yes but to be fair you can not compare a 1960s bike to a modern one,, eg,, many soul less plastic fantastic today will skin a Bonneville in almost all respects,, but we still all love the bonny more,, why ??
Speak for yourself please! "All love the bonny more" indeed! If everyone loves bikes like the Bonnie more, why aren't they running them instead of Multis, Panis, GSes, R1s etc. As I said, nostalgia ain't what it used to be. I wouldn't run an old bike if you paid me. When I tried to buy a secondhand Triumph Trophy from a dealer as my first bike in 1973 and complained about the pool of oil under it the dealer just said: "oh, they all do that." So I bought a Honda and never looked back. Came back to Triumph when they were sorted thirty-four years later, via a few more Jap bikes and a Laverda. Let's face it if the old machines were so great British bikes would still rule the world, Ariel wouldn't be putting a Honda engine in the Ace and kids would be queuing up to buy Cubs and Bantams as their first bikes. Everyone here complains about build quality etc too but puts up with it because Ducatis' good points outweigh the bad. If that pendulum ever swings the other way, Ducati will go bust - like BSA et al. And so they should because the customer is king and having a nice warm feeling inside about having bought a classic machine doesn't cut the mustard when you're standing by the side of the road in the rain with your dynamo in your hand as happened to a friend of mine when he came out for a ride on his Dommie with us on our "Jap crap" back in the day. Simples innit?
Er because we are "all" looking through rose-tinted spectacles (or those funny Biggles goggles we used to wear I suppose). Actually, speak for yourself. I wouldn't run a "classic" bike if you paid me. I've seen the downside of those character machines too often. Life's too short to stand by the side of the road in the rain in oil-soaked jeans with a Dommie dynamo in your hand. Or wave to your mates as they return up the A23 from a ride to Brighton because you're still searching hedgerows for a rocker cover that vibrated off on the way down - despite having been put on with copious amounts of Loctite (I accept there was an element of operator error there but you must admit its a funny story!) Both of which actually happened to a mate - and that's when the old bikes actually started. Countless times, we Jap bike turncoats just pushed our soulless electric-start buttons and rode off leaving the Brit bikers cursing and kicking their characterful machines over - and in some cases just kicking them... increasingly hard!
I think the Ace is ugly but I used to think it was hideous, so maybe its growing on me. It looks over designed to my mind in an attempt to echo the features of the Atom car. However that's only my opinion and each to their own. The more bikes there are on the market the better and the more of them that are made in Britain, all the better still. So I hope they do well with it. I'd like to see more mainstream bikes bearing British badges, like Triumph, rather than the current fashion for disinterring extinct marques to market wildly expensive boutique bikes - non of which, the Matchless, Aerial, or Brough do much to float my boat. Though if I had to choose one, it would be the Aerial Ace, but the red one with the tele forks. And I'd want a headlight that's the right size. And maybe some frame paint.. The Norton Dominator is a thing of immense beauty but I can't see a long term business in it. I do hope they come up with something more sustainable soon. Looking at the way mainstream manufacturers are pushing prices for 2015 bikes, the Ace is actually looking less boutique and exclusive by the day. On a practical note, it looks like its gong to be a pig to keep clean.
I think 'purposeful' is the word to describe the Ariel's looks ... And on cleaning, isn't it nice to see an engine for a change? Anyway my vote for best-looking bike of all time would go to the black and gold Ducati 900SS of the late Seventies. And I wouldn't chuck one of those out of the garage just because it must have also been up for a pig-to-clean award. Anyway what better use of time is there on a rainy Sunday than seven or eight hours spent crawling round on a cold concrete floor with a tube of Solvol Autosol (showing my age now!) and an old toothbrush?! I'm with you on the Ace tele forks and headlamp issue btw. Also with you on the lack of appeal of the other Brit marques - except maybe the Nortons. Also if the Ace is looking less boutique and exclusive, bearing in mind it's semi-bespoke nature, isn't it likely to be a bit of a bargain at £20,000? The Brough is 50 grand I think - but those bought will probably end up spending their lives in foreign garages and never see a twisty country lane.
View attachment 39116 [/QUOTE] Yes. It only lasts ten seconds before a rear pot overheats and the head gasket blows. Who could have guessed that might happen??!!!
I have a year's supply of head gaskets that should keep you on the road for, ooooh, about six weeks. Want them too?
It may be a bargain actually, the more I think about it. If you consider that its only 2K more than a Diavel Carbon. Nothing wrong with the Diavel, of course but that's not a lot of premium for hand built over mass-produced. Albeit very good mass-produced. The crucial point will be how the ACE rides (I don't take much notice of journalists. They knocked the 1098 SF so what do they know?) and what its like to live with. If it scores well there depreciation ought to be comparatively low which alters the picture again. I think the engine area is a rather confused jumble of plumbing and bits and pieces. Tricky to avoid with a V4 I suppose. I'd either like to see more of the engine with some bling and polish to make it stand out from the gubbins or less of it with some subtle body work.
I like it...not so sure about the single round headlight....looks like an afterthought.... Kind of....fuck it...thatll do...
I like the whole look - ive always liked naked bikes - the chunkier the better - if was a rich man Id buy 2 and crate one up and store it.
Definitely a good investment as only 150-200 being made initially. I will have one if it rides well. Arranging a test ride for the new year.
No chance of affording anything like that....TBH - even if I could buy anything with 2 wheels then I couldn't physically fit it in my garage! so the wife is safe on that one, although im getting pressured into getting rid of my current supermoto project which is going well...
