cylinder, 500cc Red Hunter line followed in 1932, with its red paint and high-polished nickel plating establishing a standard of style and its success paving the way for Ariel to purchase Triumph motorcycles in 1936. As with most manufacturers, the outbreak of World War II refocused production for the war effort, but in 1954, new model configurations based around the Red Hunter were produced with the American market in mind. The new line featured a new duplex frame, swingarm rear suspension and telescopic forks, set up expressly for the increasingly popular scramble rider and American road-going enthusiasts. This restored 1958 Ariel HS was a competition model configured for the scramble featuring a 500cc/34 HP single, hopped up with hotter cams, stronger valve springs, higher compression and straight-pipe exhaust. Along with the release of this stunning example, 1958 also marked the final year of the four-stroke Ariels, as the brand refocused on smaller-displacement, two-stroke, scooter-like commuter machines before ultimately terminating production in 1967. Less than 1,000 of the sporty HS and its road-oriented sibling, the VH models, were made between 1954 and 1958, making this exceptional 1958 Ariel HS with NOS Dunlop tires a rare motorcycle with a remarkable heritage. NO RESERVE T197.1 1958 ARIEL HS
