Sharing the fancy DNA of the Atoms->ke564’ and Nomads’, Ace has been Ariel->ke563’s bare-bone take on the two-wheeled world that saw the first daylights back in 2014. A completely customizable machine that could become just about anything; Low riding cruiser, street, naked, touring, or out and out sport. They sold for $25k a piece, and a few of them came onto our shores as well.

Five years later, Ariel is setting up the stage to unveil a (literally) shiny new model called the “Ace Iron Horse” at the upcoming Motorcycle Live show in Birmingham, England. Based on the existing Ace Muscle Cruiser, the Iron Horse is said to be a homage to the 'Black Ariel' produced between 1926 and 1930 and will come with a price tag of around $40,000.

Justifying that hefty price tag is the hand-crafted, hand-polished aluminum frame that over 70 hours to produce. CNC machined from 6 individual billet aluminum sections, the frame is hand-welded to provide mounting points for the various subframe, fuel tank, saddle, body, and suspension options. Because being an Ariel, every machine is individually specced out from the other.

The Iron Horse takes this a step further with hand-polishing that frame to a mirror-finish. And so is the case with the unique aluminum Ariel girder front end, the exhaust canister, and the 17 inch BST alloy wheel, all polished away even to burn the sun. Pretty Chromy.

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Then there is carbon-fiber. This is Ariel’s way of showing tribute to their history – the “Black Ariels.” Cradled within that blingy frame is a carbon fiber fuel tank that slopes down to a hand-stitched saddle that matches the weaves to the tank. The sparsely available bodywork is also carbon-fiber.

There are polished aluminum handlebars, adjustable footrests, adjustable brake, and gear levers, and titanium heel guards and mounting brackets. Other highlights include full LED lighting, LCD instruments, six-piston linked brakes, Ohlins grinder suspensions, switchable traction control, ABS, and more. Every Ace has been tailor-made and individually built by one technician from start to finish, and you can see the plaque with his signature on the frame.

The heart of this Iron Horse, however, remains the same 1237cc V4 motor supplied by Honda from its VFR1200. This mill is tuned to produce a hefty 173bhp and 95.1ftlb of torque and capable of a claimed top speed of 170mph. Throttle by wire technology combined with Ariel’s fuel mapping and intake system gives progressive and responsive power delivery throughout the rev range. The power is transmitted to the rear via a shaft drive.

To be launched in a couple of days from writing this article, the Ace Iron Horse is Ariel’s most exclusive machine that gets the most visually striking hand-crafted makeover. Be sure this will be a limited edition affair and is touted to sell-off at the upcoming Motorcycle Live show in Birmingham, England, on November 16, 2019.

Ariel Motorcycles started as the Ariel Cycle Co. making bicycles in Birmingham, England in 1897, and was owned by Dunlop Tire Co. Although they built their first powered vehicle, a tricycle in 1898, their first motorcycle came only in 1901.