Skip to main content

Ever wondered what an Ariel Atom motorcycle would look like? Well, here’s your answer

Ariel Motors, best known for their minimalist, lightweight but road-legal open-wheel sports cars, will produce a motorcycle platform that allows buyers to heavily customize their bike during the build process.

According to Autocar, the Ariel Ace, as it will be known, is based around an arching aluminum Ducati-ish space frame with motive power coming from Honda’s 173hp VFR1200 V4 powerplant. Ariel’s cars also sport Honda powerplants.

For vintage bike enthusiasts taking a break from polishing their Ariel Square Fours, it should be noted the current and old Ariel companies are not related outside of the brand name.

While the bikes will be based around the same frame and engine combo, buyers will be able to specify a wide range of major options, including a girder fork with an Ohlins adjustable mono-spring suspension system for the cruiser flavor or a more typical pair of Ohlins front legs for the sportier iteration. Ohlins bits will also control the rear single-sided swingarm.

Ariel Ace Sport
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Other options include sport or cruiser seats, exhaust systems, rear wheel fenders and likely a wheel choice that includes a carbon fiber option. Engine management will reportedly come from Ariel, not Honda.

Autocar pegs the price at 20,000 pounds, which translates to about $35,000 Stateside, although optioning up the Ace will change that number of course.

Kudos to Ariel for giving well-heeled buyers so many options, but we’ll reserve judgement on the performance quotient for when production bikes hit the road. Building different bikes around base configurations is nothing new, but when you are operating at this level, buyers who are planning to actually ride the bikes (rather than just collect them) will be demanding performance commensurate with the price. While the bar for performance in a “cruiser” is naturally lower, building a capable sportbike from a parts-bin approach is another story. 

Is Ariel up to the task? Their hair-on-fire open wheel cars’ well-known performance levels suggests they may well indeed be able to pull it off. But motorcycles aren’t cars and while many of the same ideas about performance apply, making a motorcycle handle properly, especially one this size and with this much power, is more black magic than textbook science.

Bill Roberson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I focus on producing Digital Trends' 'DT Daily' video news program along with photographing items we get in for review. I…
Waymo lays groundwork for robotaxi revolution
A Waymo car production line.

In recent years, Waymo has been edging toward its long-held goal of revolutionizing urban transportation by deploying a fully autonomous, scalable, and sustainable ride-hailing service. 

The Alphabet-owned company has just taken another step in that direction with the opening of a new vehicle factory in Metro Phoenix, Arizona, in partnership with automaker Magna.

Read more
Ram resurrects 1500 Express trim as an affordable option
ram 1500 express return affordable 2026

Ram is revving up excitement with the return of an old favorite—the 2026 Ram 1500 Express. Reintroduced as a more affordable option in the full-size truck lineup, the Express trim brings back a combination of rugged style, respectable performance, and most importantly, a price tag that won’t send buyers running for the hills.

Starting at $41,105 for the base Quad Cab configuration (and just under $45,000 for the Crew Cab), the new Express offers a budget-friendly alternative in a market where full-size trucks can easily cross the $60,000 mark.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more