Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

I've read lots of books and text of the Ariel History but never uncovered why the advertisements for the bikes featured a racehorse. In fact the often shown stylised geometric head I find slightly sinister and scary looking. Could someone let me know why. My personal assumption is the likening of the "HUNTER" theme might be the horse link and did the Sangsters have race horse connections?...Surely a race horse is not a hunting horse is it? No idea myself. Thanks

Correct, a Hunter in horsey terms is not the same as a race horse but that wouldn't stop the advertising department from using race horse analogies. There are obviously many similarities between riding horses and motorbikes. I am not aware of a connection between the Sangsters and horse racing but I wouldn't be surprised if there was. I am not aware of a connection to the Robert Sangster of the Vernon Pools empire who was a successful race horse breeder and at one time lived at The Nunnery on the Isle of Man.
If anyone knows more, please let me know.

Thanks Roger...The horse head does look weird though. Like, does the horse's mane represent a pedestrian crossing?..Is the A meant to look like a Dual carriageway? (it's not the Ariel "A") And the eyes, why square eyes, maybe a square four? ...Ha Ha. Such a strange ugly creation

1930's style, I like it

Les, Roger, I believe(d) that the horse image came from a connection to a ‘Spirit in the sky’
Shakespeare ? But I looked that up and got no further then the (a ?) Tempest, a winged female figure and but no horse in sight.
If I am correct this horse image was drawn up by Victor Mole a publicity man at Ariel .
anyway, While on this path.., who came up with the frase ‘Cheval de Fer’ ?

Spirit in the Sky, wasn't that Norman Greenbaum?

Ariel as a name is pretty old and has been used for all sorts of things from washing powder, Shakespeare's 'airy spirit' and a moon of Jupiter or Saturn. I recently learnt that it was also used by Robert Thompson for his invention of the pneumatic tyre, only he spelt it Aerial. Unfortunately this was 1845 and was too soon. The later story is a bit complicated but essentially Dunlop decided to market bicycles, which were built by Components Ltd and sold as Ariel. The cycle trade became upset at Dunlop selling bicycles and to keep the peace they sold the company to Components. There were at least 6 companies with Ariel in the name that relate to our bikes from Selly Oak but the original company was Cycle Components Manufacturing 1894-1902, replaced by Components Ltd 1902-32.
Other companies:-
The Ariel Cycle Co, 1896-32 Dunlop's cycle firm sold to Components in 1897
Ariel Motor Co. Ltd.1900-06 Set up by Components to market cars that they were making
Ariel Motors (1906) Ltd 1906-19 manufacture and marketing of cars
Ariel Works Ltd. 1915-32 Set up be Components to handle sales of motorcycles and cars
Jack Sangster Ltd. 1932 This was the company initially formed to take over the failed main company, this name only appears on a few works drawings, a UK brochure and an Italian catalogue.
Ariel Motors (JS) Ltd 1932-36 New name for Jack Sangster Ltd.
Ariel Motors Ltd. 1936-65 New name for Ariel Motors (JS) Ltd probably had something to do with the take over of Triumph, although I believe that both were owned by Jack Sangster using another company called Jack Sangster Holdings or similar, yet to be investigated.

I don't know who thought up Cheval de fer but as far as I know the magazine has always been called that.

Enough waffle

Cheval de fer - French , iron horse - English , železný kôň - Slovak

this is how google knows it

And now we have a company making Ariel motorcycles and sport cars

Really?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_(po ... 84-MNK.jpg