LONDON, June 27 — British car maker Ariel, known for its Atom, a sports car without a windshield or side guards approved for road driving, is presenting a very impressive motorcycle at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. Behind its aggressive appearance is a 173 bhp Honda engine.

The Ariel Ace is actually a Honda VFR 1200 by-product and it features the same 1237 cc V4 engine, developing some 173 bhp. It has a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of about 3.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 265 km/h (164 mph). Ariel has equipped the Ace with reference pieces, like its Brembo brakes and Ohlins suspensions.

A hundred units are expected to be made each year for a selling price of about £20,000 (RM109,000). Prices can vary depending on the options chosen.

The last Ariel motorcycle dated back to 1969. — AFP-Relaxnews