ARIEL

350 Red Hunter – 1936

The mighty Hunter

The Ariel Red Hunter sporty four-stroke singles were the result of the work of two of the finest British motorcycle designers, Val Page and Edward Turner. At the start of the 1930s, Page defined the basic layout of the new range, but it sold well only after it had been restyled by Turner and adopted the "Red Hunter" name in 1934.

Fast and Beautiful

Starting from the premise that a motorcycle should be beautiful as well as fast and reliable, Turner designed a larger tank with red enamel panels on a chrome background. It had built-in instrumentation and adopted a fashionable dual exhaust system finished in chrome.

A Long Career

In the years immediately before WWII, the Red Hunter was available in 250, 350 and 500cc models. They soon acquired a reputation as sports bikes that offered excellent value for the money, while souped-up versions achieved success in trials, motocross and speed events on the track. A 350cc version was produced for the British Army during WWII, and - though the 250 was dropped - the 350 and 500 continued in production after the war, adopting telescopic forks in 1946 and later gaining rear suspension. Their career ended in 1958 when Ariel - which had been taken over by the BSA group - made the risky decision to concentrate all its production on the new Arrow range of two-stroke twins. The disappearance of the traditional British singles was mourned by enthusiasts, and Ariel slipped out of sight when the sales of the Arrow collapsed in the middle of the 1960s.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 347cc (72x85mm) air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke; Lucas magneto ignition

Power Rating: 18 hp @ 6000 rpm

Valves: overhead

Fuel System: Amal carburettor

Transmission: Burman 4-speed, chain final drive

Suspension: Ariel Webb-type girder forks with central spring (front); rigid (rear)

Brakes: 7 inch drum (front & rear)

Wheels: 20 inch (front); 19 inch (rear)

Weight: 330 lb

Maximum Speed: 75 mph

The 1936 Ariel 350 Red Hunter was a highly fashionable machine with its dual exhausts and its instrumentation incorporated in the tank-top.